By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Step1
Plan your wooden path carefully, first on paper or by using a computer program. Imagine Pro and 3D Home Architect Landscape Design are among the best. Let your imagination be limited only your budget and the terrain itself. Decide on the width of the path, and decide where and if you wish to vary that width.
Step2
Consider adding points of interest on your wooden path when you create your plans. For example, think of adding a small pond and a wooden bridge spanning it, like Monet's gardens at Giverny, or little alcoves where wooden benches beg passers-by to sit and admire the flowers or read.
Step3
Look carefully for your materials once your plan is finalized. The wood you choose for your wooden path is extremely important. The wood must not only be pressure treated, but have a retention level of .04. This number refers to the amount of preservative that is used to treat the wood. Regular pressure treated wood is only .25, and would not be suited to be used when making a wooden path that is resting on the ground.
Step4
Prepare the ground for the path by making the ground as level as you can. Remove the top layer of grass, and any rocks beneath. If you live in an area where frost is an issue, consider building your path slightly raised on railroad ties or 3½ inch by 3½ inch or 5½ inch by 5½ inch lumber. If you need to use runners to raise your wooden path, you can pin the runners in place by driving metal stakes on either side of them so they won't shift from side to side.
Step5
Lay the decking down across the path. If frost is not an issue, do this directly on the ground. If frost is an issue, lay the decking across the runners about a nail's width apart and nail them securely to the runners.
