level and compact the gravel to the elevation of concrete. Use 1" pipes, and screed sand over them. Remove the pipes and set your flagstone into place. It's just like laying a paver patio. Also there is a new silicone-based mortar for the joints that is supposed stay pliable.

I need help too. I am inexperienced with concrete, mortar and flagstone. My patio is falling apart along with the steps up to the higher level of my yard that I use for my garden. They are made of flagstone, with mortar in between on a concrete slab. What I plan on doing is removing the flagstone, and chipping away any mortar that my three year old son can't pick up. He just can't wait to get started. Every minute I turn my back he has another piece of 2 inch mortar in his

I'm going to relay the stone on mortar and fill in between the stones with mortar.

At the edge of the patio and on each step, it looks like mortar has a rounded edge, so I was going to try slapping it on and trying to replace it with the same.

Under the stones, it looks pretty dusty, sandy, but I think it might just be the old mortar that was grinding underneath the stone. I'm guessing the patio is 40 maybe 50 years old.

Any suggestions would be appreciative.

That polymeric sand is apparently only for use over gravel/sand and should not be used on stones laid over a concrete base. There are some websites posted in this forum a day or so ago about replacing pebbles between stones.