How to Make a Patio With Stepping Stones & Pea Gravel

Smooth rounded stones are comfortable beneath bare feet.

Installing a gravel patio is a simple, affordable alternative to laying pavers, concrete or other pavement. With a smooth, round shape, pea gravel can lend a decorative touch to the surface but shouldn’t be used as the base because it won’t stabilize. With basic tools, do-it-yourselfers can make a sturdy patio with a combination of stepping stones and pea gravel.

Things You'll Need

• Wood stakes
• String
• Shovel
• Tarp
• Hand tamper
• Landscape fabric
• 3/4-inch gravel
• Medium field stones
• Stone dust
• Grit sand
• Flat board
• Stepping stones
• Pea gravel
• Broom

Instructions

1. Mark the corners of the site using wood stakes and tie one long string at the top of each stake to make a clean outline.

2. Remove the top layer of grass and topsoil, using a flat shovel. Set the soil and grass aside on a tarp to add over bare parts of the yard. Remove 8 inches of soil and tamp it down with a hand tamper so the base will be uniform.

3. Spread landscape fabric over the subsoil to prevent the gravel base from sinking and keep silt from floating up and clogging the base.

4. Spread two 3-inch layers of 3/4-inch angular gravel over the fabric and tamp it down after each layer. The edges of angular gravel wedge together under force to offer a stable base for pea gravel.

5. Fit medium field stones or another type of edging around the inner borders of the site. Pack the joints with stone dust.

6. Pour a 1/2-inch layer of grit sand where you want to place each stepping stone. Smooth it by dragging a flat board over the top.

7. Place the stepping stones on the sand and wiggle them until they sit level. Keep consistent spacing between the stones and set them 6 to 8 inches apart to provide stability for foot traffic and furniture.

8. Pour pea gravel over the exposed gravel base, sweeping it off the stepping stones with a broom as you go. Stop adding pea gravel when it's 1/8-inch lower than the stepping stones.

References

• This Old House: Rooms with a View

Resources

• Great Landscaping Ideas: Patio Design