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Frank and I live in an older home that was made significantly larger by the previous owners, and every single day we find ourselves thanking them for their extravagance. They really, really over-invested in this property in the most wonderful way possible. While it’s easy to notice grand additions inside the house, nowhere is their lavish taste and open-checkbook approach more evident than right outside our back door.
Stretching across the rear of the house is a massive, multi-tiered Pennsylvania Bluestone patio that boggles the mind. Measuring roughly 1,800 square feet, it spans three distinct levels connected by two sets of broad stone stairs, with a handsome cedar pergola anchoring the center. Rather than dry-laying the stone over gravel, the previous owners did things the hard way: they poured a massive concrete slab first, setting the bluestone in a rich mortar bed with clean, half-inch joints. The stones are laid in a beautiful random pattern, creating a seamless blend of natural color variations that range from deep steel blue to subtle earthy rust.
I cannot even begin to imagine what a hardscape build of this scale and material quality would cost in today's market. Mercifully, I don't have to wonder, because it’s already here—a permanent, breathtaking gift left behind for us to enjoy. It has become our favorite place to entertain, relax, and appreciate the outdoors, serving as a true outdoor living room that feels like it was built to stand for centuries.
However, keeping an architectural feature of this magnitude looking spectacular takes deliberate care. Maintaining natural bluestone set in mortar over a solid concrete bed is a completely different proposition than maintaining a typical dry-laid paver or gravel patio, particularly here in Pennsylvania where winter freeze-thaw cycles test every joint and crevice. Finding reliable advice for this specific type of masonry construction isn't always easy, so here are ten essential points to keep a large mortared Bluestone patio in prime condition year after year.
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Prioritize Joint Integrity Above All Else
On a mortared slab, cracked or failing mortar joints are your primary vulnerability. Water that seeps into micro-fissures in the half-inch joints will expand when it freezes, popping mortar loose and eventually breaking the bond between the Bluestone and the concrete bed below. Inspect all joints every autumn and repoint hairline cracks immediately with a compatible mortar. -
Prevent Sub-Slab Water Entrapment
Because the concrete slab beneath the stone forms an impermeable barrier, any water getting underneath the Bluestone cannot drain naturally into the soil. If water pools under the stone and freezes, it causes unit upheaval and dynamic stone spalling. Ensure perimeter drainage pathways, patio pitch, and area drains remain completely free of leaf litter and debris before winter sets in. -
Avoid Sodium Chloride and Rock Salt
Standard rock salt and calcium chloride ice melts penetrate the porous structure of natural Bluestone and mortared joints. As the liquid refreezes within the stone's microscopic pores, it creates intense hydraulic pressure (subflorescence) that causes the stone to flake, spall, and delaminate along its natural cleft lines. -
Use Sand or Bluestone Screenings for Winter Traction
For safe footing on stairs and upper levels, rely on coarse sand or fine Bluestone screenings instead of chemical de-icers. If a de-icer is strictly necessary for safety on steps, select a calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) product sparingly, but mechanical snow removal and sand remain the safest methods for stone longevity. -
Choose the Right Snow Removal Tools
Metal snow shovels and steel plow edges will gouge natural Bluestone and chip mortared joint edges. Use heavy-duty plastic or rubber-edged shovels. For snow blowers, adjust the skid shoes upward so the steel scraper bar never contacts the stone surface or step treads. -
Manage Cleft Delamination
Pennsylvania Bluestone is a natural sandstone split along natural bedding planes. Natural thermal expansion, moisture, and ice can cause thin sheets or flakes to lift along these clefts. Never force or pry lifting flakes off; allow them to release naturally, and sweep away loose debris to prevent ice from wedging under the lifted layers. -
Apply a Vapor-Permeable (Penetrating) Sealer
If choosing to seal the patio, use strictly a deep-penetrating, breathable silane/siloxane sealer rather than a film-forming acrylic coating. Film-forming sealers trap moisture underneath the stone, which turns white/cloudy and accelerates freeze-thaw damage from trapped water beneath the surface. A penetrating sealer repels liquid water while allowing water vapor to escape. -
Treat Organic Stains and Algae Promptly
Shaded tiers or areas under structures like pergolas can trap moisture and develop moss, algae, or leaf staining. Clean these areas each spring using a pH-neutral stone cleaner or a mild solution of oxygen bleach and water applied with a soft-bristle deck brush. Avoid acidic cleaners (like muriatic acid), which break down mortar matrix over time. -
Use Safe Pressure-Washing Techniques
If pressure washing in the spring, keep the pressure under 1,200 PSI and use a wide 25-degree or 40-degree spray tip held at least 12 to 18 inches from the surface. High pressure focused directly on half-inch mortar joints will blast out mortar and erode softer veins in the natural stone. -
Inspect and Clean Anchor Points Around Structures
Multi-tiered stone patios with anchored cedar pergolas create junction points where wood posts meet mortared stone. Ensure that post bases allow proper water shedding and that debris does not accumulate at the base of the cedar posts. Standing water or ice at post bases damages both the timber and the surrounding mortared joint ring.
