Natural Stone While natural stone is a very luxurious choice for patios, you can cut costs by choosing stone from a local quarry. The native Oklahoma flagstone here was hand cut to match the travertine in the home. This is labor intensive and adds to the total cost, but the result is magnificent.Stone can be installed various ways, depending on the soil conditions. If the existing soil is clay based, it would be wise to lay stone on a 4-inch concrete slab with steel reenforcement for a sturdy base.Stone color can vary dramatically, since it's a natural product. Samples can give you an idea of what it will be like, but know that there will be color variations.