How to Design and Install a Stone Walkway
If you’re considering adding a walkway to your yard, you have many options for design and some things to think about. This DIY Network video will present everything you need to know and walk you through a rustic flagstone walkway DIY project:
1. Figure out your design:
Environment: In terms of materials, don’t pick a product that won’t hold up to the climate in which you live. If you live in New England, for example, you will want to use denser stone such as granite, bluestone or quartz. In warmer climates,you can use softer stone such as limestone or sandstone.
Style: Consider the color and style of your home. Don’t pick a material that’s not right for the project. If you go contemporary, you will work with modular or geometrically shaped patterns in stone or concrete. Traditional walkways are composed of brick or brick and stone. Rustic walkways feature stones with rough irregular edges.
Function: Main entryways require different materials than side paths. High traffic walkways will require sturdier materials with tight stone joints.
2. Order your materials: Determine the square footage (length x width). Be aware that different materials are sold differently. Cobblestone is sold individually as 4″ cubes, flagstone by weight or ton on wooden pallets, and crushed aggregate by the cubic yard. One ton of flagging will give you 80 square feet of material; one yard of aggregate will give you 80 square feet at 3 inches thick. Always add an extra 10% to your purchase amount in case of surprises. Your local quarry can assist you with measurements.
3. “Dry lay” your design: Spread out your materials so that you know what you have to work with. You’ll want to visualize spacing, arrangement and color. Mix sizes, colors and shapes to create the greatest visual impact. Take your time making stone selections and playing with placement. A general rule is to lay two smaller pieces for every large stone. Move the stones to get consistent joints. You’ll want to tighten up the joints under any gate.
4. Prep your base: Take a trowel and trace around the stone into the grass. Flip the stone over and trace the line with a spade shovel. Set the grass and loam aside for use later. Dig about four inches down for a base. For thinner stones, add three inches of crushed gravel and use a hand tamper to create an even two-inch base. When solid, add another inch of gravel on top. Thicker stones can be set directly into the ground.
5. Set and shape the stones: Make sure you are close to grade. You’ll want to make sure you can run your lawn mower over the walkway. Use a level or just your eye to check out the highs and lows. A stone should not be higher than the one before it or than the grade, otherwise it will create a trip edge. Make adjustments to the base by adding to or scaping down the base with a trowel. Use a rubber mallet to set the stone firmly. Manually check each stone to make sure it doesn’t rock back and forth; if it does, find the low spot and use the back end of the rubber mallet to pack underneath the edge of the stone. If you need to cut any stones, use a chipping hammer and be sure to wear safety glasses; score a line and undercut the stone, then use the hammer end to break off the pieces.
6. Add a cobble border: Depending on your style and taste, you may want to add a cobble border. While optional, if the walkway flanks a flower bed, however, a border will help prevent dirt and mulch from bleeding over onto the walkway. To create a border, dig a four-inch trench along either side of the stones. Mix up one bag of pre-mixed mortar to the consistency of oatmeal and add as a base. Set down each cobblestone, then raise it up. The height of the cobblestone shoud match the height of the flower bed. Use a rubber mallet to bang the cobblestones into the mortar base. Apply additional mortar onto the back of the cobblestones to give it added strength.
7. Finish and clean up: Fill in the joints with the grass strips that you set aside earlier.Clean up with a rake and hose down the stones.
If you prefer a walkway with tighter one- to two-inch joints with no interspersed grass, the project is similar to that described above, but instead of setting down stones individually, you would dig up the entire path area, add a compacted gravel base, set down the stones and fill the joints with polymeric sand.
The walkway project in this video took six hours and cost approximately $600.
