I have four full pallets of flagstone and call myself a good handyman (have all the right tools including a Hilti circular saw with which I have cut flagstone and did a walkway on front)

Now I am planning to go for the big job ... a 60 x 4 ft(240 sq. ft) walkway from front door to back on side of the house, and if enough stone is left I am going to cover a 15 x 15 = 225 sq. ft on the back (we have a covered patio and a deck already; this is going to be a an area under trees to sit and relax sometimes you know)

We have bought West Texas Cream (at bottom) and Rosewood (5 rows up from West Texas Cream) you can view on the link under my post which says Keller Maetrial - San Antonio.

West Texas Cream is big irregular pieces (2' x 4' in some cases) while Rosewood is not machine cut but squares (roughly 1' x 1').

Please suggest if I should lay these on dirt? sand? or gravel? (cannot afford concrete it seems as some have mentioned - it costs too much!)

What I was planning is to rent a dirt compactor (http://www.homedepotrents.com/diyTools/compactor.asp) and "press" and "level" the ground first, then spread an inch or two of sand before putting flagstone. Would it be enough? On one side will be the house foundation and on other I can have a little wall to keep stones in place ... you know. Do you guys agree it will work? or have suggestions what might work best to save money? (I have plenty fo time :-)

Or maybe compacting the dirt and then spreading the gravel and recompacting it before laying flagstone will be better? I am assuming gravel will cost a lot more as compared ot sand but .. you know .. if that is going to make the flagstone look better and live longer I a willing to bite it. Also, please suggest how to seal the flagstone.

Thank you all for your time and help!