How to make paths in the country with your own hands. DIY garden paths. Garden path made of natural stone
Walking barefoot on asphalt is less pleasant than on sea shells, polished cobblestone or logs warmed by the sun. road surface, without which a metropolis is unthinkable, is inappropriate in a country estate. Almost daily, the owners walk around its territory without shoes, and the kids crawl on all fours anyway.
When gardening, it is important to pay attention not only to the quality care of fruit plantations, but also to remember the general arrangement and appearance of the garden. garden paths, made by hand, not only create the convenience of moving around the household, but are also a special part of the overall design. In this article we will talk about the arrangement of tracks with our own hands.
Garden paths - how to combine beauty and convenience
Country house, a private house, a cottage require not only the arrangement of the interior, exterior, but also embellishment of the area around. Often, owners want to combine practicality and aesthetics in one project. You can realize the idea by laying garden paths.
What you need to know and consider when building
Any design begins with a concept, a thorough study of the area and a plan. The first step is to determine the directions, length, width of future tracks, imagine their shape, decoration. Next, you need to analyze the bearing capacity of the soil in order to choose the right type. building material and only then plan.
It is necessary to draw up a drawing on paper, there will be an opportunity to correct, redo, supplement. You should pay attention to several important factors:
- Component parts must be resistant to aggressiveness environment– high humidity, fungi, corrosion.
- It is good to tolerate temperature fluctuations of different seasons.
- Provide for a possible increase in loads (car, loaded wheelbarrow).
- The optimal angle of inclination of the canvas to avoid the accumulation of water from precipitation.
Advice from a landscape designer - in compact areas it is better to lay not straight garden paths, but with undulating bends and turns. This visually expands the space, deepens the niches for plants.
From what to build a track, each owner decides independently, based on financial capabilities, needs and fantasies. Every coating needs a base. An ideal option would be a compacted earth embankment or crushed stone pillow.
The most popular do-it-yourself materials for garden paths:
- A natural stone. It looks noble, aesthetically pleasing even with non-smoothed corners.
- artificial substitute. The grace of nature, faceted by man.
- Clinker bricks will add bright colors to the garden.
- Gravel or large polished pebbles will provide originality.
- Wood is an affordable, simple, but short-lived species. Looks impressive separately and in composition.
- Decking - garden plastic parquet. new material, resistant to ultraviolet, water, mold, rot.
The decorativeness of the structure to a greater extent depends on the methods of laying blanks. The canvas can be solid, even or consist of separately located elements of different geometric shapes. Having laid out a path of large "leaves", "butterflies", "flowers", it is easy to enjoy comfort and a pleasant walk.
Types of garden paths
Everyone who has a dacha and even a small one, but his own household plot, more than once will think about ways to decorate and transform it. There is not always enough money to implement ideas and fantasies. Many will ask: “What then to do?” The answer is quite simple: if you want to ennoble garden paths, but there are no funds for a landscape designer and expensive components, then you should pay attention to improvised and more affordable materials.
For arranging garden paths with your own hands will come in handy different kind stones, boards, saw cuts, river pebbles and even lids from plastic bottles. Now a little about each of the options.
Natural stone walkways
They fit into any site design. They look natural, and with proper styling can last for ages.
These tracks look very impressive. If stones are left after the nearest construction, you can use them. Or those that remain after laying will fit Alpine slide. They have uneven shapes, which makes them ideal for a scenic path.
Natural stone walkway
Initially, you need to calculate the number of pebbles. One of the methods is a rough layout of stones. So you can estimate whether the amount of material you have is enough.
Sprinkle the place for the track with sand and compact it with high quality. It turned out in some way a "pillow" for pebbles. They need to be processed, adjusted in shape, made more uniform. For good docking and grinding, you can use a grinder or other not too powerful types of tools. Having prepared the stones, they are placed in a mosaic composition.
Since all stones are different in size, they are adjusted to each other with a rubber mallet. At least one of the sides of the stone must be flat for the path to turn out as it should.
