Refresh the front of your home with a stylish paved pathway

Refresh the front of your home with a stylish pathway

Put down the welcome mat and make the change to this. - by Better Homes & Gardens

More than just a track to your door, a path is an essential ingredient of a garden’s design, showing visitors their route. So, direct the traffic at your place with a simple wide walkway. No matter the style, from a scenic garden path to a long-lasting concrete path, the tidy route will bring some order to the chaos that can be your front garden.

This simple, 8-step DIY uses large rectangular pavers with a border of contrasting smaller pavers with stunning results.

Gather your supplies

Road base
Paving sand
Pavers (we used charcoal 200 x 100mm Havenbrick pavers and 450 x 300mm Stradascape pavers)
Sand and cement mix/mortar mix
Jointing sand

You'll also need

Plate compactor (hired); rubber mallet; stringline; straightedge; spirit level; float and/or trowel; tape measure; shovel; broom; rake; set-out paint; brick saw (hired – optional).

Here's How

Step 1

Use tape measure and set-out paint to mark out path shape. Ours is 1525mm wide (1125mm with 200mm border header course).

Step 2

Excavate soil to a depth of 150mm. Spread road base to a depth of 80mm, then use plate compactor to compact down to 70mm.

Step 3

Spread 30mm bed of paving sand over road base. Before screeding, use paver to establish correct height level against bordering surface. Set up a stringline along lawn borders to keep edge straight.

Step 4

Use straightedge to screed sand down to correct level, checking periodically with spirit level.

Step 5

Starting at end of path, lay header course of border pavers (200 x 100mm). Use spirit level to ensure they’re straight, then tap into position with mallet. Continue laying border pavers along side of path.