How to lay cobblestone paving step by step
Laying cobblestone paving means bedding the cobbles one by one on a compacted base and a mortar or sand bed, and then filling the joints. What changes with the use is the base: a concrete slab and mortar for vehicle traffic; a sand bed for light pedestrian areas. In this guide you will find the step-by-step process, how many m² each crate of each stone covers and how to work out your order.
What you need
- Cobbles in the chosen finish (see which finish to choose).
- Mortar for the bed and joints, or sand for flexible paving (guides to mortar and building sand).
- Rubber mallet, straightedge, string line and spirit level.
- Mechanical equipment to unload the crate (forklift, crane or loader).
Base by use
The base depends on the traffic the paving will carry.
| Use | Base | Bed | Joints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle traffic | Concrete slab | Mortar | Mortar, perimeter well confined |
| Pedestrian streets, squares, heavy footfall | Compacted base or slab | Mortar | Mortar (rigid paving) |
| Patios, gardens and light pedestrian areas | Well-compacted base | Sand | Sand or stabilised sand (flexible, permeable paving) |
In frost-prone areas, installation is what matters: a sloped base to drain water, mortar suitable for outdoor use and well-filled joints, with no gaps where water can collect.
Step by step
- Set out and excavate the area, and compact the base well. For vehicle traffic, lay a concrete slab.
- Give the base a fall so that water drains away.
- Spread the bed of mortar or, in light pedestrian areas, of sand.
- Bed the cobbles with a rubber mallet. Whole cobbles are driven in on edge and packed tight; sawn and split cobbles go with the visible face up, levelled with a straightedge. Work with a string line to keep the lines straight.
- Mix pieces from several crates as you lay, to spread the tones of the natural stone.
- Fill the joints with mortar (rigid paving) or sand (flexible paving), keeping a consistent joint width.
- Clean the surface before the mortar hardens and allow it to cure before opening to traffic.
Coverage: m² per crate of each stone
Each crate weighs up to 1,200 kg and covers between 6.5 and 10 m² depending on stone and finish, with a consumption of 115 to 180 kg/m². These are the m² per crate from the product pages:
| Stone | Whole | Sawn | Sawn tumbled | Split | Split tumbled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Úbeda | 8 m² | 10 m² | 10 m² | 10 m² | 10 m² |
| Baeza | 8.5 m² | 8.5 m² | 8.5 m² | 8.5 m² | 8.5 m² |
| Ronda | 6.5 m² | 7.5 m² | 7.5 m² | 7.5 m² | 7.5 m² |
| Córdoba | 8 m² | 8.5 m² | 8 m² | 10 m² | 8 m² |
| Frigiliana | 9 m² | 9 m² | 9 m² | 9 m² | 9 m² |
| Santillana | — | 9 m² | 9 m² | 10 m² | 9 m² |
| Grazalema | 8.5 m² | 9 m² | 9 m² | 9 m² | 9 m² |
| Granada | 9 m² | 8.5 m² | 8.5 m² | — | — |
| Valldemossa | 7.5 m² | 10 m² | 9 m² | 9 m² | 9 m² |
The sawn slice comes in crates of about 18 m² (65 kg/m²) and is bonded to a slab with mortar or cementitious adhesive for outdoor use, spread with a notched trowel.
How to work out how many crates you need
Measure the area, add 5-10 % for piece selection and finishing, divide by the m² per crate of the chosen finish and round up.
- Example 1: a 30 m² square in sawn Úbeda (10 m² per crate): 30 × 1.10 = 33 m²; 33 ÷ 10 = 3.3 → 4 crates.
- Example 2: a 20 m² patio in whole Ronda (6.5 m² per crate): 20 × 1.10 = 22 m²; 22 ÷ 6.5 = 3.38 → 4 crates.
Receiving and unloading the crate
Each crate weighs over a tonne (up to 1,200 kg), so unloading at the destination must be done with mechanical equipment: forklift, crane or loader. Shipping is included in the price.
- Plan access for the lorry and a firm, level area to set the crates down.
- If the order is for several crates, open them all at once and mix cobbles from all of them as you lay.
Tips from the product pages
- With light stones such as Frigiliana, use a light jointing mortar or light sand: a dark joint would dull their brightness.
- With very even stones such as Úbeda, flatness really shows: work with a string line and straightedge.
- With multicoloured stones such as Córdoba or Baeza, lay out a metre dry first to see how the colours combine.
- With sawn Granada, vary the orientation of the cobbles to show off the veining.
To choose the stone and its combinations, see nine paving stones; for the overview, the cobblestone paving guide.
More paving guides
- Cobblestone paving: a guide for patios, streets and squares
- Whole, sawn or split cobblestones: which finish to choose
- Nine paving stones: colours and how to combine them
- Traditional cobbled streets of Spain: from Granada to Valldemossa
- Paving cobblestones collection: the nine stones and the slice, priced per m².
Frequently asked questions
How is cobblestone paving laid?
A mortar bed (or sand in light pedestrian areas) is spread over a well-compacted base and each cobble is bedded with a rubber mallet: whole cobbles on edge, and sawn and split cobbles with the visible face up. The joints are then filled and the surface is cleaned.
Mortar or sand?
Mortar for rigid paving with vehicle traffic or heavy footfall; sand or stabilised sand for light pedestrian areas and gardens, where a permeable, easy-to-repair surface is wanted.
How many m² does a crate cover?
Between 6.5 and 10 m² depending on stone and finish, with a consumption of 115 to 180 kg/m². The sawn slice covers about 18 m² per crate.
How do I work out the crates I need?
Add up the area, add 5-10 % for piece selection and finishing, divide by the m² per crate of the chosen finish and round up.
How is a 1,200 kg crate unloaded?
With mechanical equipment: forklift, crane or loader. Each crate weighs over a tonne and cannot be unloaded by hand.
Can it be laid over an existing slab?
Yes, with the 3 cm sawn slice, which is bonded with mortar or cementitious adhesive for outdoor use. For vehicle traffic, a full-height cobble on a concrete slab is the better choice.