When the mosaic is ready, you need to start sealing the seams between the stones. Otherwise, they will start to overgrow. Although some may prefer another option, as natural as possible: a cement-sand mortar is used for grouting.
concrete walkways
They are very similar to stone. First make a bed, the depth of which is approximately 10 cm. Then pour sand on the bottom and tamp it down. Fill the top with a mixture of concrete and sand, set the formwork around the edges. Until the solution has hardened, pour pebbles into it. Lay out the intended pattern from it. A drainage system must be installed next to such a path.
Sometimes a concrete path is made using a ready-made form. It is easy to buy at a hardware store. And then just pour the concrete mixture into the mold in the place you need, level it with a trowel, remove the excess and remove the mold. It is very light and fast way, moreover, you can lay out such a form at least in several rows.
How to make concrete walkways with your own hands using ready-made forms
wooden walkways
Wooden paths will serve for a long time, but in the beginning they require care. You can lay them out from sawn boards or timber, using what is left of building a house.
wooden walkways
Prepare boards and sticks, the latter can be replaced with steel corners or pipes. Process them protective impregnations or bituminous mastic. After soaking, nail the boards to the bars. Mount the track from above, using hemp of various calibers for this. Paint them in one or more colors.
But in domestic climatic conditions, the most modern impregnations will not protect the boards from deformation, rotting and corrosion, therefore, imitation wood is more often used as a material for paths - tiles with an appropriate pattern.
It will be possible to pick up samples so perfect that no one will detect the difference at a distance. It is felt only after tactile contact. The tiles reliably depict the natural texture of pine, beech, oak and other species in the context - as a result, the ersatz is indistinguishable from the original.
DIY gravel garden paths
Gravel is a simple material that has good flowability, allows moisture to pass through, and is relatively cheap. From it you can pour paths of any width and length, it is possible even to give them different shape. Such a path looks neat, harmoniously fits into any landscape. Doing it yourself will not be difficult.
DIY gravel garden paths
The procedure for the execution of a gravel path
- First you need to mark the track on the site. Marking is carried out with pre-prepared wooden pegs. You can stretch a string between the pegs if you find it difficult to determine the direction "by eye".
- Next, according to the markup, a bed is prepared. To do this, dig a trench in the ground. The depth of the trench can be about 14 - 17 cm.
- Prepare gravel. It is advisable, if possible, to review it and remove unwanted impurities ( broken glass, sharp large stones, etc.). Enumerating gravel should be done with thick gloves.
- The gravel is backfilled to the depth of the trench. You can level with a rake or with your hands (also use gloves).
- Next, the laid gravel is rammed.
- At the end, along the edge of the path, you can lay a curb stone. This will give an even more spectacular and finished look. The stone is fixed with a cement foundation. You can lay it either flush with the canvas, or slightly above it.
This algorithm is also suitable for constructing a garden path made of sand. Accordingly, gravel is replaced by sand, and then all work is carried out according to the same scheme.
DIY garden paths made of bricks
This is a very fragile type of material. Before laying it is necessary to check for strength. First, mark the path with string and pegs.
Remove the soil (25 cm), put the drainage below. In this case, it will be simple, but the main thing is that water does not penetrate. Crushed stone must be poured on top of the drainage system. Boards are laid sideways along the edges. Then the brick is laid. You can come up with many different patterns of bricks.
Clinker path
The garden path lined with brick chips looks great. It is permissible to pour it on a concrete path. A beautiful mosaic is laid out from broken bricks. If the bricks different colors, beautiful patterns are laid out from them. You can leave space between them to fill it with small pebbles, pebbles or soil, so that later there is a green island.
Homemade brick and stone walkway
sandstone path
They are made dry or use cement pouring. This method is similar to laying a stone path, and the first one is more natural and original.
Dig a trench, removing some of the soil. Pour sand into it and tamp it down. The middle part should be higher than the edges. You need to go up the slope a bit. This is such a dehumidification system. Next comes the processing of stones.
Sandstone can be of various sizes and shapes. Try on each stone before processing.
