OK, the subject is a bit misleading. I have semi-circular steps up to my front porch with a sidewalk leading away. On either side, between the boxwood hedge and the edge of the steps is bare ground that tends to splash up on the edge of the steps when it rains. I recently had a stone sidewalk installed and have used some of the left over stones to place a small apron over this bare ground (think 12 - 18 inches wide) with no ground preparation - just laid the stoned on the bare ground. (I know, I know, not the right way to do it, but it's not important enough to spend a lot of time on.)

Anyway, my question is what is the best quick-and-dirty solution to filling in between the stones? I have enough sand that I could just use loose sand. My other thought is filling the spaces with either dry premix mortar or concrete and then wetting it down with water. I know folks who use that technique to set fence posts, although I never have tried it.

Any thoughts or suggestions (other than if I can't do it the right way, I shouldn't be doing it at all.)

I would just get some play sand and use that. Vibrate it in so you don't have to refill it again.

Thanks Builder93. I had pretty much narrowed it down to sand, pea gravel or a combination of the two. Looks like I'll go with the sand. Peace.

Pea gravel? How much space do you have in between them?

These are irregular shaped 2" thick patio stones, so spacing depends on how the various stones fit together around the arc of the steps. Spacing is generally 1" to 3" between stones. Their only purpose is to prevent dirt / mud from splashing up on the steps as it has done for the past 20+ years. No one is ever going to step or walk on them. In fact, considering we hardly use the front door, few people will ever see them. Guess I should have posted a picture, but, oh well.