STONE PATIO INSTALLATION (part 3) Mike Haduck 

I live in Texas and I put in a flagstone floor in a 350 gallon stock tank pond for the wife's turtles. I used your method and it turned out very nice. Thank you for all you have taught me about masonry. I've done block work brick small slabs and stone work around the house. it's become a new hobby. I couldn't have done any of it without your instructions.

Its people like you that makes me enjoy every year of age. All the things we get the opportunity learn as we age

Thanks for these videos, you're a master. Inspiring me to build something like this. -Guy from TN

Layed my first flagstone patio yesterday. I'm glad that I learned how to do it the right way, from watching RU-vid videos from "dis guy". It came out great in Colorado, mid October. Thank you Mike!

I have a new respect and appreciation for this kind of craftmanship in stonework. I had no idea how much skill went into flagstone patios. Beautiful result. Thanks for making this video.

Mike, due to your videos I just refinished the exterior foundation on a customers home that is going up for sale. There were a bunch of spots where the surface failed from water getting in a fracture, freezing and pushing the surface off. I used your methods and constant statement of wet it first before adding material and before I knew it the whole foundation was smooth again. After letting it cure I primed and painted it all and the home owner was thrilled. Prior to finding your videos I would have told them to find a mason but decided to try it myself. So THANK YOU Mike, you're a good teacher.

Thank you so much Mike. I recently bought a old house here with a stone foundation and I was so worried about it, until I've watched almost all of your videos now and I'm way more confident in all stone work and I can't wait to try my hand at repointing! Its amazing to me that you're able to take these super old stone structures and patios and with a little bit of work, bring them back to good as new. Much appreciated sir!

Just about finished with a complicated flagstone patio/fire pit. No chance it would have come out like this without your help and your videos. My wife said she wants to send you a thank you a Christmas card. I told her she should have your T-shirt and coffee mug in the picture for all your help. Thanks Mike!!!!!

Mr Haduck, Thank you for your videos. I started watching them a couple of years ago. I have now done several tile and stone jobs. You inspired me to get out there and do it!

God Bless.... Awesome video Mike and thank you so much for taking the time to share it.

thank you Mike for all your Videos. I have learnt so much watching you. I am about to finally build my first home, and I am trying to do it myself morgue free. I have so many skills to learn, and your a fantastic teacher. I am big fan of the old school ways that where built to last. I am slowly collecting mason tools, and I am looking forward to trying my hand at this amazing art.

Mike, thank you so much for this tutorial. I am about to try this technique for the first time on an old cement pad that a shed was on. I thought it would be good practice. Your spotter stone and joint technique answered a lot of what I was wondering about. Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video. I will let you know how it turns out!

Thank you for posting the video. Very helpful and educational. I live in cold climate and your technic is the right one for me.

Wow,..I've watched this video 4 times, i think i can do it out back,, to some degree, thank you for providing confidence to the world.

is a pleasure learning from you and watching you ,thank you for passing your trade

Your're a very good teacher.

Thank you Mike for the great video. I'm up in Canada with weather like yours. Had problems with my patio and now I know why. Beautiful work you did on that patio.

Mike looks like Harrison Ford always great demonstrations and informative thanks for all education

Thanks Mike for another great video...................

Hi Mike, I've just ran across your channel and I've been watching some of your work and humor, I think you're a stand up guy, very honest and down to earth, I like your style. I'm a Tennessee guy myself but we think along the same lines when it comes to building and doing work. I'm not a mason but I've worked at it doing things for myself most of my life I'm almost 60 now, I'm a machinist by trade so I respect any professional craftsman that knows his stuff. Thanks for your contributions to so many including me.

I enjoy your videos Mike! I did a lot of masonry in England and loved it. I moved to Canada 22 years ago and am Leary of doing a lot up here, had flagstone blow apart that was laid for me in the past, it's a shame because I love the look but our climate is harsh like yours, we are 2 hours north of Toronto, cheers Mike!

Hey Mike, I live in western Oregon, where we usually have mild wet winters. I originally talked to local masons, and used their practices. Then I tried your techniques. My earlier work develops cracks and I'll probably have to redo some of it. Since I've been doing things as though I lived in the northeast, my work has held together completely. Thank you! On a side note, my neighbor hired a contractor to put in some concrete in front of her garage. There's a downhill slope to the garage, so drainage is particularly important. The contractor, who's been working around here for about 40 years, didn't put any level lines in; he just checked around a few spots with a short level. Then he had to go back and clean up the spots where he put the level. He also put a seam in, so the water doesn't flow. It was kind of a comedy to watch. The garage fills with water and my neighbor is trying to get him to replace it. So, that bit about seeing what local contractors do is bunk.