Align the stones, making the gaps as small as possible. Processed stones are laid out as you like. For a classic track, you need a bucket of sand and the same amount of mixture with cement. Under each pebble, you must first put the first, then the second. Moreover, the cement should protrude slightly. You need to press the stone firmly. The made path must be washed so as not to spoil the aesthetics with cement residues. Seams are filled with soil or sand.
Walkway made of wood saw cuts
Such a path will look very beautiful and attractive.
Walkway made of wood saw cuts
Saw cuts must be taken of different sizes, stacking them so that there is no free space between them. Before laying, the round timber must be treated with an antiseptic composition.
Saws for a garden path
Another option is to use round timber in the form of curbs, and fill a layer of gravel between them.
Staying in the country, I want to move away from city life, because if not a forest, then a garden, some lucky ones even have a lake or a river. In a word, whatever the surrounding landscape, it encourages rapprochement with nature.
An interesting idea is a path stylized as a forest one. It is fragments of ordinary tree stumps. Round plates of various sizes are laid along the edge of the pond and concreted.
The side of an artificial reservoir is made of them. It is pleasant to sit on such stumps to sunbathe, the contact of the feet with them also gives rise to positive sensations.
Plastic garden paths
Such country paths are sold as modules, ready-made. Their installation does not require preparation and surface treatment. They are very easy and quick to attach, very economical, characterized by durability and long service life. They can be laid out on any site, in the form of any composition. They are environmentally friendly and aesthetic.
River gravel paths
Working with these stones will be difficult, time-consuming and will not end quickly. They are laid in a pre-limited space in wet sand and compacted to the desired depth. The process takes several days.
River gravel paths
It happens that the design of country houses is based on the imitation of the styles of bygone times - the ancient era, British classicism, etc. Then you should choose plates ornamented in accordance with the general concept of the site and the residential building. They may have impressions of Mediterranean pebbles, ancient bricks, etc.
Paths from caps from plastic bottles
The most original and interesting way is to lay out the path or part of it with plastic bottle caps. Due to the fact that the covers have a variety of colors, you can make patterns and mosaics, even coming up with whole pictures.
The only negative of this improvised material is its collection, because you will need a lot of covers.
Reinforced garden path concrete tiles
Stages of work:
Do-it-yourself garden path made of reinforced concrete tiles
From lined ceramic tiles mosaic type
Paving stones, stone path
The slabs are laid on a layer of sand, sown in between lawn grass. Mowing is carried out with a conventional electric lawn mower. The photo was taken 3 years after installation.
These are just the basic materials from which you can make country paths with your own hands. Human fantasy is limitless, so by the next summer season, they will probably come up with something else. Paths for summer cottages are made by hand from any, sometimes unexpected material. For example, from glass bottles. You can create combinations of different types material in one composition.
Remember that such paths carry not only convenience and benefits, but also beauty, joy for the eyes, harmony. Imagine, invent, create.
The independent choice of materials for garden paths and the driveway to the cottage is sometimes difficult. Then you just need to set aside time for a scrupulous study of catalogs or a means for consulting with specialists. The result will justify all these costs.
Video master classes
Selection beautiful design paths in a summer cottage do not have to be entrusted to a specialist in landscape design. By reading this post, you will understand how to various options paths in the country with their own hands. Consider the most popular ideas using improvised and purchased materials sold by homeowners.
Economy option - bulk paths
Although simple, rammed stone stitches provide the following benefits:
- cheap construction;
- lack of puddles on the surface - water goes through the gravel into the ground;
- a properly laid embankment has an attractive appearance which is shown in the photo.
Nice gravel path near the pond
It is difficult to build a gravel path on a slope, so for a sloping landscape it is worth choosing another solution. The second disadvantage is the need for constant care. Need backfilling, leveling, removal of sprouted grass
These works are carried out annually, usually in the spring, after the snow melts. To implement this inexpensive option, you will need small gravel or gravel, geotextiles and sand.
Advice. So that the rubble does not gradually spread to the sides, it is advisable to limit the edges of the trail with curbs made of concrete, plastic or old boards.
