How to make a garden path with your own hands: paths made of concrete, stone and wood

Garden path( step-by-step instruction)

Garden paths, elegantly winding among trees, add a site of well-groomed and complete. And it is not necessary to buy paving slabs for their arrangement, hire a designer and builders. The paths in the garden can also be ennobled by yourself, putting your soul into their creation, and in return you will get a durable, well-groomed cover that will make you happy for many years. About how to make a garden path from a variety of materials with your own hands, we will tell you in more detail.

Types of garden paths

Garden paths can be classified according to a variety of characteristics, starting from the material of manufacture, the size and method of arrangement, and ending with the design and conformity to a certain style. Let's consider what garden paths can be equipped on the site with small expenses for their manufacturing.

Garden path made with the help of plastic mold

Refinement of garden trails with plastic molds is a relatively new way, which, due to its simplicity, found many admirers among the owners of summer cottages.

Proof of this are numerous photos from profile forums on which you can see exactly such garden paths.

Advantages of of this method are not only simplicity, but also low cost and production speed, because the production of garden paths using molds - in fact, the usual concreting.

The cheapness of this method is due to the use of one form, which is sufficient for trouble-free operation. Of course, the strength of the tiles manufactured in this way is inferior to products manufactured by vibration in the factory, but for the path in the country they are one of the best options.

Sidewalk from pavement tiles

For garden paths the same tile is used, which is laid on sidewalks. The undeniable advantage of this material is the strength of the .Tiles laid in the form of a path in the country, will serve you for many years without loss of appearance, and if some elements of the path are damaged by external factors, they can easily be replaced. In the disadvantages of the tile coating, we will write laboriousness of and high cost of .What do you want? Durability is not nothing.

Garden path made of stone

Very often, a stone is left on the construction of the house to improve the paths. In this case, we can assume that the price of such a garden path is equal to the cost of their own labor. We will not talk about the longevity of the stone, the paths of this type have been known since ancient times. In shortcomings, as in the case of tiles, we define labor intensity.

Correctly laying a stone is not an occupation for weaklings, but it will pay off with more than a half of the result. Paths made of stone, made by yourself, will give the appearance of your garden a real nobility and a kind of unshakable firmness, besides, they will remain your descendants in their original form.

Garden path made of wood and wood

If the cottage is built of logs, then your choice is a path made with your own hands made of wood. This is one of the cheapest options, very simple in repetition, but, nevertheless, one of the most spectacular against the backdrop of trees in the garden. Unfortunately, the lifespan of such paths is limited due to the fragility of the material, so only the hardest wood will have to be used.

Garden path of bulk materials

If you want to build garden paths with your own hands at low cost, then this method is just what you need. It is enough to dig a trench of the necessary width and fill it with suitable material, starting from pebbles and screening and ending with crushed stone or marble chips. You can even put in pieces chaotic order pieces of marble or concrete slabs, the main thing is to put their upper plane on the level and fill the gap between them. Such garden paths are not suitable for heavy loads, but they will be able to provide the necessary cleanliness and excellent appearance of your garden.

How to create garden paths in photos

A garden path using a shape with your own hands. Step-by-step instruction

To begin to equip the garden paths with a plastic mold with your own hands, look at the photos of such stencils and get the one that you liked the most.

On how to make their own paths on the cottage, a lot is written. We suggest the following instruction.

We choose a place under the garden path and we carry out its marking ourselves. To do this, we peg the pegs on all the bends of the path, and then tighten them with a cord around the perimeter. The cord immediately set the level, taking into account the required height of the track above the ground. The water level can greatly facilitate this task.

If the soil on your site is soft, then you need to dig a trench 10-12 cm deep, fill it up to half with sand, after which you have to spill everything with water and ram. With sufficient strength of the soil, you can do without a trench, but it is necessary to make sandy soil with subsequent ramming.

We prepare the solution .To do this, mix cement grade 400, sand and gravel in the proportion 1: 3: 4.If you plan to use coloring and plasticizing additives, then add them at the rate of 1-3% of the dye and plasticizer. The sand can be taken and 4 parts, but make sure that the cement was as fresh as possible, and its mark was not less than 400.

We begin the production of garden paths by mixing all components in dry form, after which we add water( if using a concrete mixer, firsthalf of the volume of water is poured, and the rest of the mixture is added during mixing).

For the convenience of using the stencil, attach to it the handle , using special technological holes in the body. For those who plan to produce garden paths with low costs, we will show that the form can be lubricated with automobile "working off".

Of course, this is not the most ideal option, because the greasy surface of the tiles can be painted only after a while. Equally budgetary is the use of a soap solution, however, even such an ecological method is also inherent in the drawback described above.

If the soil compacted by you has managed to dry , then it is necessary to spill it with water. Next, focusing on the previously stretched cord, as well as controlling the level, set the form for pouring the garden paths, which should be slightly pressed into the sand.

