home

Make garden paths the right way. DIY garden paths

Ennobling a personal plot is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. The least expensive idea would be laying garden paths. This design will not only give an attractive appearance to the local area, but also become a very functional addition. In rainy weather, you do not have to walk on soggy ground; the presence of a garden path will relieve such inconveniences. The modern market offers a variety of materials for arranging a personal plot. It is enough to make a choice based on taste preferences and financial capabilities. To significantly save money, it is not necessary to seek help from landscape designers, there is no need to look for a team of tilers. It is quite possible to lay garden paths on your own, you just need to know a few subtleties that you may encounter in the process of arranging the local area.

Garden paths can be laid independently

Garden paths are the most budgetary option for improving the site.

Garden paths can harmoniously decorate the site

Paths decorated with natural stone always look spectacular and original. The main advantages of natural material are ease of installation, heat resistance and long service life. The disadvantage is the high price of the coating, the massiveness and the need to draw up a sketch before starting work. Natural stone is considered an elite material, and many developers prefer not to use it due to the high price. But in this case, the price fully justifies the quality. Garden paths made of stone will last for decades.

Natural stone is mined in quarries and then processed. This means that the material is environmentally friendly and has a variety of colors and sizes. Among the methods of paving paths, two main methods are distinguished: by applying a coating on a sand cushion or by spreading the coating directly onto the concrete mixture.

These tracks can last a very long time.

Paths made of natural stone look very beautiful

Laying on a sand cushion

It is necessary to dig a trench, the depth of which is determined by the characteristics of the soil. If the soil is light enough, the trench should be no more than half a meter, otherwise no more than 30 cm.
A layer of prepared crushed stone is distributed on the ground, no more than 12 cm.
A sand cushion must be laid on top of the rubble.
An ornament of natural stone is formed on the sand.
If necessary, the seams are sealed with sand.
At the last stage, the entire surface is treated with water. You need to monitor the amount of moisture, this will help to avoid washing out the sand from the joints.
Paving with concrete
As in the first case, a trench is dug, several layers of rubble and sand are laid.
The required amount of concrete is poured into the formwork.
Wait for the solution to dry and carefully remove the formwork.
Sand is poured, natural stone is laid out on its surface.
The joints are rubbed with sand, after which the garden path is treated with water.

You can also lay tiles on a concrete base.

When processing with water, make sure that the sand is not washed out

The surface on which the tile will be laid must be leveled

Clinker paving

Boundless imagination, a set of necessary equipment and a little patience - that's what you need when working with clinker. The material comes in many shapes, but the most common are rectangular and wedge-shaped. Clinker bricks began to be used two centuries ago and were used for paving roads and sidewalks. Later it began to be used for decoration of gardens and suburban areas.

The visiting card of the material is not only an aesthetically attractive appearance, but also a number of functional advantages. Clinker bricks are made from clay using the full sintering process. This means that such paving will last for many years due to its resistance to extremely low temperatures and moisture. It does not crack, can withstand a lot of weight, and is cleaned with a brush, detergent and water. In addition, the material does not deteriorate from exposure to salts, alkaline agents and other abrasive substances.

The material is very resistant and not exposed to bad influences.

A track made of such material can serve you for many years.

How to work with clinker bricks

If you decide to design a country-style garden, the material will fit perfectly into the overall picture. It is necessary to pay close attention to the method of paving. A garden path with smooth curves will look spectacular. At the same time, pay attention that the path does not consist of sharp turns, this will save you from trampling the material along the inner corner. The coating process is not complicated, but it has several nuances:

the site is marked to determine the zero line, the slope is performed in the direction of convenient removal of excess moisture;
pegs are placed at the corners of the site and a rope is stretched along them;
a second rope is fixed on one of the pegs, retracted 90 degrees;
boards are dug into the ground, a little further from the pegs, if necessary, an additional layer of soil is poured and compacted;
a solution is prepared consisting of cement and sand;
clinker bricks are laid with a rubber mallet;
if necessary, the seams are filled with an additional amount of mortar.