Excellent presentation. Thank you. Well done.✌️❤️🪨🗿

You’re a good teacher

Thank you Mike for your informative video. I build retaining walls with large blocks and have done some flat work laid in sand. I enjoyed listening to you and watching you laying stone with cement. Best wishes to you and yours.

Excellent video, thank you for the detail and explanations. I needed this for a flagstone job I'm going to do for myself on the westcoast in Canada.

You are great man God bless you I learning from you🤠 thanks mike

Thank you very much for sharing this. My dad and I will be putting in a Blackstone patio soon and this has been very helpful and gives us encouragement. God reward you!

Good job Mike, it's nice to see construction techniques in other countries. When I did landscaping (in England) we would lay a 3" sub - base of semi - dry concrete, 8 parts ballast(20mm stone down to fines) with 1 part O.P.C and lay the stone on a wet mix (think bricklaying muck consistency) of 5 parts soft sand and 1 part O.P.C. It was very hard work! But I learned my lesson with the sub - base, and when I went to work for myself, I used a sub - base of crushed limestone scalpings and compacted it with a wacker plate, much easier! All the best.

Beautiful work Mike! Your advice about marrying everything together seems to be the only way to go in freeze/thaw climates like we get in the Eastern US & Atlantic Canada. The fewer cold joints the better.

Thank you Mike! Beautiful job 👍👍👍

I have my student here Ronney, he owes me money.. Oh man that line cracks me up everytime 😂 All the best Mike!

Looks great. I'm glad I live on the west coast as this is very labor intensive

Lovely job Mike... You can't beat a Stone Pencil.... Love it.. We use them too..👍

Working on your knees all day long is ha-a-a-ard work!! Such a beautiful job. I have a lot of respect for masonry workers.

Thanks Mike, I learn a lot about what is much better to do , specially if depends on the weather on the place. Here in Virginia it’s raining a lot and snow once a year.

Old school at work. Good stuff, looks great.

Definitely has the knack and ability to teach. Love the videos

Lovely, Mike!!

great job. every video just is a pleasure to watch

I do them the same as you Mike that's the way I was taught that's the way I do it and if a customer tells me how to do it I wave goodbye as I'm driving away I can be funny like that . Another great job Mike quality as usual 👍 Dave from Wales

Great Work - Perfect Patio Mike!

Very informative, great work!

Very beautiful work ! Love it

That's a fine job you did Sir. It came out great👍

Nice Job Mike thanks for the experience!!!

Another great video Mike!

great video Mike you make it look so easy!

Mike Haduck Masonry Expert & Stone Work Artist.

Excellent. Very helpful. Thanks. God bless.

This is an amazing video...thank you!

Beautiful work Mike.

Looks great, well done sir.

Thanks so much for guidance on this!

Good job Mike old school Mason are the best!!!!!

Mike, that stone work looks real good. Nice half inch joints.

great teaching mike! thanks.

Thank's for all the info!!!

I take something away from all of your videos. Nice work. Thanks

Man that patio looked good. I was surprised to see you doing it with snow on the ground but you explained the reason for that. Here in England the weather aint great either so mansons here would joint up as they go just like you do in Pennsylvania Mike.

nice job. a little like putting a jigsaw puzzle together!!

I love the God and gravity comment too. Mike i would be your student any day. Just came back from camp up in Cook Forest this morning, if you know where that is, and was glad to see another mike haduck video. I totally understand the freeze thaw thing, we get the same type of weather over here in western pa. Thanks again buddy.

Beautiful Work! Also...I appreciate your opinion re: everyone does it a bit different depending on area, etc. We learn from one another. Thank you.

Top job mike.

That is a very pretty patio.

I've been a builder for 48 years, mainly in Arizona, Cal., Nev., (recently retired) could have used you on my projects - Good masons are hard to find. My experience was 99% commercial however I did build a few homes for my clients occasionally- Google 9401 Kings Gate Ct, Las Vegas, NV ( my most recent and last residential project). The mason I used on this house - reluctantly (owners friend) was a nightmare - had to make him re-do most of his work. There is no substitute for a craftsman like yourself who may cost a little more up front but in the end you get what you pay for.

