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Tuesday, April 26, 2016

3 Beautiful Stone Walkways You Can Do Yourself

A surefire way to liven up your yard is to make an obvious improvement; consider installing a new stone walkway. They can be much more appealing and visually interesting than a plain concrete walkway and they are surprisingly easy to install. Here is a guide on how you can create three different beautiful stone walkways to spruce up your yard.

Here's the Materials You'll Need:

  • Sledgehammer
  • Measuring tape
  • String
  • Wooden stakes
  • Spray paint
  • Plate compactor
  • Level
  • Square
  • Flagstone
  • Decorative pebble stone
  • Paver and polymeric sand

Idea #1:

How to Create This Walkway:

You may need to demolish your existing walkway with a sledgehammer or jackhammer to make room for your new walkway.

  • Step 1: Mark a path 4' wide using the wooden stakes and string or with spray paint increasing the size by 6" for over dig (this is to keep the stones stable during construction and afterwards when it will be walked on.) Put in curves in the path where it will be most aesthetically pleasing, keep it to a minimum of two curves.
  • Step 2: Using your excavator, such as a small Bobcat, dig up the path to a depth of 9".
  • Step 3: Use the plate compacter to compress the soil and provide a level surface for the installation of the walkway.
  • Step 4: Install the mitigating fabric extend up the sides of the path you have dug up. Make sure the pieces overlap by at least 12" and secure the fabric in place with sod staples.
  • Step 5: Lay down a base of crushed rock on the mitigating fabric to hold the flagstone in place.
  • Step 6: Pour the setting bed (you should use paver/masonry sand) over top of the mitigating fabric to a thickness of 1.0-1.5". Then use the plate compacter to compress the sand. Do not walk on the sand after this step. It's recommended you begin to lay the stones right away.
  • Step 7: Start where the public sidewalk meets your property and test for a straight, square line. Begin to place Creston Valley flagstone along the path fit them together in a way where the different shapes, sizes and colour variations will look best.
  • Step 8: To finish off this walkway sweep some polymeric sand into the cracks in between the stones and apply water (this will activate the sand and keep the stones into place after installation.) You shouldn't walk on the path for 48 hours to allow the polymeric sand to set.

Idea #2:

How to Create This Walkway:

You may need to make room for your new walkway by demolishing your existing walkway with a sledgehammer or jackhammer.

  • Step 1: Mark a path 4' wide using the wooden stakes and string or with spray paint increasing the size by 6" for over dig (this is to keep the stones stable during construction and afterwards when it will be walked on.) Put in curves in the path where it will be most aesthetically pleasing, keep it to a minimum of two curves.
  • Step 2: Using your excavator, such as a small Bobcat, dig up the path to a depth of 9".
  • Step 3: Use the plate compacter to compress the soil and provide a level surface for the installation of the walkway.
  • Step 4: Install the mitigating fabric extend up the sides of the path you have dug up. Make sure the pieces overlap by at least 12" and secure the fabric in place with sod staples.
  • Step 5: Pour the setting bed (you should use polymeric sand) over top of the mitigating fabric to a thickness of 1.0-1.5". Then use the plate compacter to compress the sand. Do not walk on the sand after this step. It's recommended you begin to lay the stones right away.
  • Step 6: Begin to place your flagstones. Start where the public sidewalk meets your property and test for a straight, square line. Install a combination of Rundle and Creston Valley flagstone along the path. Fit them together in by taking into account the different shapes, sizes and colour variations.
  • Step 7: To finish off this walkway sweep some polymeric sand into the cracks in between the stones and apply water (this will activate the sand and keep the stones into place after installation.) You shouldn't walk on the path for 48 hours to allow the polymeric sand to set.

Idea #3:

 How to Create This Walkway:

You need to demolish your existing walkway with a sledgehammer or jackhammer to make room for your new walkway.

  • Step 1: Plan for a path 4' wide using the wooden stakes and string or with spray paint increasing the size by 6" for over dig (this is to keep the stones stable during construction and afterwards when it will be walked on.) Put in curves in the path where it will be most aesthetically pleasing, keep it to a minimum of two curves.
  • Step 2: Using your excavator, such as a small Bobcat, dig up the path to a depth of 9".
  • Step 3: Use the plate compacter to compress the soil and provide a level surface for the installation of the walkway.
  • Step 4: Put down two inches of crushed concrete or gravel evenly over the compacted soil.
  • Step 5: Lay down two poles 5' apart and begin to pour the setting bed (you should use paver/masonry sand) Then use a piece of 2 X 4 to slightly compress and screed the sand. Do not walk on the sand after this step. It's recommended you begin to lay the stones right away.
  • Step 6: Begin to install your Holland Paver Stones. You should begin where the public sidewalk meets your property and test for a straight, square line. Place the stones in the pattern and edge as shown.
  • Step 7: To finish off this walkway sweep some polymeric sand into the cracks in between the stones and apply water (this will activate the sand and keep the stones into place after installation.) You shouldn't walk on the path for 48 hours to allow the polymeric sand to set.

Rockland can provide the stone and materials that you need to complete the unique walkways that you see in this guide. Contact us at (780) 239-7625 or send us an e-mail at info@rocklandsupplies.com and we would be happy to help!