Consider having a border. The border will look great from an aesthetic point of view and will help maintain the contours of the path, blocking the path of flowing moisture. It can be made with bricks, carefully placing the material on the edges of the path or digging into small trenches previously dug.

Smooth curves further decorate the overall picture

The border will additionally decorate the path

Such material will fit perfectly into country style.

paving slabs

Paving slabs will last for many years, it is enough to lay them correctly. It will not be difficult to choose a tile; there are many varieties of coatings on the construction market, ranging from color to size and pattern applied to the surface. You can easily put the material on your own without resorting to the help of professionals. To save money, it makes sense to use the cheapest and simplest methods for laying paving slabs. To work, you will need tools that every owner will surely have: bayonet and shovel shovels, a peg, a level, a rubber mallet, a rake, a device for leveling the soil, a brush with a hard bristle.

To lay the tiles yourself, you will need a standard set of tools

In order for the tile to serve for a long time, you need to lay it correctly.

How to lay paving slabs

Before starting work, it is required to remove all unnecessary from the territory, remove excess grass. Then go to the layout of the site and consider the width of the paths and their directions. It is irrational to make wide garden paths. It is quite expensive and takes up a lot of space that can be used for other needs.

To mark the boundary of the future surface, pegs are placed and a rope is pulled over them. This is done to give a smooth surface to the track. Holes are dug in the ground. To determine the depth of the trench, it is necessary to measure the thickness of the tile. For example, if the material is 7 cm thick, then it is advisable to make a 10 cm hole in the ground. Further, according to the boundaries of the rope, the side is beaten off with a shovel. The tool must be held strictly vertically. After the work on the sides is completed, you can begin to remove the extra layers of soil inside. The next step will be the distribution of sand within the resulting space, while you need to monitor the uniformity of the surface. You can correct the flaws with the help of a shovel. Now you can proceed to the most important task: laying paving slabs. It is necessary to check the quality of work through the level. The slope per 1 m of the track should be equal to 1 cm. The resulting seams are rubbed with sand, treating the tile with water.

Before laying, the area must be cleared of debris.

When laying tiles, you need to check the surface with a level

Use of wood

The purpose of any garden path is exclusively utilitarian, but what if you show a little imagination and approach the issue of arranging the territory creatively. Wood is an environmentally friendly material with an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Wooden paths will decorate any site and will look non-trivial and interesting. The material can be timber, boards, garden parquet or boards. But more and more often, a saw cut from a tree is used to decorate a personal plot.

Before starting work, it is necessary to make a choice between numerous varieties of wood. It all depends on how long you plan to use the track. Oak will last about ten years, pine will not lose its properties for 7 years. Larch can be considered the most durable breed, it is the most durable and will last about 25 years. The more load will be placed on the track, the larger the wood blanks should be in diameter. In height, it is desirable to make them at least 15 cm. With such dimensions, the saw cut of the tree is firmly fixed in pre-prepared holes and will not fall out during operation.

IMPORTANT! It is necessary to refuse a saw cut that has cracks. Before laying the tree, it is recommended to clean it from the bark, this will extend its life.

The marking of the site is carried out, as in the cases described above. For comfortable movement of one person, 60 cm of the width of the track will be quite enough. A waterproofing film is laid at the bottom of the trench. If it was not at hand, you can stop at a regular plastic film. The next step will be the distribution of the required amount of crushed stone on the prepared surface. Crushed stone acts as a drainage and protects the wood from unwanted moisture. The sand is evenly distributed, after which you can start laying the saw cut. The distance must be minimal. The gaps between the workpieces are filled with sand; for compaction, the material is poured with a small amount of water. You can decorate the path in many ways. For example, paint the saw cut, sow the gaps with grass or decorate with pebbles. Remember, the tree is subject to the negative influence of the environment, therefore, before laying it, it is better to cover it with special compounds that prevent it from rotting.