Old school is a lot more work but the end product shows your right. Great job but people have no idea how hard this work is on your body.

Looks Great 👌

Great video Mike, I have been travelling to the USSA for years now and i always wondered why they did not do more wet lay than what i seen, they always told me it was the freeze thaw affect but your system seems to work which i think is perfect. Kind Regards johnyboy

Different strokes for difficult folks.! But great job on the patio sir.!

Up here in New Hampshire it's always below freezing! Thanks.

When i was a young guy, about 400 years ago lol my boss was a bloke that learned his trade in the 1920's. When we pointed the joints in stone walls, he would impress on us the need to work the mortar into the edge of the stone when bagging off. If we left a ledge on the edge of a joint he would make us bag it again to get rid of the ledge. He grew up in the mid north of South Australia were severe frosts would freeze the water in the pipes. He said small ledges collect water and when it froze, blows the edge of the joint away. He told us that bagging a wall was more than getting rid of trowel marks and looks. It sealed the wall and brought the lime to the surface, so it sealed the wall from water ingress. He loathed concrete lintels, portland cement in masonry work and steel bars and angles. As the years have gone by, i now know why he didn't like these things. He always said that they put far too much portland in mortar, and thats why it cracks, as it resists movement. He was a clever man, gone now but i am trying to teach a lot of the old ways to my mates 15 year old son. He loves getting mortar all over himself, same as me at his age lol.

Making joint stick to base is best, though we see your point...some make theirs with joints after like moasiac tile type

thank you for the information

great vid! thanks

Thank you!

Thank you.

thanks for passing your wisdom

Good stuff.

Well done

Thank you

thanks alot for passing all your knowledge :)

Здраствуйте.очень полезная информация.Спасибо

Hi Mike. Your videos are my new favorite videos to watch on RU-vid. You have a natural gift for teaching. I have a question- Do you prefer laying flagstone on a concrete pad like you are doing or a wet bed on crushed stone? I live in PA about 2 hours southeast if you.

Nice one Mike

Good old mike.

Love your videos Sir! You have a student in East Tx.

Nice job

This guy seems to do great work. The patio looks really good. I don't appreciate the multiple messages about how "every "mason" uses their own technique" That is definitely true when speaking of different hemispheres, but that doesn't change the chemistry involved. Some of the "techniques" this guy uses are proven to not withstand the test of time.

I am taking a break this very moment after doing joints between the flagstones. I decided to do the joints separately because I wanted them to be a different color. What a laborious job doing the seams separately is. I think I put twice the amount of cement into the joints, and then depended on my sponge from my cousin's bed mattress to clean up the excess. For me, what a laborious process. My sponge gets instantly dirty, had to keep rinsing the water bucket, it gets dirty fast, and I must have cleaned the joints/stones 10 times each so far. So right now I have the joints cleaned up at the right level and I just have to clean the film off. I only did 1/3rd of the seams. I also sacrificed a couple of towels to soak and put over the stones, the sun makes them too hot.

Good job

Nice .

thanks

Big money job right there

i really really love your stone work, its got a very distinct look, im curious if you went back over those joints your buddy worked on. i wish you were a bit closer to las vegas nv.

Hi Mike, Thanks for posting these videos. Straight forward easy to understand. Humble guy just sharing his way of doing things. Excellent. I am in the central BC Canada region, dry hot summers, minimal rain and winter lows of up to -15 maybe 20. My question is, do I need to pour a concrete pad or can I use sand and gravel for a base? thanks!

Hey Mike...Thank you so much for your videos.. You give me the beginner the confidence to do this...I am going to do a stone pathway through my property. I have two questions.1. how wide should the path be? Do you really need a concrete pad for a path ? 2. How deep should the cement base be before you ;lay the stone? I live in Ontario Canada the weather can get 30 below in the winter.

Great video. Your opinion is appreciated.

I do stone same way here in new york Mike. I put mud down, lay the stone over. tap, cut or add extra mud in joints, sponge clean it and move on to the next stone. strength of this kind of work is unmatched. I don't care what state or part of the world is it

Looks beautiful! Maybe you would consider some videos on what to look for when buying flagstone/blue stone and slate (the ones with even cut sides) How to tell if the stone will work well/are there grades of stone? Thickness matter? Live in Northern Virginia n they sell PA blustone n other slate n stuff, but there looks like different qualities/characteristics in the same kind of stone, especially when I have looked at different sellers/stone places. Anyway. Thanks for the education.