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.
Tools you'll need
The kit this job actually calls for, and whether it's worth buying or renting for one weekend.
- String line and pegs
Sets out edges and levels over long outdoor runs.
Buy 5–15 € - Shovel and spade
A square shovel for mixing and moving, a spade for digging.
Buy 15–40 € - Wheelbarrow
A builder's barrow with a pneumatic tyre, not a garden one.
Buy 50–120 € - Plate compactor
Rent one. Hand-tamping a sub-base never gets there.
Buy 400–900 €Rent 40–70 €/dayrent this one - Rake
Spreading and levelling sub-base, gravel and topsoil.
Buy 15–35 € - Screed board / straightedge
A long aluminium rule for levelling and checking flatness.
Buy 20–60 € - Spirit level
Build in a 1–2% crossfall so water runs off.
Buy 15–60 €
Prices are indicative for DIY-grade tools and vary a lot by brand and region — treat them as a budgeting starting point, not a quote. Rental rates are per day from a typical tool rental shop.
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.
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Turn this guide into a plan
Get exact quantities and costs for your own measurements, build an itemized shopping list so you don’t overbuy, and use the PDF to collect quotes from contractors.