You can make a wooden path yourself

Wooden paths will decorate any site and will look non-trivial and interesting.

Concrete path in the garden

Each method of laying a garden path has its pros and cons. The concrete path is no exception. Thousands of owners of individual housing choose this way of decorating the local area. Concrete is a durable material that can last for decades if properly maintained. It is quite easy to create a design without resorting to the help of professionals. And besides, a concrete path is a great way to save money, the material is relatively inexpensive. Concrete can withstand significant mechanical loads without any problems, and installation will not take much time. But, like everywhere else, it also has its downsides. In the off-season, the material often cracks. This is due to the movement of the ground in rainy weather. It is unlikely that it will be possible to change the location of the track in the future, the construction is capital. Therefore, it is better not to rush and think carefully about the directions of the paths and their width.

The process of laying the track with your own hands from concrete must begin with the installation of the formwork. It is better to use boards for this. If you plan to add some curves to the design, use any plastic materials. Plywood is a great option. Please note that concrete in any case must be poured in parts. This is done to compensate for expansion or contraction of the material due to temperature changes. Therefore, it makes no sense to make a continuous formwork for the entire site. You can lay it partially, thus significantly saving materials for the structure. Professionals recommend forming a pillow from a mixture of compacted gravel and sand. It makes sense to think about waterproofing. For these purposes, geotextiles or roofing material will serve. The next step is pouring concrete. The solution is mixed from cement and sand in a ratio of 1 to 3. The preferred concrete thickness should be at least 5 cm. The resulting layer is leveled with a spatula. After the appearance of moisture on the surface, all surface irregularities can be removed and the concrete is wetted with water.

A concrete walkway is the cheapest and easiest option.

You can create such a track without resorting to the help of professionals

Concrete is a very durable material and can last for decades.

Plastic modules

The use of plastic modules in laying a garden path is a new technology that has managed to win thousands of fans around the world. Plastic - the material is quite light, cheap, durable and strong. The pluses include the fact that plastic modules can be dismantled at any time. They are not exposed to negative environmental influences and do not enter into chemical reactions. It is in this case that you can choose any option, because there is a huge amount of plastic of various shapes and colors on the market. The tile includes a substrate and an outer part. The substrate is designed for air ventilation and outflow of excess moisture. Before installation, it is necessary to level the surface on which the material is planned to be laid. It is better to lay additional drainage on the soil. Gravel can be used as drainage. The installation itself is quite simple and is carried out using a locking mount. This is how the tiles fit together.

Plastic modules are not very expensive and easy to install.

The lawn grate does not require special preparatory work

Form use

You can make tracks with your own hands today without much effort. There are dozens of technologies in the world that make life easier for owners of private houses. One of the fastest technologies can rightfully be considered the use of special plastic molds. Everything is quite simple: cement is poured into the mold and left until it dries completely. For comfortable work, you need to acquire several samples, 2 or 3 forms will be enough.

Before laying the tiles, it is necessary to excavate the soil. The first layer is filled with sand to a depth of about 10-15 cm, then crushed stone (7-10 cm) is distributed, it is necessary to complete the preparatory work by distributing another layer of sand. After that, the sand is rammed and you can start laying tiles made using molds. It is recommended to fill the resulting cracks with sand, and then moisten the entire structure with a small amount of water.

Video: DIY garden path

50 photo ideas for creating garden paths with your own hands:

The selection of a beautiful design of paths in a summer cottage does not have to be entrusted to a landscape design specialist. After reading this publication, you yourself will understand how to make various options for tracks in the country with your own hands. Consider the most popular ideas using improvised and purchased materials implemented 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 reflected 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 in 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 coatings.

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 requires proper installation. 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.

Another modern solution is a path in the country from modular rubber plates of various colors. 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.

