How to Make a Pebble Walkway

A pebble walkway is an ideal way to improve the look of one's home or garden.

Pebble walkways are attractive and cost effective ways to create a path to a garden, shed or even a home. This makes it an ideal choice for homeowners looking for a way to improve their landscape. With some planning and hard work, you can create a pebble walkway yourself and save the money it would take to hire a professional.

Things You'll Need

• Heavy rope
• Square-edged shovel
• Tape measure
• Crushed stone
• Rake
• Water
• Hand tamper
• Landscape fabric
• Spikes
• Metal edging
• Circular saw
• Pebbles

Instructions

1. Mark your walkway with a heavy rope to create an outline. A typical walkway is between 30 and 48 inches in width depending on how often it will be used. However, you can adjust this to fit your needs.

2. Dig up the ground about 4-inches deep within your outline with a square-edged shovel. Check the depth occasionally with a tape measure to ensure consistency.

3. Spread the crushed stone with a rake about 1-inch deep in the prepared area. Make sure the stone is spread evenly to keep the walkway level.

4. Lightly spray the stone with a hose, and then compact the stone with a hand tamper. The water will keep dust from rising, while compacting the stone helps consolidate the pathway.

5. Cover the stone with landscape fabric to prevent weeds from growing in the pebble walkway. Keep the fabric in place by putting down spikes every 8 to 10 inches.

6. Place metal edging on both sides of the path to contain the pebbles within the walkway. Cut the edging with a circular saw so it does not continue past the walkway. Tamp metal edging using a rubber mallet until secure.

7. Add the pebbles to the prepared surface and spread with a rake. Avoid piling the pebbles too high so they don't spill over the metal edging.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your pebble size smaller than three-fourths of an inch so the pathway is comfortable to tread.

• Consider renting a power compactor for large walkways.

• Use caution when handling a circular saw to prevent injury.

References

• The Family Handyman: Planning a Backyard Path
• This Old House: How to Build a Perfect Path
• Crushed Stone Path: Preparation and Overview