- 1). Create a design plan for the walkway including the shape, course and material you will use. Consider split stones with irregular, natural shapes like flagstones, fieldstones or snapped slate. Pavers and bricks are a good choice for traditional angled paths, while river rocks or crushed stones are a practical choice for an area with poor drainage.
- 2). Lay two parallel ropes along the course from beginning to end. They should be 4' 4" apart so there's room for edging.
- 3). Excavate the course with a shovel, removing 8 inches of dirt. Dig out high spots and flatten the ground with a hand tamper tool.
- 4). Pour 4 inches of aggregate fill into the course and rake it evenly. Tamp the surface to pack the aggregate down so it doesn't shift under foot traffic.
- 5). Line the borders with edge restraints to keep the stones, pavers or bricks from rotating. Secure the restraints with 9 inch spikes and a hammer.
- 6). Rake 1 inch of concrete sand over the aggregate to fill the gaps and level the surface.
- 7). Set your paving material into the sand in your pattern of choice. Shift each stone or paver in the sand until it doesn't wobble. Leave the spaces between the paving materials as narrow as possible. Place a 4 foot piece of board across each section and walk across it, applying even pressure to level out adjacent sections.
- 8). Sweep stone dust or masonry sand over the walkway with a shop broom. The material will fall into the narrow cracks, padding the stones or pavers from each other.
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