How to Create a Crushed Rock Pathway

In Gulfport, known as a part of the Mississippi coastal playground, Ron paid a visit to the home of Madolyn Robuck. As a sales representative Madolyn knows the importance of first impressions. Since her front yard would often be the first impression visitors get of her, she felt it could use some work. What she had in mind was a crushed rock pathway to replace the old blocks and worn grass that led from her front door to the driveway. Madolyn thought that crushed rock and flagstone conveyed a casual, more laid-back feeling than a more formal style walkway.

Click Here For a list of what you will need in order to complete this project.

• Madolyn had already ordered the materials, which were delivered by her local home improvement center.

• Ron and Madolyn used two lengths of ordinary garden hose to create a layout of the pathway boarders so they could visually see how it would look.

• Ron reminded Madolyn that there was no right or wrong way to make a pathway. The width and the curve should be whatever she thought looked good.

• They chose a width that they both felt would look the best.

2. Cut lawn:

• Madolyn's grass was actually St. Augustine, which in this case had formed a dense, thick mat. They would need to cut through it with a straight blade garden spade. To make this task easier, Ron suggested they take a minute to sharpen the blades to put a knife-edge on them. This would help cut through all the roots with less effort and less damage to the grass.

• They sharpened the spades by running a steel file across both the top and bottom edge of the blade. This is something that should be done as often as necessary to keep the blade sharp and make the cutting and digging easier.

• They replaced the garden hoses with small marker flags, which were much easier to work around while they were digging.

• Ron showed Madolyn how to position the blade straight up and down, and then press it firmly into the grass and soil. He then picked the shovel up and moved it to the next shovel width. Sharpening the shovel blades made a huge difference in making this task easier than it might have been.

• After they had defined the outside edges of the walkway, the next step was to cut the sod up into squares. Madolyn and Ron cut lines across the path and then cut a second set perpendicular to the first, creating a checkerboard pattern. The sections that were created, each about a foot square, lifted out easily.
• Once the first section was removed, it became even easier to take out the sod squares.

• What they removed was good sod. Ron suggested that it should be reused. Madolyn had a dead space along the edge of her front yard that she wanted to finish off. They placed the sod in the wheelbarrow so it could be replanted in the new location later.

• With all the sod squares removed and set aside for later use, Madolyn used a rake to level the loose soil.

• Ron followed behind Madolyn compacting the leveled soil with a tamper. This would help prevent the walkway from settling later on.

3. Create turn out:

• Ron came up with a last minute idea. He suggested to Madolyn, since she had a beautiful tree in her front yard and a nice shady area under it, that perhaps they could create a little alcove in the path, a "rest area" where they could put a bench.

• Madolyn loved the idea, so they once again used the garden hose to create a layout.

• They once again used the garden spades to dig out the additional sod. Before long, the turnout was completed.