How to Construct Cement Walkways

Cement paths are easy to maintain.

With a little planning and an afternoon of labor, you can construct cement walkways in your yard. Cement walkways are easy to maintain, sturdy and inexpensive. When working with cement, wait for a clear, temperate day; extreme hot or cold temperatures can cause your new walkway to crack. If rain is forecast, cover the completed walkway with a plastic tarp to prevent water damage.

Things You'll Need

• Stakes
• String
• Spade
• Crushed rock
• Bolsters
• Steel rebar, #3
• Bucket
• Cement mix
• Water
• Edging forms
• Squeegee
• Edger
• Groover
• Yardstick
• Long-handled broom

Instructions

1. Plan a layout for your walkway. The walkway can take whatever shape you desire. Stake a projected path using garden stakes and tie string between them to see the layout of your walkway. If you are satisfied with how it looks, proceed to Step 2. If not, continue working until you have a layout that you like.

2. Plunge a flat spade into the sod that lies where your path will go. In order to lay a level walkway, you will need to remove the sod. Once you've outlined the contours, plunge your spade into the soil and tug to remove the sod. Work in this manner until all of the sod has been removed and you have a trench six inches deep.

3. Fill the bottom of the trench with two inches of crushed rock or gravel. Flatten the gravel, making sure there are no bumpy areas.

4. Place forms along the edges of your path. You can purchase ready-made forms of wood or aluminum at a hardware center, or construct your own forms by nailing plywood planks together. The forms prevent the cement from spilling over the edge of the pathway.

5. Sink bolsters into the crushed rock every six to eight inches to create two long tracks. Lay #3 steel rebar poles along the inside of your walkway for added support so that the rebar rests on the groove in your bolsters.

6. Place cement in a bucket and add water, then mix with a trowel. Mix cement following the ratio on your bag of mix.

7. Pour cement into the trench you've created. When all of the cement has been poured, work it into the edges using a squeegee. Level the cement with the squeegee or an edger to avoid having an uneven walkway. Run your spade along the inside of the forms so you'll be able to pull them out easily.

8. Cut your concrete into squares or "joints" using a groover and a yardstick. Slide the groover down into the concrete to create a division. For a three-foot wide walkway, you will want to insert a joint every three feet so that your walkway becomes a series of three-feet squares. Adding these joints now can help prevent your concrete from cracking in poor weather.

9. Brush the cement with a long-handled broom to create a textured non-stick surface. Skip this step if you prefer the concrete to be flat.

10. Cure the cement according to the manufacturers' instructions. Some types of cement cure best if covered with a blanket of of wet straw or wet fabric, while others cure best if left to dry with no moisture. Allow the concrete to cure for one week, at which point it will be ready for use.

Tips & Warnings

• To protect the cement walkway, you can add a sealer after the cement has cured. Apply the sealer using a paint roller, then let it dry before use.

References

• The Concrete Network: How to Build a Walkway
• Cadman: Joints in Concrete Slabs