Do it Yourself: Walkway Basics

You have a nice patio or deck, but the trip to and from your deck or patio is wrought with stones and potholes (literally). There are many ways you can improve the path to your patio. In fact, anything is better than bare dirt. Your feet get dirty and you can drag the dirt into your home and onto your patio or deck. Not to mention it can be painful for some to walk barefoot in this dirt. So, in the interest of saving your feet, you will want to consider a walkway.

You can try tiny pea gravel (which is called that because it is the size of a pea), or white quartz. These look very nice, but can get carried all over your yard, thus making it hard for you to mow the lawn. The white quartz is very pretty, but can be hard on bare feet since it can be rather sharp.

You can use concrete; it's much easier on the feet. But can be a real hassle to mix and pour. If you have the right equipment, this is a very good walkway for a level area.

Walkway stones and paving stones are nice and so are bricks.

Do anything that suits your taste, style and budget. Be sure that whatever you use is secured (not wobbly).

To do this,

• Start with a level surface.

Make it as level as possible by digging out around the area for the walkway, make sure you are below the surface of the grass.
• Put down a small layer of sand

Depending upon what you are using for paving material you may want to put up a wood or plastic frame to keep your pea gravel or white quartz in line (so to speak). A wood frame is always advisable when working with concrete, but it can be removed when the concrete is dry.

Fill the area with a small layer of sand. This will give your paving material something to hold on to. It will also absorb water when it rains, thereby allowing for drainage; making your walkway safe and relatively dry.

• Place your paving material is securely in the ground.

You may want to do this by merely setting it in the sand and jumping on it to tamp it down. Or you may want to get more creative and make a pattern with your paving stones, and then fill in between them with concrete. You may also want to put designs in your wet concrete, have your own 'walk of fame'. Whatever you do, be sure it is securely on the ground. A wobbly walkway is not only dangerous, but does not look good.

Once your walkway is secure, and you are satisfied with the look, you can place small outdoor lights along the way to illuminate your path. Or you can plant flowers or shrubs on either side for a nice ambience.

The better you make your yard, the more value is added to your home, and the more fun it is for you and your family.