Graduated from East Ukrainian National University. Vladimir Dal with a degree in Electronic Industry Equipment in 2011.

Walking barefoot on asphalt is less pleasant than walking on seashells, polished cobblestones or logs warmed by the sun. The 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. Do-it-yourself garden paths 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

A dacha, 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 of 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 the aggressiveness of the 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 UV, water, mildew, 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, but own personal plot, will think more than once 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, various types of stones, boards, saw cuts, river pebbles and even plastic bottle caps will come in handy. 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 the alpine slide will do. 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. This is a very easy and fast way, besides, 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. Treat them with 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. Paths of any width and length can be poured from it, it is even possible to give them a 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 are of different colors, beautiful patterns are laid out of 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.

Garden path made of reinforced concrete tiles

Stages of work:

Do-it-yourself garden path made of reinforced concrete tiles

Mosaic tiled ceramic tiles

Paving stones, stone path

The slabs are laid on a layer of sand, lawn grass is sown in between. 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 of 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

The arrangement and layout of the site provides for the creation of paths. Moreover, the requirements for them are quite serious: they must be reliable, comfortable, functional, beautiful and very desirable - inexpensive. We will talk about how to make garden paths with your own hands at low cost in this article.

What to make tracks

The pavement can be solid or loose. To create a hard coating, the following materials are used:

Concrete. Concrete walkways are not just ordinary gray tape. In addition, there are dyes and you can decorate it if you wish. There are also molds for pouring immediately on the spot. It turns out homemade paving slabs. Another option is to pour small concrete slabs of the right size on your own, then put them on the bedding. See photos for design examples.
And everyone in the household has forms for such a path - cut eggplants for water into cylinders, place them as needed and fill with a solution: beautiful and cheap

Large pebbles as backfill and colored concrete slabs

Another option for laying homemade concrete slabs in the garden path

And this is a concrete path with expansion joints. If you look closely, you can see that stripes are applied across. This is to ensure that the wet surface is non-slip.

Another of the ready-made forms for homemade paving slabs

Due to the curb and non-linear shape looks attractive

A simple concrete ribbon can be decorated to your liking

So they pave the path in the country or near the house using ready-made forms into which concrete mortar is poured
Flagstone. This is a natural stone that has been sawn into plates. It is laid on a prepared base (more on this later), the gaps are filled with backfill. It turns out beautifully, reliably, non-slip. No wonder landscape designers love flagstone stone paths so much.

Backfill is one of the important elements that shape the appearance

In this form, the flagstone path does not break the lawn, and it is convenient to walk

The color of the stone can be any

Quite nice paths made of old bricks. And if you make the backfill on the sides and in the seams, there will be beauty in general

These are two types of bricks - ceramic and chipped granite

A clinker brick path is beautiful, you won’t say anything .... but maybe too beautiful for a garden?
Wood. Such a seemingly unsuitable material, but with proper processing, it can last a long time. Moreover, many do-it-yourself wood tracks can be classified as low-cost. For example, they came up with the idea of using stumps and saw cuts of trees as borders or coverings. They also make flooring from well-finished boards - terraced is better, but if not, it will also work from the old floor.

A building tree can be a great path

Such a variant of a wooden pavement for a summer residence

A properly treated tree can last several years.

Combination with pebbles - comfortable to walk

Gorgeous walkway for the site near the house

And this is how to make a path from the boards
Plastic. There are tiles for garden paths made of plastic - polyethylene or polypropylene. It has a square shape and a system of locks, which is attached to one another. It can be laid directly on top of the lawn or previously trodden in the country or on the paths. This option is fast and cheap. It can definitely be called "With little cost." It is better, of course, to make a filling of crushed stone and sand according to the rules, and lay plastic elements on top. It's a little longer and more expensive. There is also an immodest, but very beautiful version of plastic tiles for paths. There is also a "garden parquet". These are slabs or boards made of wood-polymer composite - WPC (they are in the photo, they look exactly like parquet). This material appeared relatively recently. It looks and feels like wood, but in fact it is a mixture of wood flour and polymer. These are very beautiful coatings, but their cost is by no means modest. Although not fabulous.

