We fill the garden path from concrete with our own hands

The device of a garden path from concrete by own hands - an excellent variant of an upgrading of a landscape.

Garden paths add refinement, elegance and nobility to the site.

In addition to its practical function, the tracks also have aesthetic value, because combining structures, they form a unity of style.

Also the tracks are zoned for the site: flower garden, garden, recreation area, etc.

Thanks to the competent location of the concrete paths, many disadvantages of the landscape are hidden, for this it is sufficient to know: how to make a path of concrete.

Advantages of the concrete tracks

Concrete is a common material in the construction world, including for the construction of garden paths.

This is explained by the fact that concrete has certain advantages, such as:

• High resistance to mechanical influences, wear resistance. Roads during the entire period of use are subjected to considerable loads, and concrete is able to withstand them;
• Water resistance. Does not absorb water, does not rot and corrosion, is resistant to any precipitation;
• Can be washed with a lot of water;
• The ability to do the work yourself. Even an inexperienced builder can work with concrete;
• Low price. A concrete path will be much cheaper than a stone or paving slab;
• Attractive look. Using some techniques will make the track beautiful and original;
• Durability. Concrete constructions last for many decades;
• Possibility of forming any geometric shape;
• Combines perfectly with any decorative elements.

Examples of concrete tracks are shown in the photo.

Photo:

Installation work

The technology of creating tracks by yourself is quite simple and accessible to everyone. The technology is presented in more detail in the video in the section.

The first step in creating a garden path from concrete is surface preparation. First, the marking is done: the pegs are installed along the perimeter, they need to be fastened to the rope.

The space between them is affected by the bend of the track: the bending is steeper, the less space between the stakes.

For a concrete structure, a drainage cushion is mandatory. The top layer of the soil needs to be removed by 20 cm.

Video:

The bottom is leveled and geotextiles are laid on it, protecting the concrete from destruction. Geotextiles have protective, drainage and reinforcing properties. The pit slopes are also required to be covered with geotextile.

Polymer coating( geotextile) is not subject to deformation, prevents uneven shrinkage of the base, strengthens the structural strength, removes water from the ground and prevents the sand from bonding to the ground.

On top of the polymer coating, several layers of sand must be covered. Each layer is required to be moistened with water and thoroughly compacted.

To improve the drainage properties, it is recommended to fill rubble between sand layers.

Arrangement of formwork

The next stage of construction with your own hands is the formwork device, which is made of boards of thickness 20-25 mm and creates the desired shape of the path.

The width of the board must correspond to the height of the track. It must be remembered that it is necessary to pour a solution 30-50 mm above the soil and with a slope of no more than 10 mm.

The boards that have been installed for marking are nailed to the stakes. The pins must remain on the outside of the board.

After every 0,5 m, transverse dividers are installed, dividing the path into segments. As separators, steel plates can be used.

Also, these expansion joints prevent the formation of cracks. If the separators are planned to be removed, they must be treated with a lubricating composition before installation.

The reinforcement is then carried out, which is mandatory for the installation of garden paths made of concrete. The reinforcing mesh increases the rigidity of the substrate.

At this stage, any metal material is used: wire, pipe, mesh "rabitsa".

The best option is a welded wire mesh with a diameter of 8 mm and a mesh size of 100x100 mm, as in the photo.

The grid is placed in the middle of the track, hung on the fixing legs made of wire, or as a support you can use bricks.

Reinforcing mesh will reduce the layer of poured concrete. Without the use of a mesh, the thickness of the cement slurry must be at least 15 cm, but even this will not provide such strength as the reinforcement.

You can see the valve assembly in detail on the video.

Video:

Filling the track

Next, a concrete solution is prepared. It will require cement, the mark should be higher than M500, clean sand and washed crushed stone in a ratio of 1: 3: 1, respectively.

By mixing these ingredients, water, moisture-repellent additives are added to the mixture. If colored concrete is prepared, then you need to add a dye.

It is very important to properly prepare the cement mixture, observing the proportions of water and cement. The consistency should be plastic.

If the proportions are not met, and too much water is added, then this will reduce the quality of the concrete by 5 times.

The thick solution will be difficult to distribute in the formwork, and when cured, cracks will form.

Mixing is best done in a concrete mixer, thanks to mechanical mixing the solution will be more uniform and durable.

With the addition of washed gravel, a structural mixture is formed, which increases the strength of the track.

When the solution is ready, you can proceed to the fill. The solution must be poured once. It is impossible to fill in for several days due to the fact that a crack is formed between old and fresh concrete.

The grout must be poured to the edges of the formwork. To evenly fill and distribute the mortar, a spatula is used that creates vibration of the concrete.

The mortar can be poured into a special shape, which will create a kind of stone path, for example, as in the photo.

And after setting the cement, this form needs to be carefully removed. It is recommended to use a plastic mold.

Fill code is completed, you need to make several punctures in the concrete mass. Another can be slightly knock on the formwork, which will contribute to the consolidation of concrete.

You can also use a vibrating screed that will allow air to escape and increase the density of the concrete.

When preparing the mixture with your own hands, it is recommended to purchase a mixture of mobile concrete, which does not require the use of a screed.

The top layer of concrete is leveled by the rule over the entire area, removing excess. Then the structure is covered with polyethylene to preserve moisture, to avoid the appearance of cracks.

The garden path from concrete dries for four days, then the formwork is removed. Now you can go on decorating.

Decoration of the tracks

You can decorate the garden path with your own hands in several ways: polish with special impregnations to shine, add roughness by means of a rough brush, marble and tile, paint the surface or create a pattern.

The picture can be made 24 hours after the concrete is poured. To do this, any sharp object should be made with grooves on the surface of the concrete, the depth and width of the depressions should not exceed 0.5 cm.

In the future, these grooves will be filled with earth, and the concrete will look like a chipped stone, for example, as in the photo.

You can plant lawn grass, clover, thyme or other plants that are resistant to trampling into the resulting slots filled with soil. Then you get a pretty original track, like in the photo.
Impregnating composition of liquid glass gives a unique luster to the path.

For example, you can use a liquid glass Grunau - fluoride silicate, which has high adhesion properties and forms a strong special coating.

The composition based on synthetic resins and wax is also used. These impregnations fill the voids of the concrete, thereby protecting against wind, water and other negative influences.

The impregnating agent must be applied with a brush or spray gun.

The use of decorative concrete will make the path beautiful and bright. The production of decorative concrete with their own hands is carried out by adding a dye to the concrete solution.

On 1 cubic meter of a solution it is required from 5 to 15 kg of a dye, the expense depends on intensity of color. Colored concrete is very often used in landscape design.

You can do ironing. To do this, a mixture of concrete and dye in a proportion of 2: 1 is rubbed into wet concrete using a float.

To create a yellow decorative material, cement is mixed with ocher. To get the red color you need white cement, sand and umbra in the following proportion 1: 2: 0.5.

Green is obtained by mixing white cement, white sand and glauconite greens, for black - mixing gray cement, sand and soot in a ratio of 1: 1.5: 0.15.

The garden paths from the painted solution are presented in the photo.

Very popular tracks that mimic natural stone: brick or paving stones.

For this you can use a special stencil mold, sprayed mixture, stamped mortar of decorative concrete.

Construction of garden paths made of concrete by oneself is easy and affordable for every gardener.

Concrete paths, thanks to their aesthetic function, will be an ornament of any landscape.