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Noah Dempsey 7/27/21 4:30 PM 8 min read

2 Ways These Flagstone Choices Can Impact Your Project

Earlier last year we wrote an article about the differences in the two different types of flagstones. These two major differences are the thickness and texture/finish of the pieces. While these characteristics are easy to spot when looking at the physical material, knowing how these variables can affect the budget and overall look of a project is a crucial step in the decision-making process. 

Sterling Tan and Colonial Tan FlagstoneColonial Tan & Spruce Mountain Split Flagstone By Exterior Services LLC (CT)

1. Project Budget
Budget is always top of mind when it comes to any project. When choosing between sawn or split flagstone it's important to understand the impact each product will have on how much you will spend.

There are two major factors that impact your budget: material and labor

  • The two types of flagstone (material) each have a different production process and this directly impacts the price you will pay for the material. Our sawn flagstone requires more time and labor to produce, which has a direct impact on the retail price. At 1.5" thick, it offers an approximate coverage of 85sf per ton. Split flagstone will often have a lower retail price because of the production process but at 1-4" thick it offers approximately 60-65sf of coverage per ton and takes a little longer to install. 


    American Mist Sawn Flagstone

American Mist Sawn Flagstone

  • The labor aspect of any project is another major component of a project budget. When your mason (or landscape professional) is installing flagstone they have the prep work and the laying down of material. How the surface is prepared will vary based on the needs of the project but the laying down of the material should be consistent. The sawn flagstone requires less labor than the split flagstone of varying thicknesses. The old saying holds true, time is money, and it will be quicker to lay down sawn material than split. 

Natural Stone Project SiteGreen Monster Landscape (NH) Preparing Base For Flagstone Patio

2. End Result

Spruce Mountain Split FlaggingSpruce Mountain Split Flagging Walkway By Titan Landscaping LLC (CT)

  • Outside of the project budget, the end result is the most crucial part of the project. No matter how much money you spend you want the completed project to be something you are happy with. When considering these two options for any application it is important to understand what the thickness and texture of the pieces mean for the end result. Above and below are two representations of the Spruce Mountain Collection. The general color range is the same but there are visible differences to the textures of the pieces and the way the colors are displayed. Because of the thermaling process, the heat from the torch creates a textured surface and also changes the characteristics of the colors. Although the same stone from the same quarry these projects look completely unique because of the production process.


Spruce Mountain Sawn FlagstoneSpruce Mountain Sawn Flagstone Pool Area By Creative Stone Works Inc (MA)

Overall the budget and end result of any size project take many factors into consideration. The material choice is an important decision that is not to be taken lightly and it is crucial to know upfront how any building material can affect your project from start to finish before it's too late.

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