How To Lay a Gravel Path

Plan Ahead

Firstly, you must figure out where your path is going to start and finish, how wide it must be and your budget. The longer or wider you want the path to be, the more it will cost . So it is is important to calculate exactly how much gravel you need before hand to prevent any delays or unexpected costs. 

You can plan the route of your path with string or paint .You must also ensure that the base of your path is suitable and that there is no steep inclines or hills.

Choose The Type Of Aggregate 

There is a vast range of aggregates and gravel that you can use for a path with each having their own different looks and best applications. 

If you find that your perfect path route is within a slope in your garden you can use 20mm slate chipping or keith buff which can easily deal with being on uneven ground. Generally, stone up to around 16mm can be suitable for a path whilst stone such as slate creates a more flat compact walking surface.

Once you have marked out your route of where you would like the path to go using string, rope or marking paint it's time to start digging.  You should begin removing the topsoil within your marked area with a depth of around 4 inches and use a squared off shovel to ensure that the edges of your trench or even and vertical. Once finished you should smooth the base of the path using a rake and then compact it using a flattening tool. 

Creating A Border 

Once your path is nice and compact you can now create a border on each side that is required to keep the gravel neatly contained within your path. There are several ways to create a border which include: 

• Metal Edging
• Wood
• Bricks
• Large Stone 

Line The Base Of The Path 

This important step includes lining the compact base of your dug-out path with crushed stone. This should be layed at a 10cm depth and then compacted using a flattening tool or sledge hammer. 

Add A Weed Resistant Membrane

A weed resistant membrane must be layed over your first layer of hardcore. This will ensure that your gravel will not mix with the crushed stone and that weeds are unable to come through.

Place your weed membrane on top of the crushed stone over the path and then cut to shape, over lapping at the cuts. 

Laying Your Gravel 

Once your weed prevention membrane is layed down, it's time to complete the last step by carefully distributing your gravel evenly across the top. This can be done by shovelling the gravel on top and using a rake to even it out. 

Gravel Path Maintenance 

Including a gravel path in your garden is low maintenance. With these simple tips you can ensure that your path will last for years to come. 

• Keep some spare gravel handy. It is inevitable at some point your path will lose a little gravel or some spots may look a bit scarce compared to others. This can be resolved by having spare gravel that is the same size and colour on hand. 
• Regularly raking the path when needed will can also help prevent an uneven distribution of gravel. 
• Make sure that the full path and surrounding area is well weeded before laying the path.