Paths should be in every garden. Their presence makes it easy to navigate and move freely around the territory. Make garden paths with your own hands, with minimal costs, will not be difficult. The instructions, photos and videos of this article will help you realize your plans. Look how many ideas and a variety of inexpensive, improvised materials there are on this topic.
Concrete is most often used for arranging paths and pavement around the house. This traditional material accessible and cheap. Anyone can make classic cast paths from it with their own hands.
1. Start by marking the boundaries. Mark the outline with wire or fishing line tied to stakes driven into the corners.
2. Within the specified boundaries, make a trench 25-30 cm deep, with a slope of 3-4% in the transverse direction from the axis of the path or in both directions.
3. Level the bottom of the trench and lay it with a load-bearing layer of gravel. Pour a 5 cm layer of sand over it. Compact each layer with a tamper.
4. Prepare the formwork by installing a metal or lumber frame around the perimeter. An edged board with a cross section of 25*150*6 mm is good for this purpose.
5. Reinforce the body of the future path, use a chain-link mesh or other metal elements(pieces of wire, old water pipes).
6. Insert dividing partitions or special cellular forms treated with a protective solution into the formwork. This will save the concrete from cracking when drying and give the path a decorative relief.
7. Prepare the solution:
You should get a plastic semi-liquid consistency. It is advisable to add a plasticizer and concrete hardening accelerator. To give the mixture the desired color (brick, stone), experiment with color.
8. Pour concrete into the formwork trough flush with the edge. Spread evenly with a spatula using a vibrating motion. Pierce (pierce) the mixture with a metal rod (reinforcement) to make it homogeneous.
Advice! To improve adhesion to the base, lay the solution on damp sand, crushed stone, gravel.
9. Finally level the surface of the filled path using the rule. Carry out the procedure for filling and forming the body of the track sequentially. Move from one dividing rail to another, from one loading form to another, gradually.
10. Cover the path with polyethylene, which will prevent the solution from drying out quickly. Concrete takes 3-4 days to gain strength, during which time moisten it with water. This will prevent cracking and give the concrete additional strength.
To achieve even more decorative effect, into the not completely set surface, various components are “sunk”: pebbles, colored glass, shell rock. The path is given relief by various strokes, grooves, and imprints. And to imitate antiquity, as if the path was overgrown with moss, kefir or milk is introduced into the solution.
Durable and inexpensive material for manufacturing garden coverings — facing brick or paving stones. This material is resistant to frost and abrasion. Brick is less durable due to its greater porosity. However, he has decorative look and is available in several shapes and colors. In addition to the natural dark red color, there is brown, red, brown, anthracite, and white. A brick path can easily be laid in the form of an arc or a herringbone pattern, which significantly improves the spatial perception of the site.
Advice! When laying paving stones, keep in mind that for paving walking paths or terraces would be better suited paving stones ~ 4 cm thick. And on paths with intense traffic, use cubes ~ 6 cm thick.
Start by removing the topsoil to a depth that will allow you to lay down all the layers of paving until the last layer of pavers is level with the ground surface. More often, this depth is 20-40 cm.
Important! The base for paving stones is the basis for proper installation. This is the layer responsible for uniformly transferring the load from the surface of the paving stones to the ground. It also acts as a drainage layer that protects against the effects of precipitation and negative temperatures.
In order for the base under the paving stones to perform its function properly for a long time, its design and manufacture occurs according to the rules.
1. Thickness of the base layer. We are talking about the correct ratio of the thickness of the base layer for the planned load of the paving stone surface. On paths, a base with a thickness of 10-20 cm is more often used. In the case of surfaces on which heavy traffic is planned, the base is increased to 25-40 cm.
2. Foundation material. The base under the paving stones must be permeable to water, allowing it to quickly pass through to be drained into the ground. To make a drainage layer of the base, use: gravel, crushed stone, slag, or a mixture of sand and gravel.
3. Laying the base layers. To ensure uniform laying and compaction of the base under the paving stones, lay the material in layers 10 cm thick. Be sure to compact each layer, this will prevent possible subsidence in the future.
Attention! If the soil under the foundation has low water permeability, it may be necessary to use an additional drainage layer of geotextile.
Create a frame for the future path, similar to the type of formwork used. In the resulting trough, make a backfill of sand. Its task is to introduce and fix individual structural elements. Layer thickness ~ 3-5 cm. For greater strength, sand is mixed with dry concrete in a ratio of 3:1. However, this kind of material makes it difficult later renovation work. Level out the scree wooden slats. Wet the layer of sand until a liquid “mush” forms.