A plastic path in the country or on the site is good because it can be done in a few minutes

Another type of plastic tile for tracks

This is garden parquet. Gorgeous, but overpriced

And another option for polymer tiles for garden droshky

And this is a bunch of plastic tiles for the garden.
Pebble. These are rounded natural stones that can be found on the banks of rivers or lakes. Flatter pebbles are more suitable for making tracks. There are different shades of gray, black, white, sometimes you can find burgundy. From these stones, laid close to each other, mosaic paths of amazing beauty are obtained. But this is an occupation for the assiduous and stubborn. Those who lack patience can find large flat boulders or large pebbles and lay them in the sand. It's not as luxurious, but no less reliable. You can also do with granite or other similar stones. It is important that at least one face is relatively flat. You put this flat part up, and bury the rest. The work is not easy, but it will be possible not only to walk along the path, but also to ride.

Different types of gravel paths

Large pebbles do not require so much time for laying

Beautiful pebble paths in the garden.

From large natural stone you can pave good corners
Handy materials. Country paths are made from old tires and bottles.

There are also paved paths: these are gravel or crushed stone. Their peculiarity is that with a small layer of 2-3 cm and with sufficient compaction, it is convenient to walk on them. If the layer is slightly larger, unevenness is formed when walking, and such walking is tiring. Therefore, as you have seen in many photographs, gravel and crushed stone are used as backfill, in which rigid elements from other materials are laid. When done correctly, this is convenient: gravel conducts water well and puddles do not form. Those who do not like the gray color can be advised to paint it: many designers do this when organizing rockeries.

gravel path example

Read about the secrets of site planning here.

How to make garden paths with your own hands

It is not enough to know what you can make garden paths with your own hands. You also need to know how to make them correctly so that it serves more than one season or two. The laying of different materials may vary slightly, but there are several rules and actions that are repeated in any technology.

First rule: when laying or forming a track cover, 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 - 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.

Section of a garden or country path

Second rule: under any covering preparation of the basis is required. If you lay stones (for example) directly in clay or loam, it will certainly be useful - it will definitely be more convenient to walk, but after some time the stones will “silt up”. Simply trample into the clay. With a backfill, this will take much more time. And if you make another drainage cushion and a side, water drainage will be even more efficient, and everything will look even more beautiful.

Under the coating, a prepared base is required

Third rule: the level of coverage of the track should be a couple of centimeters higher than the adjacent area. Then the water will quickly drain, it will be more convenient to clean, and cleaning will be required less often: the washed-out earth will not flow either during rains or during watering the flower beds, which are often done along the paths.

Read about how to make beautiful beds here.

Step-by-step instruction

When making garden paths with your own hands, start with markings. In theory, the dimensions and shape should be marked on the site plan, and the markup should take place according to the project. But more often than not, everything is done on the spot. To see the future path more clearly, its contours can first be covered with white sand or something similar. If the shape suits you, you can drive in the pegs and pull the twine between them, but you can also work on backfilling.

Along a beautiful path, you can place a flower garden or flower bed. How to do them, read here.

Beautiful do-it-yourself pebble path

If with flagstone, paving stones, brick, everything is more or less clear - everyone has already seen more than once how this is done, then it is not clear how to lay pebbles in patterns.

Photo-instruction for making flagstone path

Below is a photo report on the process of making a pebble track. The main techniques are visible on it: lines are applied to the leveled sand, along which pebbles will be laid out. If these are arcs, they are made with a thread and two sticks / nails.

Paint on the sand

Picking up stones, they are laid out on the edge close to each other, slightly sunk into the sand.

Lay stones close to each other

A board is laid on a folded pattern, a rubber mallet is taken and they knock on the board, hammering the pebbles into the sand. So the whole drawing is deepened, making sure that the edges of the pebbles are at the same height.