Fill the stencil with the prepared solution, avoiding voids in its corners. Using a small rammer, which we work as a plate compactor, we try to compact the concrete as much as possible, and then level the surface with a spatula. After 30-50 minutes, necessary for the preliminary setting of concrete, the shape is carefully removed and set next to, repeating the process to the finish line.

To avoid prints of animal tracks , hand-built garden paths are covered with a plastic wrap and wait at least 3-4 days before becoming a new path and taking a photo as a souvenir. Full load on the concrete product can be given no earlier than in 20 days.

The last stage in the construction of garden paths with their own hands with low costs is the painting and backfilling of interlacing seams with river sand.

There are several ways to paint a new path.

• The first is to add the dye at the final stage of preparation of concrete .After this, you can slightly mix the concrete, achieving uneven coloring or carefully mix the components to obtain a uniform color.
• The second method requires that the wet surface of the concrete be sprinkled with a dry dye each time the is removed, but in this case only the topmost layer will be painted, which will eventually be erased. Garden paths with wipes that have been wiped out after such a stain, can often be seen on the photo in the network.

Tracks with your own hands video guide

Very interesting are the garden paths painted with their own hands with the dye dissolved in the deep penetration ground , which allows to achieve low cost with a similar natural stone. Tiles under the stone, painted in different colors, will look particularly impressive in your garden. And the last tip: after painting do not forget to treat the surface of the path with a hydrophobizer - it will not allow moisture to penetrate into the pores of concrete, destroying it from the inside.

We fill the concrete path with our own hands

Monolithic concrete paths laid along the country plot are simple in manufacturing, durable and externally attractive. Further, read how to make garden paths of concrete.

We mark the future track , having beaten on its edges pegs and having stretched between them a cord at the necessary height. We take into account that the optimum thickness of the filling is from 7 to 10 cm.

We prepare the sand pillow .For this, we dig a trench up to 20 cm deep, level its bottom, install beacons and lay geotextiles, overlapping with this material also the slopes of the trench. After that, we fill the pit with 2-3 layers of sand with intermediate straining and tamping of each layer. It is possible to pour a layer of fine gravel between two adjacent layers of sand. This will enhance the drainage properties of the pillow.

We prepare concrete .You can use the recipe from the instructions for filling out forms. If you need a paved track of increased strength, for example, for driving or parking a car in the country, take 1 part of cement( not lower than grade 400), 1.5 parts of sand and 2.5-3 parts of rubble or gravel. The ideal volume ratio is 1 part water for 3 parts cement, but to increase the plasticity of the liquid add a little more. Do not forget that the less water there is in the solution, the stronger will be the concrete coating.

For garden paths, formwork made of wooden boards with a thickness of at least 20 mm is used. It is better if the width of the boards is equal to the thickness of the fill, otherwise they will have to dig them into the ground. The boards need to be nailed to the inside of the pegs.

Set the separators at regular intervals in order to create expansion joints. When making a track at the cottage, the separators can be used from an improvised material. For these purposes, smooth, narrow stripes of plasterboard, glass, thin boards, scraps of laminate, siding, etc., are suitable. In order to remove the separators after setting the concrete, it is necessary to lubricate them with any suitable lubricant.

We perform reinforcement of the structure to increase its strength. As a reinforcing mesh we use mesh netting, trimming of reinforcement, pipes, etc. Of course, it is best to use a welded reinforcing belt made of rods with a diameter of up to 8 mm, with a cell of 100x100 mm. The armature is exposed at half the height of the path, using fragments of bricks or locks from the same rods.

The garden paths are padded to the top of the formwork .Next, using a rammer, compact the surface until the appearance of cement milk on the surface of the path, and then level it using the rule. Next, cover the path with plastic wrap and wait at least 5 days before removing the formwork. Full load on concrete can be given not earlier than in 3 weeks.

Decorate the path of the in several ways.

• First, the surface can be painted or tiled with marble or ceramic tiles.
• Secondly, you can apply a picture to it using a trowel, a screwdriver or a coarse brush.
• Thirdly, you can paint the concrete itself at the preparation stage.
• Fourthly, gravel or pebbles can be pressed into the moist layer by laying out intricate patterns.

In a word, a garden path made of concrete can be original and attractive, as on numerous videos of popular Internet resources.

Garden walkway from paving slabs with your own hands

If you plan to equip garden paths with your own hands, this method will not work for you. Paving tiles cheap material can not be called. On the other hand, such tracks have a lot of advantages and are practically devoid of shortcomings. Look at the video in which such a garden path fits with your own hands. Not so difficult, is not it? At first glance, that's the way it is. In fact, in order for the pavement to be laid on the dacha to please the eye for a long time, careful preparation of the substrate and maximum accuracy and accuracy in the work are necessary. So, how to make a path of paving tiles with your own hands:

1. Choose the tile .At the same time we focus not only on design, but also on its operational features. For example, for tiles, which are planned to drive a car, it is important to resist the increased loads.
2. We store the tool. For work we will need: trowel, rubber hammer, rammer, level, cord, pegs, pipe or I-beam, sand and cement.

