Building a Garden Path
A garden path that stays flat and weed-free for decades is 80% what happens under the surface. This guide walks through the whole build in plain language — excavation, weed barrier, sub-base, bedding, surface and edging.
What a Path Is Made Of
Whether the surface is paving stones or gravel, the layers underneath are the same. Skipping a layer is why paths sink, puddle or fill with weeds.
Paving-stone surface
- Flat, easy to sweep and shovel, pram- and wheelbarrow-friendly
- Needs a 30 mm bedding sand layer screeded flat
- Joints filled with jointing sand after laying
- More work and cost up front, lowest maintenance after
Gravel surface
- Cheapest and fastest; drains rain instantly
- 40–60 mm of 8–11 mm crushed stone on the same sub-base
- Edging is not optional — without it the gravel migrates into the lawn
- Needs a rake-over a few times a year and a top-up every few years
Step by Step
Gentle curves look better and walk better than straight lines with sharp corners.
- Lay a garden hose or rope on the ground and adjust until the line feels natural — walk it a few times
- Mark both edges with spray paint or string; remember the path is wider than the finished surface (add ~100 mm each side for edging)
- Plan a slight crossfall of 1–2% (about 10–20 mm per metre of width) so rain runs off
- Sketch it in the Home Planner's garden-path tool to get the material quantities before you buy
Dig out the full build-up depth along the whole route: surface + bedding + sub-base.
- Typical depth: 200–250 mm below the finished path level
- Dig 100 mm wider than the finished path on each side to make room for edge restraints
- Remove all topsoil, roots and organic material — organics rot and settle into hollows
- Compact the exposed ground with a hand tamper or plate compactor
- Roll geotextile (weed barrier) over the whole excavation, up the sides of the trench
- Overlap joints by at least 300 mm
- It does two jobs: stops weeds growing up through the path, and stops the sub-base stone from sinking into soft soil
- Buy ~10% more than the path area to cover overlaps
The sub-base carries the load. This layer decides whether the path is still flat in ten years.
- Fill with 0–32 mm crushed stone to 100–150 mm compacted depth
- Compact in layers of max 75 mm with a plate compactor — 2–3 passes per layer
- Set the finished sub-base surface parallel to the final path surface, including the crossfall
- A plate compactor rents cheaply per day and is worth every cent — foot-stamping does not compact
- Set edge stones (or aluminium/plastic edging for gravel) along both sides on a mortar bed or well-compacted sub-base
- Run a string line — the edging defines the finished line and level of the path
- Edge stones are typically 500 mm long: a 12 m path needs about 48 of them (both sides)
- Haunch concrete-set edge stones with mortar on the outside so they can't tip outward
Paving stones:
- Screed 30 mm of bedding sand flat between the edges using a straightedge on rails
- Lay stones from one end, standing on the laid surface — never on the screeded sand
- Keep 2–3 mm joints; cut edge stones with an angle grinder and diamond blade
- Sweep jointing sand into the joints, compact with a rubber-matted plate, top up the sand
Gravel:
- Spread 40–60 mm of decorative gravel and rake level — slightly below the edging so it stays put
- Order ~15% extra volume; gravel compacts and settles the first season
Common Mistakes
Draw Your Path, Get the Shopping List
Sketch the path freehand in the Home Planner — it smooths into a clean curve and counts the paving stones, gravel, weed barrier and edge stones for you.
Frequently asked questions
How deep do I need to dig for a garden path?
Typically 200–250 mm (8–10") below the finished level: 100–150 mm compacted sub-base, 30 mm bedding sand and the surface course. Soft or clay soils need a thicker sub-base.
Do I really need weed barrier under a path?
Yes — geotextile does two jobs: it stops weeds growing up through the surface, and it stops the crushed-stone sub-base from slowly sinking into the soil below. Overlap joints by at least 300 mm (12").
How wide should a garden path be?
About 0.9–1.2 m (3–4 ft) for one person and 1.5 m (5 ft) for two people side by side. A secondary strolling path can be as narrow as 0.7 m (28").
Do gravel paths need edging?
Yes — without an edge restraint on both sides the gravel migrates into the lawn within a season. Use edge stones, aluminium or plastic edging, set slightly higher than the gravel surface.