Stones are "drowned" in the sand

They take a mixture of sand and cement (sand 2 parts, cement 1 part) and fill in the gaps, leveling the layer with a brush.

Fill the finished pattern with a mixture of sand and cement

A fragment of a pebble path is carefully poured with water so that the backfill does not blur. Wait a few hours until the cement sets a little, then remove the excess with a soft brush.

Excess concrete mortar is removed with a brush.

It is important not to miss the moment: the mortar should not get dirty, but also become a stone. If you pick it with your finger, it should crumble. It's time to clean up the excess.

Read about how to grow a green hedge in the article "Fence hedge: how to grow and form"

Path of wooden stumps and gravel: video

Old logs or trees can be turned into a beautiful walkway. They are sawn into logs of the required length, the front saw cut is polished, all wood is first treated with a bioprotection composition (it can be soaked with used oil). After drying, they are dipped in Kuzbass varnish and dried again. Then the front parts of the stumps are covered with paint of the desired color - which will protrude outward. Once again dried and only then put in the sand.

The process is detailed in the video. Here it is explained step by step how to make garden paths from stumps or logs with your own hands.

Making your own concrete driveway

The process is generally similar to the one 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 undesirable, you can use plywood 16-18 mm thick, chipboard). Their height is the height of the track. If you are molding a slope, the boards should be set taking it into account - one side is slightly higher, the other is slightly lower.

The formwork is set to the level - concrete will be leveled on it

To make formwork, pegs are driven into the ground in increments of no more than 60 cm. Boards are nailed to them. It is better to smear the inner surface of the formwork with working off or other oil: so that it can be easily removed. Further, crushed stone is poured onto the bottom and rammed. But it is necessary to ram carefully: if you walk along the bottom, no traces should be visible.

Further, in order for the path not to crack, a metal reinforcing mesh is laid on the rubble. The thickness of the bar is 4-6 mm, the step is 5-10 cm. It is sold in pieces, they must be connected to each other with steel wire.

Reinforcing mesh (please note that the formwork is made of slate, it will not be removed)

Then, to compensate for the expansion in the winter, you need to put wooden planks 1.5-2 cm thick. They are placed across the path, set so that the height of the planks is flush with the formwork boards. Compensation strips are set at least every 2 meters. More often you can, less often you can't. Why do it more often? For beauty. Squares look better than long rectangles.

A concrete mortar of a grade not lower than M-250 is poured into the finished frame (read about grades of concrete and its preparation here). For him, take 1 part of cement, 3 parts of sand, 4 - crushed stone. Everything is mixed into a solution of medium fluidity (thick sour cream) and poured into the formwork. When pouring, make sure that there are no air bubbles left. To remove them, the solution is pierced with a pin, slightly shaking it - bayonet. Ideally, if there is a surface vibator for concrete - it quickly compacts the solution, creating a perfectly flat surface. If it is not there, you will have to level with the rule, using the edges of the formwork as beacons.

Approximate consistency of concrete

A few hours later, after the concrete has set, the surface can be treated. You can leave it as it is, you can brush it with a stiff brush, making transverse strips, you can finally put pebbles, stones, flagstone, etc. into a not completely hardened solution. It's not very economical, but reliable. After a couple of days, the formwork can be removed, and you can already walk along the path.

About what fences are and how to make them is written here.

Tire track on a budget

What is not made from tires: flower beds, swings, ponds and ... paths. It's simple: you need to cut off the sidewalls of the old tire, leaving only the tread. What can be cut? Bulgarian. Someone manages with a knife, but this is only if the cord is not metal.

Leave only the protector

The projector is cut across to make a track. Then cuts of 15 centimeters are made on the sides - it depends on the diameter of the tire. They will make it possible to deploy the rubber.