Foundation device step by step
Before you make bulk paths in the country, plan the yard according to functional needs. Simply put, draw on a piece of paper the paths to move around the site. For example, from the house to the pool, playground, toilet and pond. Determine the location of future flower beds, a barbecue area and a bathhouse, if one has not yet been built. Then draw paths on paper and transfer them to the area.
To get started, mark the tracks on the site with any convenient way- using twine and pegs or sprinkling with lime. Then remove the sod and proceed to the base device according to the instructions:
Making the finishing touch
In order for the path to serve for a long time and not sag from the load, it must be poured with an even layer of fine gravel and carefully compacted. Perform the operation in several steps, achieving maximum coverage density. Means of mechanization will help a lot - a manual roller and a vibrating plate.
Note. The finer the fraction of gravel, river pebbles or shale stone, the harder and more reliable the coating will come out.
There are no more tricks in the construction of bulk paths. Homeowners often lay such stitches between the beds in the vegetable gardens in order to calmly walk in wet weather. When laying in a country yard, there is a way to bring beauty: combine a gravel mound with flat stones or decorative slabs, as shown in the photo.
classic concrete walkway
A monolithic concrete coating is the most reliable and relatively inexpensive option. If the technology is followed during pouring, the structure will last at least 30 years. The main disadvantages are the complexity and duration of the process, because the concrete mixture hardens within 4 weeks. During the hardening period, the path cannot be used. Therefore, do not rush to plant flowers near the future path, where you will have to arrange a temporary passage.
An important point. Subsequently, the monolith can be used as a base for laying paving slabs or other coverage.
To pour concrete paths with your own hands, you need to prepare the base, as described in the previous section. Then proceed in the following order:
Advice. To prevent water from accumulating near the path later, dig a shallow drainage filled with gravel from one end.
You can beautifully decorate a concrete path at the pouring stage, using special plastic molds that imitate natural stone. The decor is implemented simply: a form is immersed in fresh concrete (preferably several), and pulled out after the initial setting. In order not to buy ready-made frames, smart craftsmen adapted to make homemade metal products, the technology is shown in the video:
Paving slabs
In terms of reliability and durability, the tile stitch is not inferior to concrete. There are 2 nuances: the material will cost more and require proper styling. Therefore, ceramic bricks, which were in use or left after construction, are often used instead of tiles.
Having prepared the base of the garden path (the method is described above), lay bricks or paving slabs using this technology:
Reference. There are special polymer and acrylic compounds for filling joints that prevent the germination of weeds. Minus - the high price of protective mixtures.
If it is required to lay out a platform in front of the garage or in another place with an increased load on the coating, cement mortar should be used. Decorating such a sidewalk is easy: buy tiles of different colors and shapes. More information about the technology of paving tiled paths is described in the following video:
Wood stitches
If you have dry logs or hemp of various diameters at your disposal, you can pave a nice path in the country garden from wood. She loses concrete in durability, but wins in beauty and originality. To work, you will need a chain saw - gasoline or electric.
The manufacture resembles the folding of a wooden craft - a mosaic and is performed using the following technology:
Advice. It is important to correctly measure and select the height of the stumps so that they rest on compacted rubble and rise above ground level.
Use of polymeric materials
One of the most convenient solutions is ready-made plastic tiles measuring 57 x 57 cm, laid on a flat ground or directly on the grass without any preparation. Such a path can be laid and moved to any place in the country or removed for the winter in a barn.
Plastic tiles are connected manually with factory fasteners shown in the photo. Puddles on the path do not form, since drainage holes are provided in each element.
Other modern solution- track in the country from modular rubber plates various colours. The material is strong and durable, the laying technology is identical to paving slabs. Separate elements are additionally interconnected by means of plastic bushings. Curbs are also used rubber.
Note. These materials can be used in the interior open gazebos and verandas as flooring.
Conclusion
We talked about the most common and affordable ways to build country paths. In fact, the choice of materials is much wider - natural and round river stone, shell rock and even tree bark. Only the first stage remains unchanged - the preparation of the base of the path. If this operation is done in good faith, then any coating will last long enough.
