Adding Paths to Your Landscape

Garden paths and walkways don't necessarily have to make a beeline from Point A to Point B. Base them on where you need to walk, but also allow them to meander slightly to take advantage of views and attractive garden settings. (Avoid low areas with poor drainage and steep inclines, though.) Make paths at least 36 inches wide; two people walking side-by-side require a 48-inch width. For wheelchair use, slope the path no more than 1:12 — 1 inch of rise for every 12 inches of run, measured horizontally — and provide a 5-foot long landing every 30 feet.

For formal, all-weather walks, choose concrete, brick, or flagstone. For informal paths, consider stepping stones, gravel, crushed stone, or wood chips.

Build a gravel or crushed stone path

Gravel and crushed stone, which aren't the same material, create paths with a classic, old-world feeling. The pea gravel used for landscaping has rounded edges and is uniform in size. It has the sound and feel of loose pebbles. It drains quickly and stays clean, but it constantly moves underfoot. Most gravel is gray. Crushed stone, on the other hand, has sharp edges that enable it to compact into a solid mass. It varies in size. The mixture of small rocks and fines (sand and fine particles) compacts into a dense surface that's almost as solid as paving materials. The smaller particles, however, stick to shoes and become messy. Larger-sized particles and stones don't compact as tightly, but are cleaner. Crushed stone varies in color from tan and beige tones to blue and gray tones.

To build a gravel or stone garden path, follow these steps:

1. Lay out the edges of the path using garden hoses or stringlines.

2. Dig between the edges to a depth of 6 to 8 inches (deeper, if your winters are severe).

3. Install a border along each side of the path.

Set 1x6s or flexible bender boards (thin, bendable boards) on edge and nail them to short stakes placed along the outside. You can also buy vinyl edging and install it according to the manufacturer. As another alternative, consider lining the sides of the excavation with bricks, stones, or timbers.

4. Place 4 to 6 inches of road base (crushed rock used for gravel beds) or class-five gravel in the bottom of the excavation.

5. Using a flat plate vibrator (which you can rent), compact the base.

Add rock, as necessary.

6. Fill the rest of the excavation with 2 to 4 inches of pea gravel or crushed rock.

If you use crushed rock, build a crown, or hump, along the center of the path for drainage, and compact the rock with the flat plate vibrator.

Build a walkway with bricks or pavers

Brick has subtle textures and variable colors that fit into many landscape designs. It is readily available, easy to handle, and has uniform dimensions that make various interlocking patterns possible. You can install bricks in a bed of compacted sand or on a mortar bed over a concrete slab. Although a mortared installation is more durable, bricks laid carefully on a compacted sand base make a very solid walk that's easy to build (see Figure 1).

Although some types of brick are referred to as "pavers," the pavers referred to in this article are concrete pavers, the modern cousin of brick. Concrete pavers have the same advantages of modular size, compact form, and easy installation, but cost considerably less. Pavers are also stronger and have beveled edges that prevent slightly raised pavers from becoming tripping hazards.

To install bricks or pavers on a sand bed, follow these steps:

1. Lay out the walk.

2. Dig to a depth of 9 to 15 inches.

3. Moisten the bottom of the area that you just dug out and compact it.

Rent a flat plate vibrator (a power compactor) or improvise a tool by tying a heavy wooden block to the bottom of a sledge hammer or pick.

4. Place 4 to 8 inches of road base or class-five gravel in the excavation and compact it.

5. Install edging along the two sides of the walk.

6. Place 2 to 4 inches of sand over the rock base.

Moisten and compact it so that the distance from the top of the sand to the finished level of the walk is equal to the thickness of one brick.

7. Dampen the sand bed.

8. Tie a length of mason's twine to two loose bricks and, using them for anchors, stretch the line parallel with (and one brick's width away from) either edge of the walk.

Use this line to guide placement of the first row of bricks, even if they abut the edging.

9. Install weed-blocking fabric over the sand.

This material prevents weeds from coming up, but allows rainwater to soak into the ground.

10. Set the bricks or pavers in place.

Gently tap each one with a rubber mallet to snug it into the sand — avoid displacing any sand.

11. After laying several bricks or pavers, check your work by laying a straightedge or long level over it.

12. After all of the units are in place, spread a layer of fine, dry sand over the walk.

Sweep it back and forth, working it into the joints. With the excess sand still on the surface, compact the walk with a flat plate vibrator. Keep adding sand, as necessary.