The procedure consists of placing one element after another, in the “away” direction. At the same time, lightly tapping the top of the brick/stone with a rubber hammer or mallet allows you to plant the elements in sandy base.
The final stage work consists of sprinkling the working surface with quartz sand, which fills the gaps between the cubes, expands and makes the structure solid. The action is repeated several times. In between, the sand is abundantly wetted with water and swells. The excess is squeezed out, dried and removed with a whisk. A dense, cemented packing remains between the bricks.
Paths made of wild stone are durable and elegant. Their natural texture and various shades of color are perfect for any setting and look good in combination with other materials.
Granite flagstone is most often used. This is a hard and very durable material. It is not harmed by water and frost. Popular colors are gray, red, beautiful pink-red granite. Basalt (black), porphyry (gray-red-brown stone), syenite (gray, almost black), as well as travertine, gabbro, and diabase have similar properties. Sandstone or shale in different variations looks attractive.
In the garden, among the greenery, informal paths made of mosaic laid stone slabs look great. In the spaces between them, grass or low-growing, creeping plants are sown, for example: alyssum, iberis, sedum.
The method of laying stone material is similar to those described above and depends on the location, purpose of the path and the permeability of the soil underneath it. On well-drained lands with low operational load, stone garden paths are laid on a 5-10 cm layer of mortar made of sand or gravel/crushed stone, cement, in a ratio of 1:12.
However, there are a number of problems associated with the use of field stone:
1. Incorrect natural forms. The stones are difficult to pick up and coordinate with each other. Creating a perfectly flat plane is also problematic. This makes it difficult to move around, e.g. garden equipment.
2. The stone draws moisture from the ground. Therefore, it is often overgrown with moss and lichen. It is also easily susceptible to stains that are difficult to remove. To prevent this, wild stone is treated with a silicone or resin-based compound (Dynasil, Lithofin) at least once every 3 years. These products form a protective layer without creating a slippery surface. At the same time, they clog pores and give the effect of a “wet stone” without changing its natural color.
The functional coating of this material is unparalleled. The price of the material is not exorbitant, and laying tiles with your own hands is easy to do.
There are antique-style tiles that imitate stone pavement and cut granite or raw sandstone. There are high-strength clinker tiles obtained by single firing. Elements reminiscent of boards, wooden sidewalks, or old railroad sleepers are made from colored and textured concrete.
The collections of trading companies contain elements of different thicknesses and shapes: square and rectangular. Thin 3-5 cm, used for paving decorative paths, thicker tiles - for cladding the entrance.
Making paving slabs with your own hands has become popular. Suitable molds for making castings can be purchased everywhere today. They are made from high-quality, durable plastic, laminate, and also wooden ones. Designed for repeated use. Various sizes, designs, shapes, prices. The surface of the casting can be smooth or patterned.
The preparation of the filler solution is carried out according to the technology described above.
Paving slabs are quite heavy, so a solid foundation is needed for them. It is recommended to do two layers:
The thicker the frame layer, the more stable the coating - the slabs will not move!
You should be careful when cleaning the tiles in winter - it is better not to beat off the ice with sharp tools, as the outer layer will be damaged.
Wooden paths in the garden are not so resistant to weather conditions, like stone or concrete, but always attract attention with their naturalness, environmental cleanliness and high decorative aesthetics.
The path lined with wooden round timber looks original. Best tree for this work - oak or larch. Their hard and resistant to atmospheric influences structure “survives” for decades. Remains unchanged without impregnation, due to large quantity tannins. Pine and spruce, unfortunately, are less durable.
1. Cutting wood. From the trunks and branches of an old tree, cut fragments with a diameter of 10-40 cm and a height of 15-25 cm. Optimal ratio large workpieces (25-40 cm) to small ones (10-15 cm) should be 3:1. Since the cuts are round and form between themselves large spaces, different cutting diameters complement each other during subsequent installation.
2. Remove the bark and dry the workpieces for several days in the sun.
3. To protect the wood, be sure to soak the cuts with an antiseptic primer to a depth of 3-4 cm.
4. After the impregnation has dried (24 hours), it is advisable to apply a layer of varnish for external use.
5. Installation. Remove the soil to a depth of 5 cm. Add sand. You can make a 4 cm cement screed. When laying out a path, alternate a combination of three large and one small dies. Between them you get a perfect pattern, with virtually no gaps. We fill the free space between the cuts with fine sand. After some time, it will only be necessary to replenish its natural decline.
