This is the first of two articles that illustrates why it is important to work with your concrete and masonry contractors to implement a landscape plan.

In this article we talk about all the prep work needed to install a flagstone path over contrete. Then, we actually show you the actual installation of the flagstone over concrete.

We contracted separately with a concrete contractor and masonry company to pour concrete for a 48-inch long S-shaped entrance path. We did this because we also used the same concrete contractor to redo our driveway as discussed in our concrete driveway article.

Getting a landscape design is easy. However, things look very different from the paper design when you are on the job site. With the help of our concrete contractor and mason we were able to create the great flagstone path you see below.

Dimensions of Front Entrance Path

• On the street side, the base is 7-feet long to accommodate people getting out of the car,
• At the narrowest section, it is 48 inches wide to allow two people to walk shoulder to shoulder, and
• At the front steps, its about 6 feet wide.

Initial Efforts in shaping the Front Entrance Path
Before our concrete contractor came on the scene, we experimented with a garden hose to get and idea of how the shape of the path would look on site. This is easier said then done. The results were dismal. A garden hose may work for a simple small path, but not for something S-shaped that was 48 feet long. At one point we seriously considered abandoning the landscape designer's plan for the path.

Our concrete contractor saved the day. He used heavy metal stakes and very long pieces of wooden forms to get the right shape. The wooden forms were quite flexible and really gave us an excellent idea of how the path would look. Based on the landscape design, we spent about an hour setting forms with metal stakes and shaping the path.

There is nothing complicated about this. You just have to experiment and get it exactly where you want it. Once in, there are no changes allowed and the concrete can be poured.

Preparation of Path for Concrete
Once we agreed on the shape of our plan, our concrete contractor prepared the based with crushed blue stone. We specified a 4 inch thick path with 4,000 psi concrete mix. The concrete mix was the same that we used with our driveway. However, a 2,500 psi mix is more than adequate for the job. Wire mesh was used to reinforce the concrete and the finish was broom swept.

Problems with the Concrete in Hot Weather
At the end of a very hot day, our concrete contractor insisted on pouring half the path. We were not happy about this. It was 90+ degrees and we had just finished pouring a section of our driveway. Besides the concrete had been in the concrete truck a long time. Despite our objections, the concrete contractor insisted that everything would be alright and poured half the slab.

The next day we inspected the concrete. It had cracks all over it. Our contractor had to come back, remove the cracked concrete and pour the old part and new part all over again.

Moral of the story-- when it's hot, don't work with concrete. Generally concrete can't stay in a truck past a certain time.