Pavers
We set paver patios, walkways and driveways on excavated, compacted base rock with edge restraint on every open side. We lay tumbled, large-format and permeable concrete pavers, cut and fitted to the shape of the yard.
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A flagstone patio is stone fitted one piece at a time. We build flagstone patios and walkways across Salinas and the Monterey Bay area. The stone can be set in mortar over a concrete slab, or laid dry on compacted base rock. Which one fits depends on the ground, the shade and how the space gets used.
Aguilar and Sons Construction is a licensed general building contractor based in Salinas, holding CSLB license #787101 since 2000. Flagstone rarely goes in alone, so we also build the concrete steps, footings and low walls around it. Hiring one hardscape contractor in Salinas keeps the stonework and the concrete on one plan. Estimates are free, so call or text (831) 262-9943.
Tell us about the job. We will get right back to you.
Mortar-set flagstone starts with a concrete slab. We pour the slab with steel in it and let it cure. Then each stone gets set in a mortar bed and the joints get grouted. What you end up with is a hard surface that stays flat underfoot and sheds water.
Dry-laid flagstone skips the slab. We dig out the area and compact base rock in lifts, then screed a bedding layer under the stone. The joints get filled with stone dust or fine gravel. Water drains through them, and a stone that settles later can be lifted and reset.
The ground usually decides. Heavy clay swells and shrinks with the seasons, which is hard on a rigid slab. Access matters too, since concrete can be pumped into a back yard the trucks cannot reach. We look at the grade, the soil and the drainage on site, then say which method we would build.
Flagstone arrives in irregular shapes and mixed thicknesses. Fitting it is cutting and sorting work. We lay the pieces out dry, cut the edges so joints stay even, and keep long straight seams from forming. The thickest pieces go where feet land most.
A stone walkway needs an edge or the stone spreads. We run a cut stone border along a curving path to hold the line. Dry-laid work gets a buried edge restraint so the base rock stays where we put it.
Steps and landings are where flagstone and concrete meet. We pour the steps in forms with steel in them, then set flagstone treads and landings on top. Stucco or stone veneer can wrap the risers so the steps match the patio. A low planter wall beside the landing holds the grade back.
Summers here are cool and foggy instead of hot. The federal soil survey of the coastal dune belt puts the average July temperature near 62 degrees. It gives the frost-free season as roughly 250 to 350 days. Freezing is rare here, so water, shade and salt air are what wear hardscape down.
Flagstone under oaks stays damp all winter. Moss and algae grow on the shaded side of a patio, and wet stone gets slick. For those areas we pick stone with a cleft or textured face, which keeps its grip when wet. The surface gets sloped so water runs off instead of sitting on it.
Stone paving has a long history on this coast. Carmel-by-the-Sea's own historic record describes local chalkrock, known as Carmel stone, used for chimneys, paving and garden walls. The same document calls a paved terrace between the wings of a house the local form of outdoor living. Fitted stone still suits those homes, from the Monterey Peninsula to Santa Cruz and Hollister.
Free, no-obligation estimates across Salinas and the Monterey Bay area.
(831) 262-9943From the first call or text to the final walkthrough, here is how it goes.
Call or text (831) 262-9943, or send the form. Tell us what you want built and where it goes.
We come out, measure the area and look at grades, drainage and access. The visit and the estimate are free.
You get the scope, the materials and the price in writing. If the job needs a permit or an engineer, we say so up front and build that into the plan.
Excavation and base first, then forming, steel and the pour. Masonry, carpentry and iron work follow in the order the build needs.
We go over the finished work with you on site. You get plain instructions for sealing, joint sand and keeping iron and wood coated.
Common questions about flagstone across Salinas and the Monterey Bay area. If yours is not here, call or text and ask.
We set paver patios, walkways and driveways on excavated, compacted base rock with edge restraint on every open side. We lay tumbled, large-format and permeable concrete pavers, cut and fitted to the shape of the yard.
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Concrete block walls, stone veneer, columns, planters and masonry steps for homes across the Monterey Bay area. Footing, steel and drainage go in before the first block is laid.
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We build concrete and concrete block retaining walls, low garden walls and planter walls with steps. The footing, the steel and the drainage behind the wall come first, then the stucco or stone veneer finish.
Learn MoreCSLB license #787101, classification B General Building, current and active. That license has been held since 2000, more than 25 years as a licensed California contractor.
The license carries a contractor's bond, and workers' compensation insurance is on file with the CSLB. You can look up license #787101 at cslb.ca.gov.
Concrete, masonry, carpentry and iron work run under one contract and one schedule. One company answers for the whole outdoor project.
Estimates are free and we do them at the property. We work from Salinas across the Monterey Bay area, within about 45 minutes.
Call or text (831) 262-9943, or send the form with a few details about the project. Photos of the area help, and we will set a time to come out and measure.
Tell us about the job. We will get right back to you.