Adviсe.
Do not place the slices close to each other. Over time, the wood swells and the track elements are squeezed out.
It is better to place wooden paths in sunny, ventilated places. In the shade, wood absorbs and retains moisture, as a result of which it is subject to biological corrosion. Don't forget, wet wood is slippery!
To increase the durability of the wooden path, place a layer of crushed stone drainage 20-30 cm thick under the surface.
With proper use, the service life of such a track will be 10 years.
It's cheap and environmentally friendly material. Droshky made of bark, arranged among flowers and ornamental shrubs, provide them nutrients and protect the soil from freezing. The best paths are in places where there are plants that prefer acidic soil (heather, rhododendron, hydrangea, Erica). Preparing the path is not difficult. It is enough to make a pit and fill the bottom with a layer of sand (10-15 cm), then put 8-10 cm of bark on it.
Advice! The bark decomposes naturally. Once a season, the path from it requires additional bedding.
Railway sleepers are a durable material, but difficult to obtain. You can make paths out of them, laying them flat, tightly together, or placing them loosely, and filling the voids, for example, with gravel.
Important! Remember, paths should not be too close to trees, especially those with shallow root systems. As it grows over time, it can disturb the surface of the path.
We are all car enthusiasts. Using old car tires in this case is ideal. a budget option in the manufacture of garden paths. It is the tire that is designed to test maximum loads.
The structures from it are:
The process is as follows:
1. Using a knife, separate the rolling track of the tire from the side part. To make it easier for the knife to fit into dense rubber, treat the blade with machine oil or soap from time to time.
2. Cut the resulting rings into ribbons. To make a garden path, you may need three or four of these tapes.
3. Adjust the strips to length and secure with nails to wooden board or timber, next to each other.
4. Press the structure into the ground around the perimeter.
The arrangement and layout of the site involves the creation of paths. Moreover, the requirements for them are quite serious: they must be reliable, comfortable, functional, beautiful and, very preferably, inexpensive. We’ll talk about how to make garden paths with your own hands at low cost in this article.
The path surface can be hard or loose. To create a hard coating, the following materials are used:
And everyone in the household has forms for such a path - cut water bottles into cylinders, place them as needed and fill them with solution: beautiful and cheap
Large pebbles as backfill and colored concrete slabs
Another option for laying homemade concrete slabs on a garden path
And this is a concrete path with expansion joints. If you look closely, you can see that there are stripes across it. This is to ensure that the wet surface is non-slip.
Another ready-made form for homemade paving slabs
Looks attractive due to the border and non-linear shape
A simple concrete strip can be decorated to your liking
This is how they pave a path in a country house or near a house using ready-made forms into which they pour concrete mortar
Backfill is one of the important elements, forming appearance
In this form, the flagstone path does not break up the lawn, and it is comfortable to walk
The color of the stone can be any
Quite nice paths made of old brick. And if you do the backfill on the sides and in the seams, it will be absolutely beautiful
These are two types of bricks - ceramic and crushed granite
A clinker brick path is beautiful, to say the least... but maybe too beautiful for a garden?
Building a tree can become an excellent path
This type of wooden pavement for a summer residence
Properly treated wood can last for several years.
Combination with pebbles - comfortable to walk
Gorgeous path for the area near the house
And this is how to make a path from boards
The good thing about a plastic path in a country house or on a plot is that it can be made in a few minutes
Another type of plastic tiles for paths
This is garden parquet. Gorgeous, but overpriced
And another option for polymer tiles for garden trellises
This is a bunch of plastic garden tiles
Different types of pebble paths
Large pebbles do not require as much time for installation
Beautiful pebble paths in the garden.
Large natural stones can be used to pave good corners
Those who have their own dacha or garden know how important it is to equip them well, so that relaxation or stay suburban area after the dusty and bustling city they were as pleasant as possible. Landscaping has become more important than simply growing vegetables in the garden.
Now every owner strives to give his garden or dacha a special personality and style. One of the main details of this style is garden paths, because the entire appearance of your site can depend on their design and appearance.
How can you make paths in your dacha that will make all the neighbors gasp in surprise and delight? Of course, you can invite a designer or hire specialists who will professionally design your site, but this will cost you quite a lot. There is another option - to design and make paths in your dacha with your own hands. Moreover, absolutely any materials can be suitable for this.