Related posts:
It is unnecessary to prove the need for arranging paths in the country: without them, in bad weather, you can neither pass nor drive. Of course, I want them to be both reliable and beautiful. It is clear that the paths in the country serve us for a limited time, and a small number of people use them.
In such a situation, it makes no sense to spend significant funds on garden paths.
Techniques for arranging inexpensive paths
The total length of the paths in the country can reach hundreds of meters. simple calculations show that a lot of materials are required for their arrangement. Consider a few tricks that will help you decide what tracks can be made cheaply from:
- use as few materials as possible;
- apply the most budgetary components;
- use improvised means;
- do-it-yourself track elements;
- use local materials;
- use economical options and technologies.
We make budget trails on our own
If we talk about standard options, then the most inexpensive garden paths are obtained from local bulk materials: crushed stone, pebbles, sand and gravel. If the path in the garden of bulk material is properly arranged, it will turn out not only cheap, but also beautiful.
Cement-based paths will cost a little more than bulk ones. An economical option can be obtained by equipping a cover with a width of only 60cm. To reduce costs, broken bricks and local rubble stone can be used instead of crushed stone for concrete preparation.
The method of execution is very interesting. In this case, it is possible to make budgetary and at the same time beautiful coatings. Note that the construction of a track of this kind requires a lot of time.
Of course, graceful and durable paths in the garden can be made using natural stone. In this case, in order to make paving inexpensively, thin layers of material should be used.
A great option is to use bulk material in combination with natural stone, concrete, brick and wood. In this way, you can make a cheap and original coating. Of course, you will have to work hard with your own hands on the implementation custom solution. In this case, you can use the technology of manufacturing bulk tracks.
Another way to reduce the cost of coating is not to make it solid, whether it be concrete, stone or tile. The option is quite acceptable for those places where they do not go very often - a lawn, a flower garden, paths between the beds.
We use improvised materials for paths in the garden
A cardinal way to reduce the cost of pedestrian pavement is to use the available material at hand. At the same time, it is quite easy to ensure the exclusivity of the path, and if you try, the durability and quality of the pedestrian pavement in the garden will not suffer either. You just need to carefully look at what material is available and get acquainted with possible solutions.
Budget paths made of wood, bark and grass
If you have an old withered tree at your disposal, you can make a beautiful path out of it. Unsuitable pallets can be dismantled and a covering made of planks can be built.
More than one season, a budget path made of bark, poured on flat and compacted ground, will last. The coating will be more stable if you first prepare a trench 10 cm deep for it and fill it with sand. Next to the trail, a miniature wattle fence made of branches will organically look.
The living path made of grass looks attractive, and it is quite inexpensive. It is pleasant to walk barefoot on the lawn, but if you do it too often, it will quickly lose its charming look. It is better to plant the green path with ryegasse or bluegrass. You can buy packaged seeds for sports turf. The grass should be cut, watered, fertilized.
Inexpensive and reliable tracks made of tires and asphalt waste
When repairing asphalt roads, the old coating is often cut off. The resulting crumb is inexpensive and will last a long time in the yard. The material is poured in an even layer on a flat and compacted ground. Then it is heated until softened with a blowtorch and rammed. The crumb is fastened, and a reliable coating is obtained. Of course, it is better to equip the curb near the path.
The most inexpensive garden paths can be made from car tires. The resistance of tires to moisture, sun and frost is beyond doubt. The coating does not become slippery during rain.
From the tire of a passenger car, a strip with a length of a strand of 2 meters is obtained. This means that to cover a width of about 60 cm and a length of 2 m, three old tires will be required. stocking up necessary quantity tires and act according to the following plan:
- We level and ram the surface of the soil under the future path.
- Cut off the sidewalls of the tires with a jigsaw.
- We cut the tire tread across every 30-40 cm. It is better to use a grinder, since the jigsaw cuts the wire cord of the tire with difficulty.
- We prepare U-shaped staples measuring 50X25mm from wire. Best Option– galvanized wire with a diameter of 3 mm, PVC coated, which can be cut from a suitable mesh.
- We put adjacent fragments of the coating on the board and drill holes in the tread with a diameter of 4 mm for staples. They are placed 25mm from the edges of the rubber opposite each other.
