ultimate-guide-to-diy-garden-walkway-tutorial

Ultimate guide to DIY garden walkways

Almost 78% of a garden's beauty is from hardscaping. No wonder it's one of the most satisfying parts of garden decoration.

However, most gardeners think that it's too hard. Truth is, it is A LOT easier than how people think it is.

 

Don’t believe us? We’ve come up with the SIMPLEST yet MOST EFFECTIVE tutorial! We bet that you would want to create your own garden walkway at the end of this post!

 

What do you need for a DIY garden walkway?

The materials that you need depend on the size and design that you want. But for general concrete walkways, you’d need:

  1. Measuring tools
  2. Sack of cement (depending on the width and length of your walkway)
  3. Water source
  4. One large water pail (preferably one you won’t use anymore)
  5. Hand drill auger
  6. Hand shovel
  7. DIY garden path maker mold
  8. Finishing trowel
  9. Gloves 
  10. Wheelbarrow (as needed)

How to create a DIY garden walkway?

Now that you already have the materials, it's now time to put them to use. Here are the simplest yet most effective ways on how to create your own garden pathway!

 

ultimate-guide-in-creating-diy-garden-walkways

  • Preparing the location

  1. Using your measuring tools, measure the length and width you want for your garden walkway. 
  2. You can use rocks, soil, and other gardening material to mark where you’d want your walkway to be.
  3. Weed the area properly. Make sure that the weeds are pulled out from their roots. 
  4. If the location used to be a plant bed, it’s best to excavate the soil for at least 2 to 4 inches to remove the remaining loam soil. This will give the walkway a sturdier base.
  5. Take time in preparing the location. Remember that there is no going back! Once you already placed a concrete walkway in your garden, it will already be hard to remove. So you have to plan it carefully.

 

  • Preparing the concrete

  1. The amount of concrete you need depends on your walkway’s length, width, and thickness. Generally, the recommended thickness is 4 inches. 
  2. In measuring how much concrete you need, you can follow this simple formula:
Width in Foot x Length in Foot x Thickness in Foot = result in cubic feet
Result in cubic feet / 0.6 cubic feet (Each 80lbs bag of concrete can accommodate 0.6 cubic feet.) = NUMBER OF BAGS
Example: 
1 ft. Wide x 10 ft. Long x .33 ft. Thick = 3.3 Cubic Feet 
3.3 Cubic Feet / 0.6 = 5.5 or 
5 and a half bag of concrete for 1ft x 10ft x 4inches garden walkway
3. Prepare water for the concrete. In measuring the water, note that an 80lbs sack of concrete works with 2.2 liters of water.
4. Mix concrete with water in a large pail. Use a hand drill auger for best results.
5. Mix one large pail at a time to avoid the hardening of concrete. 

TIP: Use the wheelbarrow to always keep your concrete and tools near you.

ultimate-guide-to-diy-garden-walkway-tutorial

  • Placing the concrete in the mold

  1. Hold mold into the ground steadily. It’s best to have someone hold it for you when you place the concrete inside the mold.
  2. Using a hand shovel, place concrete in each frame one by one. 
  3. Push the concrete downwards and side wards in each frame to ensure there will be no empty spaces or hollow bottom.
  4. Smoothen the top using a finishing trowel.
  5. Allow the concrete to set for at least 20 hours before removing the mold.
  6. Repeat all throughout your walkway.

TIP: Leave at least an inch in between the molds. When the walkway dries up, these spaces can be placed with mulch, colorful rocks, pebbles, or other decorative items. This will break the monotone color of your walkway.


  • Drying and decorating the garden walkway

  1. Remove excess concrete atop or between the walkways.
  2. As much as possible, let the concrete set for five days before walking in it.
  3. If you wish to decorate in between the walkways, make sure to fill the spaces first with mulch. This will prevent weeds from growing between the spaces. Weed growth can soften the soil underneath the walkway that may later cause breakage.
  4. You can add decorations in between or beside the walkway. Play with colors and textures such as marbles, pebbles, colorful rocks, etc.

And you’re done! It’s easy, right? As long as you have the patience, you can create your personalized garden walkway!

 

Images from Bob Vila and Family Handyman
Back to blog