Make incisions on the curved edges - the surface is still non-linear

In this form, it can already be laid on the beds. Will serve for many years. This one is like garden paths at low cost.

This coating will withstand many years of active use.

As you understand, there are a lot of options for how to make garden paths with your own hands. It is impossible to tell and describe about everyone, but we try ...

About making a playground with your own hands is written here.

Provides for the creation of tracks. Moreover, the requirements for them are quite serious: they must be reliable, comfortable, functional, beautiful and very desirable - inexpensive. We will talk about how to make garden paths with your own hands at low cost in this article.

What to make tracks

The pavement can be solid or loose. To create a hard coating, the following materials are used:

Concrete. Concrete walkways are not just ordinary gray tape. In addition, there are dyes and you can decorate it if you wish. There are also molds for pouring immediately on the spot. It turns out homemade paving slabs. Another option is to pour small concrete slabs of the right size on your own, then put them on the bedding. See photos for design examples.
And everyone in the household has forms for such a path - cut eggplants for water into cylinders, place them as needed and fill with a solution: beautiful and cheap
And this is a concrete path with expansion joints. If you look closely, you can see that stripes are applied across. This is to ensure that the wet surface is non-slip.
Flagstone. This is a natural stone that has been sawn into plates. It is laid on a prepared base (more on this later), the gaps are filled with backfill. It turns out beautifully, reliably, non-slip. No wonder landscape designers love flagstone stone paths so much.
Backfill is one of the important elements that shape the appearance
Brick. Ordinary ceramic brick is a beautiful material, but not for paths. It absorbs moisture, if then it freezes wet, it is torn apart. If you are going to make a path out of broken bricks, then you can walk along it more or less normally only for a couple of years. Then you have to redo it. The resulting cracks will need to be covered with coarse sand or fine gravel. A clinker brick will serve much longer on the track, but this option cannot be called low-cost: the cost of one piece is from several tens of rubles.
These are two types of bricks - ceramic and chipped granite. A clinker brick path is beautiful, you can’t say anything .... but maybe too beautiful for a garden?
Wood. Such a seemingly unsuitable material, but with proper processing, it can last a long time. Moreover, many do-it-yourself wood tracks can be classified as low-cost. For example, they came up with the idea of using stumps and saw cuts of trees as borders or coverings. They also make flooring from well-finished boards - terraced is better, but if not, it will also work from the old floor.
Combination with pebbles - it's comfortable to walk And this is how to make a path out of boards
Plastic. There are tiles for garden paths made of plastic - polyethylene or polypropylene. It has a square shape and a system of locks, which is attached to one another. It can be laid directly on top of the lawn or previously trodden in the country or on the paths. This option is fast and cheap. It can definitely be called "With little cost." It is better, of course, to make a filling of crushed stone and sand according to the rules, and lay plastic elements on top. It's a little longer and more expensive. There is also an immodest, but very beautiful version of plastic tiles for paths. There is also a "garden parquet". These are slabs or boards made of wood-polymer composite - WPC (they are in the photo, they look exactly like parquet). This material appeared relatively recently. It looks and feels like wood, but in fact it is a mixture of wood flour and polymer. These are very beautiful coatings, but their cost is by no means modest. Although not fabulous.
This is garden parquet. Gorgeous, but overpriced
Pebble. These are rounded natural stones that can be found on the banks of rivers or lakes. Flatter pebbles are more suitable for making tracks. There are different shades of gray, black, white, sometimes you can find burgundy. From these stones, laid close to each other, mosaic paths of amazing beauty are obtained. But this is an occupation for the assiduous and stubborn. Those who lack patience can find large flat boulders or large pebbles and lay them in the sand. It's not as luxurious, but no less reliable. You can also do with granite or other similar stones. It is important that at least one face is relatively flat. You put this flat part up, and bury the rest. The work is not easy, but it will be possible not only to walk along the path, but also to ride.
Handy materials. Country paths are made from old tires and bottles.