1. We mark future tracks of .To do this, we hammer pegs and pull the cord at the required height.

1. Preparing the base. This work will depend on the successful operation of the track throughout its life, so that we approach this stage most responsibly. To do this, align the base as precisely as possible, removing a part of the ground on the elevations and pouring in the lowlands. In the process of work, we constantly compact the soil, moistening its surface with water.

1. After leveling the base, we lay the geotextile .It will not allow the weeds to germinate into the intertitic sutures.

1. Pour the sand pillow , spill it with water and a ram. After that, we level its surface profile, leaning on pipes or beams, installed at the required distance from each other.

1. Prepare a mixture of from 1 part of cement and 3 parts of sand, which is laid out on the base and we carry out screeding using an I-beam or a channel.
2. We begin the tiling from the curb in the direction of "from ourselves" .The starting line is laid out clearly on the cord, installed on the bevel. In this case, you can use 1-2mm crosses to form joints of equal thickness. To ensure the required height, trowel poured or cleaned the sand, ramming it in the process. In doing so, do not forget to constantly monitor the quality of laying with the help of a level and kyanki. If you want to tie the tile to other buildings, then if necessary, it can be cut with a Bulgarian with a set circle for work on the stone.

1. After the last row has been laid, we cover the seams with a sand-cement mix and fill them with water.

Border, installed along the edges of the pavement, will prevent the tiles from moving and preserve the integrity of the structure. In the process of using sand from the seams can be washed out with water, so it will be necessary to periodically pour it.

Garden path made of wood

How to make garden paths from wood, many vacationers think, because this inexpensive and affordable material is always at hand. In addition, you can use not only the classic version in the form of installed cuts, but also to install beautiful and functional paths in the country, for example, from such handy material as euro pallets.

The material for sawing can serve as a purchased log house, and fallen trees from the grove, which is located next to the site. To make wooden garden paths with low costs will help a chainsaw, which you do not need to buy, if you can ask for help from a friend.

To arrange the track, follow the instructions below:

1. Mark the place under the path and dig a trench 10-20 cm deep
2. We lay waterproofing taking into account the overlapping not only of the bottom, but also of the slopes.
3. As a drainage we fill the bottom of the trench with rubble.
4. Pour a 10 cm layer of sand as a cushion under the spill.
5. We set the spills, alternating thick logs with thin branches for maximum filling of space.
6. We fall asleep with gaps between the saws with sand.

You can set the saws in such a way that their upper part will rise 3-5 cm above the surface. A track of this type will be much less polluted in slush and rain.

On the video you can often see how cool the garden path looks from wooden boards. But the material such as euro pallets is excellent for our purposes, and the cost of such material includes only its delivery to the site. In this case, the pallets are made of solid wood, which, when treated with antiseptics, can last for a long time.

To prepare the boards, they are cut into sections of 50 cm, sanded, treated with a protective agent and painted or varnished. The floor itself is made according to this algorithm:

1. Logs are made from wooden blocks, which are fastened together with the same bars, using a "half-tree" binding.
2. Cover the structure with bitumen mastic, which will protect the frame from rotting. This same mastic covers the lower part of the boards.
3. Floor boards, leaving between them a clearance of 10-20 mm for drainage of water.
4. Additionally, cover the path with varnish or paint.

When hammering nails, try as deeply as possible to drown their hats into the wood. This will allow you to walk along the path barefoot, not being afraid to get hurt.

Prices for molds and materials

All necessary for the arrangement of garden paths can be seen in the respective sections of the store Leroy Merlin."Garden paths" and other sections of the catalog number hundreds of positions of the necessary tools and materials. At the same time, it is necessary to note rather democratic prices.

So, the cost of the form for the garden path in Leroy is 507 rubles., Which, you see, is quite inexpensive, given its multiple use. Concrete mixer, of course, will cost you more - 120 l unit has a price of 5690 rubles. But it will greatly facilitate the concrete work.

Dyes for concrete start from the mark of 603 rubles.for 700 g of jar, whereas plasticizers can be bought for a minimum price of 149 rubles.for a capacity of 600 grams. To answer questions about how to make tracks in the dacha with their own hands or tell about the specifics of using these or other materials will consult store advisers. Form for the garden path, bought in Leroy Merlin, will save a considerable amount of money in the arrangement of paths in your garden.

If you have not decided how to make a path in the country, look at the photo gallery located on our website. Interesting solutions using various ways to arrange garden paths will help you choose the most optimal option, make the necessary changes and create your own unique design. And, maybe, soon the photo of your site will appear in the first lines of search results.