- We insert the staples into the holes and bend from the back.
- We collect the track of the required length and put it in place. Elements of the canvas can be painted in different colors.
Economy version of paths from bottles, plastic corks and broken tiles
Plastic and glass bottles are free materials for arranging paths. This type of coverage has the following features:
- beverage containers are not afraid of frost, sun, moisture and serve for a long time;
- protrusions on the bottom of the bottles provide a massage for the feet;
- the track has an original look;
- when it rains, the surface becomes slippery.
A path of plastic and glass bottles can be built according to the following scheme:
- At the site of the coating, they dig a trench a little deeper than the height of the bottles.
- The bottom of the groove is leveled and covered with a layer of sand 5-10 cm.
- Plastic bottles are filled with sand or gravel.
- The container is installed upside down at the bottom of the trench. A board is laid on top, which is tapped with a hammer to level the canvas from the bottles.
- A mixture of cement and dry sand is prepared in a ratio of 1:6. The composition is poured into the gaps between the bottles until completely filled.
- The path is moistened with a garden watering can.
As follows from the photo, glass bottles can also be used to equip a curb for the track. To mount such a fence, a groove is dug under it, sand is poured and rammed. The bottles are placed on a cement mortar prepared in a ratio of 1:3.
The colorful canvas of the track can be equipped with plastic bottle caps. Cork paths do not fade and are not afraid of the influence of the atmosphere. However, when it rains, the covers can become slippery.
The corks are placed in a hardening mortar of the cement track. Then the coating is leveled by tapping on the board laid on the coating. To simplify installation, fragments of the mosaic of corks can be pre-fastened with fishing line through the holes in the sidewalls of the covers.
Homemade cement-based country paths are easy to decorate with broken tile mosaics. Such material is enough after completion construction works. Fight tiles can also be purchased very cheaply from the respective store.
It is more convenient to use tiles of approximately the same thickness.
In the simplest case, to obtain a mosaic, pieces of broken tiles are pressed into a hardening solution and leveled by tapping on a board laid on top. To equip a beautiful and large canvas, do-it-yourself mosaic tiles are laid according to the following scheme:
We examined examples and methods for arranging inexpensive, convenient and beautiful paths on the site. In most cases, they need to provide
Neat, gracefully winding between green spaces and landscape decor, - essential attribute any garden. So, if you want your site to be truly well-groomed and complete, by no means neglect the paths. Fortunately, for their arrangement you do not need to spend fabulous sums and involve professional designers - you can make beautiful paths with your own hands, seriously saving both on materials and on work. How? There are many answers to this question, because there are a huge number of types of garden paths that can be laid at low cost. Next, we offer you instructions for the most popular options with accompanying photos and videos - after reading them, you will definitely be able to effectively ennoble your site.
Wooden round logs - very simple, but original material for garden paths. Raw materials for them can be found at every site - for sure, there are old trees everywhere, which it would be time to replace with new seedlings. It is advisable to use larch or oak - they are the most resistant to external influences, which means they can boast a long service life. The path of saw cuts is made according to the following scheme:
Advice. In order to protect the path from moisture and increase its durability, equip the simplest drainage - pour a layer of fine gravel between the sand cushion and the cuts.
Durable stone paths
One of the most durable garden path options is natural stone. Here you can use cobblestone or but - they are equally durable. The path is laid out as follows:
- Mark out the garden path.
- From the area where the path is planned to be laid, remove upper layer drain. The depth of this layer should be 7-10 cm more than the height of the largest stone prepared for the path.
- Fill the resulting trench with a 10 cm layer of sand, carefully level it and compact it.
- Alternately lay the stones on the sand cushion, pressing them firmly into the base. The distance between small stones should be no more than 2-3 cm, and between large ones - up to 8-10 cm.
- Fill in the remaining gaps cement mortar. When the track sets, fill the seams with earth or fine sand to make them look more natural.
Stone garden path
Classic concrete paths in the country
Concrete is a traditional material for laying paths, which is always popular due to its low cost and ease of operation. Everyone can definitely make a cast track:
- Mark the boundaries of the path - drive in pegs along its contour and stretch the wire between them.
