Crushed Stone Path

The Walkway 
 

Relatively inexpensive and easy to install, a crushed stone walkway blends into almost any landscape. The addition of flexible edging allows for gentle curves and keeps the material in place. With replenishing every few years, this path will serve for decades.

Use a garden hose to lay out the curving sides of your path. It can be as free-form as you like -- these materials lend themselves to flexibility. Plan on making your path at least 36 inches wide so two people can walk comfortably side by side. Purchase precut, pressure-treated log sections. Determine the quantity needed by measuring the total linear feet of edging you'll require and dividing it by the diameter of a log section.

What You Need: 
6x24-inch log sections
Weed barrier: PVC sheeting or weed-block fabric
Coarse sand
Crushed stone
Gravel for setting log sections

Step-By-Step 
Instructions: 

1. Prepare the base. Excavate for the path at least 4 inches below grade. On each side of the path dig a 12-inch-deep trench for the log sections, making each trench at least 2 inches wider than the logs. Add 2 inches of gravel to the bottom of the trench to slow the deterioration of the wood. Tap the log sections in place with a mallet. The tops of the logs needn't be even, but the sides should be plumb. Use a level to check occasionally.

2. Add the fill. Roll out the weed barrier and add a 1-inch layer of coarse sand, packing it around the log sections. Tamp the sand firmly. Add the stone, first raking it and then tamping it level. Backfill along the outside of the logs, first with sand, then with moistened topsoil.