First you need to figure out what they are country paths and what they can be made from. You will have very big choice, because there are a huge number of options for their production and design, moreover, they are all very diverse and original and beautiful in their own way, so if you wish, you can find an idea to suit your taste and your wallet.
Why are paths needed at a dacha or garden plot? Many will answer that their main function is to provide the ability to move around this very area. Indeed, paths or paths should provide comfortable movement, connecting all the main objects or buildings of your dacha. However, in addition to this, ideally they need to perform other tasks:
So, we’ve figured out the purpose of garden alleys, now you need to understand what paths you can make in your dacha with your own hands. The main classification is based on the choice of material that you use to make the paths, and on the method of their construction (there are also differences in size and location - straight, winding, etc.).
As you can see, you can easily and quickly arrange garden paths with your own hands at low cost. Materials can be combined with each other, the main thing is that they fit general style plot and house, fitting into their ensemble and complementing it.
Be sure to think in advance and draw up a plan diagram of how the alleys will be located on the site, because their network should be built so that they unite all the main zones and buildings. Don’t be afraid to combine different shapes and directions - let you have straight and curved paths, wide and narrow, etc. side by side.
An important part of creating travel routes around the site will be preparatory stage. First of all, you will need to make the markings correctly. If you are planning a straight path, then a rope stretched on pegs will do. And to mark a winding alley, you can drive long nails along the edges of a regular rake and drag them where you want to see the path.
If the climate in your area is rainy, then you need to take care of the drainage system, and also provide drains along the edges of the paths to prevent stagnation of water. Please also take into account that there should not be any growth near the alleys themselves. big trees, because their roots will spoil the integrity and appearance of any roads.
Provides for the creation of paths. Moreover, the requirements for them are quite serious: they must be reliable, comfortable, functional, beautiful and, very preferably, inexpensive. We’ll talk about how to make garden paths with your own hands at low cost in this article.
The path surface can be hard or loose. To create a hard coating, the following materials are used:
And everyone in the household has forms for such a path - cut water bottles into cylinders, place them as needed and fill them with solution: beautiful and cheap 
And this is a concrete path with expansion joints. If you look closely, you can see that there are stripes across it. This is to ensure that the wet surface is non-slip.
Backfill is one of the important elements that shapes the appearance
These are two types of bricks - ceramic and crushed granite. A clinker brick path is beautiful, to say the least... but maybe too beautiful for a garden?
The combination with pebbles is comfortable to walk on. And this is how to make a path from boards
This is garden parquet. Gorgeous, but overpriced
There are also paved paths: gravel or crushed stone. Their peculiarity is that with a small layer of 2-3 cm and sufficient compaction, it is comfortable to walk on them. If the layer is slightly larger, unevenness will form when walking, and such walking will be tiring. Therefore, as you have seen in many photographs, gravel and crushed stone are used as backfill, into which rigid elements made of other materials are laid. When done correctly, this is convenient: gravel conducts water well and puddles do not form. Those who don’t like the gray color can be advised to paint it: many designers do this when organizing rockeries.
It’s not enough to know what you can make garden paths from with your own hands. You also need to know how to make them correctly so that it lasts for more than one season or two. Laying different materials may differ slightly, but there are several rules and actions that are repeated in any technology.
First rule: When laying or shaping the path surface, it is made with a slight slope. If the material allows, a slope of several centimeters is made on both sides of the center. If, for example, a concrete path is poured, then the slope is formed in one direction - away from the house, if it is nearby. The slope is made towards the lower part of the site if the path is located on a slope.
Second rule: Any coating requires preparation of the base. If you place stones (for example) directly in clay or loam, there will, of course, be benefits - it will definitely be more convenient to walk, but the stones will “silt up” after some time. They will simply trample into clay. When installing a bedding, this will take much more time. And if you add a drainage cushion and a side, water drainage will be even more effective, and everything will look even more beautiful.
Third rule: the level of the path surface should be a couple of centimeters higher than the adjacent area. Then the water will drain quickly, cleaning will be more convenient, and cleaning will be required less often: the eroded soil will not flow either during rains or during watering, which is often done along the paths.
When making garden paths with your own hands, start with markings. In theory, the dimensions and shape should be marked on your site plan, and the markings should be carried out according to the project. But most often everything is done locally. To make the future path more visible, its contours can first be covered with white sand or something similar. If the shape suits you, you can drive in pegs and stretch twine between them, but you can also work on the backfill.
