How to Build a Durable Backyard Stone Pathway

Stone is the most forgiving and permanent material you can use for a garden walkway. Unlike poured concrete, which cracks with the shifting of the earth, a stone path moves with the seasons, maintaining its integrity while looking better as it weathers into your landscape. Building a path well comes down to the foundation. If you skip the excavation or the base layer, your stones will sink into the mud within a year. A project done right results in a path that stays level, drains water away from your home, and requires almost zero maintenance beyond an occasional sweep or pull of stray weeds.

  1. Visualize Your Path. Outline your path using marking paint or a garden hose to visualize the curves. Once satisfied with the path, drive stakes into the ground and run mason's line to mark the outer boundaries for consistent width.
  2. Dig Deep and Level. Dig out the soil to a depth of about 6 inches along the entire length of the path. Ensure the floor of the trench is relatively level, even if the ground above slopes slightly.
  3. Compress the Base. Tamp down the exposed soil at the bottom of the trench using a hand tamper or a plate compactor. A solid, undisturbed subgrade prevents the finished path from developing dips over time.
  4. Lock in Gravel. Fill the trench with 4 inches of crushed 3/4-inch angular gravel. Spread it evenly with a rake and use your tamper again to pack the gravel tightly into the subgrade.
  5. Level Your Sand Bed. Spread 1 to 2 inches of coarse concrete sand over the compacted gravel. Screed the sand level using a straight board to create an even surface for the stones to sit on.
  6. Set Stones Flush. Set your stones into the sand, starting from one end and working your way forward. Use a rubber mallet to tap each stone until it is flush with its neighbors and does not wobble.
  7. Bind the Gaps. Sweep polymeric sand or stone dust into the gaps between the stones until they are filled to within an inch of the surface. Mist the area lightly with water to activate the binding agent if using polymeric sand.