--- title: Stone Glossary: Flagstone and Landscape Rock Terms | Mid Val url: https://midvalleyrock.com/rock-talk/glossary/ business: Mid Valley Rock phone: (916) 363-4239 address: 5300 Excelsior Road, Sacramento, CA 95827 hours: Mon-Fri 7:00-4:00, Sat 7:30-3:00, Sun closed --- - [Home](https://midvalleyrock.com/) - [Rock Talk](https://midvalleyrock.com/rock-talk/) - Glossary # Stone yard glossary Short, plain definitions of the terms you will hear when you buy flagstone, boulders and landscape rock at Mid Valley Rock in Sacramento. Flagstone at the Mid Valley Rock yard ## Stone terms, A to Z - **1 1/2 to 2 inch flagstone:** Thicker flagstone that can be soft-set on sand and decomposed granite without mortar. - **1 1/4 inch Select:** Large flagstone cut close to 1.25 inches thick. It is hard-set with mortar over concrete. - **Basalt column:** A naturally six-sided pillar of basalt, used as accents and fountains. - **Boulder:** A large rock, naturally occurring or quarry-blasted. Ours run from 6 to 8 inches (about 30 lb) up to 4 by 4 feet (about 4,000 lb). - **Coping:** Stone that caps the edge of a pool, wall or planter. - **Decomposed granite (DG):** Fine granite gravel used for paths and between flagstones. Sold by our sister yard, Roundtree Rock & Gardening. - **Flagstone:** Stone split into flat pieces for patios, walkways, veneer and water features. Sold by weight on pallets. - **Gator Dust:** An Alliance polymeric joint material for flagstone. It needs a 2 to 3 inch gravel base; Anna recommends 1 inch of sand over the gravel. - **Hard set:** Laying stone permanently in mortar over a concrete slab. - **Ledge stone:** Flat, stackable stone for walls and veneer. - **Moss rock:** California field stone: brown surface rock with lichens and moss. - **Patio flagstone:** Flagstone that lies flat on the pallet. Pieces run from about 8 inches to 4 square feet. - **Select:** Large-coverage flagstone pieces, often in several thicknesses, used for patios and walkways. - **Soft set:** Laying stone on a permeable base of sand, gravel or decomposed granite, without mortar. - **Stair tread:** A cut slab of stone used as the walking surface of a step. - **Stand-up flagstone:** Flagstone that stands upright on the pallet. Pieces run about 4 to 12 square feet. - **Super sack:** A large bag of loose material. Valley Gold crushed gravel comes in super sacks of about 3,000 pounds. - **Tufa:** Calcium carbonate stone formed by hot springs, mostly cream, white and tan, full of pockets. - **Tumbled flagstone:** Flagstone tumbled in a machine so the edges are smooth and rounded, used for pool coping, wall tops and seating. - **Veneer (1 1/4 minus):** Thin-cut stone no thicker than 1.25 inches, hard-set with mortar over concrete or a wall. - **Weighmaster:** The person who records the weight of a stone purchase, less the weight of the pallet. - **Wet look:** A sealer finish that keeps stone looking the color it is when wet. ### Keep reading - [Flagstone thickness guide](https://midvalleyrock.com/rock-talk/flagstone-thickness-guide/) - [How rock is sold](https://midvalleyrock.com/rock-talk/how-rock-is-sold/) - [Soft set vs hard set](https://midvalleyrock.com/rock-talk/soft-set-vs-hard-set/) - [Questions & answers](https://midvalleyrock.com/faq/) ### Visit or call - **Monday - Friday:** 7:00 am - 4:00 pm - **Saturday:** 7:30 am - 3:00 pm - **Sunday:** Closed 5300 Excelsior Road Sacramento, CA 95827 Arrive 45 minutes before closing so we have time to help. [(916) 363-4239](tel:+19163634239) ## Come see the stone in person Walk the yard with us, bring your measurements and a photo of your house, and we will help you pick stone that fits the project and the budget. 5300 Excelsior Road, Sacramento, CA 95827 [Get directions](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Mid+Valley+Rock&query_place_id=ChIJhQvD0VfCmoARcSXoEbY0WSc) - **Monday - Friday:** 7:00 am - 4:00 pm - **Saturday:** 7:30 am - 3:00 pm - **Sunday:** Closed