You can place a flower garden or flower bed along a beautiful path. Read how to make them.
If with flagstone, paving stones, brick, everything is more or less clear - everyone has already seen more than once how this is done, then how to lay pebbles in patterns is not clear.
Below is a photo report on the process of making a pebble path. It shows the basic techniques: lines are drawn onto leveled sand along which pebbles will be laid out. If these are arcs, they are made using thread and two sticks/nails.
When selecting stones, they are laid out on edge close to each other, slightly buried in the sand.
Place a board on the folded pattern and take rubber mallet and they knock on the board, hammering pebbles into the sand. This is how they deepen the entire pattern, making sure that the edges of the pebbles are at the same height.
Stones are sunk into the sand
Take a mixture of sand and cement (2 parts sand, 1 part cement) and fill the gaps, leveling the layer with a brush.
A fragment of a pebble path is carefully watered with water so that the backfill does not wash away. Wait several hours for the cement to set a little, then remove the excess with a soft brush.
It is important not to miss the moment: the solution should not get dirty, but also become a stone. If you pick at it with your finger, it should crumble. It's time to clean off the excess.
Old logs or trees can be turned into beautiful path. The wood is cut into logs of the required length, the face cut is sanded, and all the wood is first treated with a bioprotection compound (you can soak it in waste oil). After drying, dip into Kuzbass varnish and dry again. Then paint the desired color on the front parts of the stumps - which will protrude outward. They dry it again and only then put it in the sand.
The process is described in detail in the video. Here we explain step by step how to make garden paths from stumps or logs with your own hands.
The process is generally similar to that described at the beginning. There are some differences that we'll talk about.
After the trench is dug and the bottom is leveled, formwork is installed along it on both sides. These are boards from 25 mm thick (thicker is possible, thinner is not advisable, you can use plywood 16-18 mm thick). Their height is the height of the track. If you are shaping the slope, the boards should be aligned taking it into account - one side is slightly higher, the other is slightly lower.
The formwork is leveled - the concrete will be leveled against it
To make formwork, pegs are driven into the ground at intervals of no more than 60 cm. Boards are nailed to them. Inner surface It is better to smear the formwork with mining or other oil: so that it can be removed easily. Next, crushed stone is poured onto the bottom and compacted. But compaction must be done carefully: if you walk along the bottom, no traces should be visible.
Next, to prevent the path from cracking, a metal reinforcing mesh is laid on the crushed stone. The thickness of the rod is 4-6 mm, pitch is 5-10 cm. It is sold in pieces, they need to be tied together with steel wire.
Then, to compensate for the expansion in winter period need to be delivered wooden planks 1.5-2 cm thick. They are placed across the path, positioned so that the height of the planks is level with the formwork boards. Compensation strips are installed at least every 2 meters. More often it is possible, less often it is not. Why do it more often? For beauty. Squares look better than long rectangles.
IN finished frame a concrete solution of a grade not lower than M-250 () is poured. For it, take 1 part cement, 3 parts sand, 4 parts crushed stone. Everything is mixed into a solution of medium fluidity (thick sour cream) and poured into the formwork. When pouring, you need to make sure that there are no air bubbles left. To remove them, pierce the solution with a pin, shaking it slightly - bayonet it. Ideally, if there is a surface vibrator for concrete - it quickly compacts the solution, creating an ideal flat surface. If it is not there, you will have to level it using the rule, using the edges of the formwork as beacons.
A few hours later, after the concrete has set, you can treat the surface. You can leave it as is, you can brush it with a stiff brush, making transverse stripes, and finally, you can lay pebbles, stones, flagstone, etc. into the not completely hardened solution. It's not very economical, but it's reliable. After a couple of days, the formwork can be removed, and you can already walk along the path.
They make a lot of things out of tires: swings, and... walkways. It's simple: old tire you need to cut off the sides, leaving only the tread. How can I cut it? Bulgarian. Someone manages to use a knife, but this is only if the cord is not metal.
The projector is cut crosswise to create a track. Then cuts of 15 centimeters are made on the sides - depending on the diameter of the tire. They will give you the opportunity to unroll the tires.
They make cuts on the curved edges - the surface is still nonlinear
In this form it can already be laid on the beds. It will serve for many years. This one is definitely a low cost garden path.
This coating will withstand many years of active use.
As you understand, there are a lot of options on how to make garden paths with your own hands. It is impossible to tell and describe everything, but we are trying...
