Kevin Miller wrote:

A few weeks ago I completed a 60 ft. walkway with small to medium size
flagstone (3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch thick) I wanted a "natural" look so
I layed them all directly on the dirt, sweeping in the cracks slightly
- planted steppables in between. Problem is they're all very mobile.
Not a sturdy path at all. Any 'fix' suggestions? Fill the cracks
with sand? more dirt? gravel? Or will they settle in a few years?
I'm not opposed to tearing it all up I just had wanted something very
natural and it does look good!

Been there. Done that (albeit on a smaller scale). Ripped it up and
started over...

They'll settle but probably more than you would like. Depending on the
type of soil you have, they may actually start sinking below the level of
the soil. They will become more stable as they settle but they'll never
be as firm underfoot as they would be if you'd laid them on a proper base.
You may also find that the thinner stones will tend to crack.

Alas, I don't think there is an easy fix, short of making it a path "for
looking at only". You could tackle it bit by bit, lifting each stone,
excavating, and putting in a base. There's a reason that even a 'natural'
flagstone path laid directly into grass (and mowable) needs to have base
under each stone.

-- Karen

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