sandstone flags

[als]

Hi
Has anyone used or know of anyone who has used WICKES natural riven sandstone flags, price wise they're not bad, but they look hell of a thin and I would want to use them for steps.
Any info?

[als]

Hi
This question is probably stupid, but what way do you lay these flags i.e. with the tapered edge facing up or down?

[84-1093879891]

I haven't seen the Wickes ones, but I'm guessing they'll be similar to a lot of the other imported stone that's doing the rounds just now. A lot of them are only 25mm thick and although they should be ok for patio use, I wouldn't be happy with them on a driveway or for commercial work.

And, to answer your 2nd Q, taper edge down. so that the joint is narrower at the surface than at the base. :)

[als]

Hi Tony, thanks for the answers, but just out of curiousity, why are they tapered when other flags etc are square edged? :confused:
How are you keeping these days? is the old ticker still playing up?
Cheers :)
Als

[84-1093879891]

They are tapered because that's the way they 'break' when cut with hand tools. To acheive a neat edge on the top surface, the underside has to be undercut, sloping backwards. It's actually easier to achieve that thype of finsih than to have a flagstone with 'square' edges.

My health is the same as ever. I'm still waiting for what was, back in February when I last went under the knife, a "very urgent" procedure to clear a couple of blocked coronary arteries. However, as I've been messed about by the health service for almost 6 years now, I have come to understand that a normal person's understanding of the word 'urgent' bears no resemblance whatsoever to its meaning within the NHS, where it seems to be defined as "sometime before the bugger dies and saves us the bother". :(