- Within the marked contours, dig a small trench - up to 30 cm deep.
- Lay on the bottom of the base a layer of gravel 5 cm and the same layer of sand. Seal the resulting pillow.
- Cover the base with a chain-link or any other thin metal mesh.
- Install lumber formwork along the perimeter of the future track.
- Prepare a cement mortar: 1 part dry cement, 1.5 parts sand, 2 parts gravel and 1 part water.
- Pour the cent and evenly, with vibrating movements, using a spatula, distribute the composition over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe track. During installation, pierce the mixture with a rod to prevent the formation of voids.
- Using the rule, finish the alignment of the path and cover it with polyethylene.
concrete walkway
In 3-4 days the track will be ready. During this time, remember to gently moisten it with water to protect the concrete from cracking and give it maximum strength.
Advice. To make the path more interesting, even before the concrete mixture finally sets, “drown” various decorative pebbles, glass or shells in it.
Budget garden paths made of tires
They have long been widely used in summer cottages: they make flower beds, and now also garden paths. This trend is not surprising, given the performance characteristics of the material: tires are resistant to moisture and temperature extremes, easy to care for, do not slip and are durable. You can equip a garden path from them like this:
Tire garden path
- With a knife, divide the tires into two parts: rolling tracks and sidewalls. To make the knife easier to enter into the rubber, regularly lubricate it with oil or soap.
- Cut out the resulting rings of ribbon. Trim them to length and trim the edges.
- Take it wide wooden planks and carefully fasten the rubber bands on them with nails so that they completely cover the wood - there should be no empty spaces between the elements.
- Remove the top layer of soil with a depth of no more than 5 cm along the entire length of the future path and press wooden boards into the base. If desired, the rubber can be painted.
Country paths made of bricks
Another traditional material for garden paths is brick. It is recommended to use clinker products, as they are characterized by high resistance to different kind chemical and mechanical influences. It is important that the bricks are intact and without chips, otherwise the path will turn out not only unaesthetic, but also unsafe.
Brick garden path
The track is laid out like this:
- Mark the path: drive a peg around the perimeter and pull a rope between them.
- Dig a trench along the marked contour - up to 25-35 cm deep.
- Along the trench, lay the limiters from the bars or boards.
- The space between the limiters, that is, the "body" of the track, cover with a 10 cm layer of gravel and carefully compact it. Lay a layer of sand no more than 5 cm high on top.
- Remove the limiters and make curbs in their place: on both sides of the path, lay one row of bricks in the “on the ribs” position.
- Form the interior space of the path with the bricks: lay them in their usual position, gently tapping with a wooden spatula or rubber mallet so that they sit down.
Advice. Bricks do not have to be laid closely - to give the path a more original look, leave small gaps and fill them with pebbles. In addition, you can not even close the gaps - after a while, grass will sprout in them and decorate the path.
Variety of wooden walkways
Wood is one of the most fertile materials for making garden paths, as it can be used in completely different guises. Consider two common options: board paths and bark paths.
Site preparation in both cases looks the same: Plank path
Further technologies diverge. So, if you are making a path from boards, prepare the constituent elements: adjust them in length and width and treat with an antiseptic. If desired, you can give them a sinuous shape. Further along the edges and in the center of the trench along its entire length, install wooden supports and fix them with cement mortar. The final stage is to nail already prepared planks to the supports.
If you want to build a path from the bark, make sure that the material is durable - it should not crumble. Be sure to treat the bark with an antiseptic. Before fixing the material in the trench, lay a sand cushion on its base, and then drown the bark in it.
Tiled garden paths
Although tile cannot be called a very cheap material, it is still used very often for the manufacture of garden paths. There are several reasons for this: aesthetic appearance, good performance and ease of working with the material. The technology of laying a tile track will convince you of the latter:
Now you know many interesting ways to make a garden path with your own hands at low cost. Following simple instructions, you can implement any of the above options on your site, so feel free to get to work and discover new opportunities for ennobling the garden area.
Garden paths in the country: video