12 tips for laying concrete garden paths with your own hands

Review author: Terrari School of Design

On any site it is simply necessary to arrange paths in some way. Thus, they not only acquire an aesthetic appearance, but also provide a lot of convenience to the gardener. Concrete paths in a country house are the most common way to design a landscape in a garden.

Garden paths made of concrete at first glance are simple devices, but they are quite complex structures that are designed for a long service life.

Before starting work, you need to carefully consider their location, all the bends and turns, since changing anything after pouring is a very troublesome task.

No. 1. What are the benefits of concrete paths?

Before installing concrete paths on your site, you need to know about all the advantages and disadvantages. The main advantages of paths made of concrete include:

ease of installation, you can do everything yourself without the help of specialists;
low price (compared to other options);
the ability to manufacture any shapes and sizes if appropriate formwork is available;
extensive decoration possibilities (adding pigment to the solution, using stone, mosaics and other decorations);
strength and durability;
resistance to the harmful effects of the environment (moisture, frost, etc.).

Among the disadvantages are:

lack of possibility of redevelopment. Since this is a capital structure and it will be practically impossible to change the direction after the completion of the work, it is necessary to plan in advance both the structure itself and the entire surrounding area;
the complexity of the preparatory work. In order for the design to be truly high-quality and reliable, you will need to put in enough effort and spend a lot of time preparing materials;
occurrence of cracks. Sometimes in the off-season, soil shifts can occur, as a result of which the concrete structure can gradually collapse, including due to temperature changes.

If we compare concrete paths with other options in terms of advantages and ease of arrangement, then they win in many ways. Related to this is the desire to independently organize such trails on the site. Where to start and what to consider?

Step by step painting instructions

The technology for painting concrete paths is the same for all products.

Surface preparation. It is recommended to work with concrete that has reached 28 days. The surface must be cleaned of any contaminants and thoroughly rinsed with pressure water from a hose. It is not recommended to use detergents - they partially remain in the upper pores of the coating and can interfere with the adhesion of the paint to the base.
When working with stain, you do not need to use a primer, but when painting with other compounds it is necessary. It is important to choose a concrete primer - it penetrates into the upper layers of the path and strengthens them, creating a non-porous base for painting. Apply the solution to the surface with a roller or spray.
When the soil has dried, you can begin painting the concrete surface. To do this you will need a brush, roller or paint sprayer with a compressor. Applying color with a brush is convenient for working out the texture of the stone when creating a pattern using a template. A spray bottle is useful for evenly applying paint.

Brush painting technique

You should choose a brush of a convenient width to work out the pattern and texture:

For seams between stones and thin patterns - width 2-5 cm;
To cover large fragments, use a wide brush from 5 cm.

You can add the texture of stone or imitate masonry by eye or using a template.

You don’t have to buy a template - you can make it yourself from cardboard, which is recommended to be covered with film for easy cleaning. Painting tape will also help to create a texture - it can be glued to the concrete path in any order, indicating stones.

The paint must be applied through a tightly attached template. It is convenient to first draw the outline, then paint over the middle of the fragment. After transferring the template and removing the tape, use a brush to carefully paint over the “seams” of the simulated masonry.

Subtleties of working with a paint sprayer

When working with a paint sprayer, you must first protect the surrounding area - cover bushes, walls and other objects located next to the path with film.

Methods of painting concrete with a paint sprayer:

Uniform coloring is the simplest option. The jet is directed at an angle of about 45° to the plane, the distance from the tool to the track is 50...60 cm. The jet is directed from the edge in parallel lines. For non-professionals, it is recommended to work continuously across the entire width of the pavement to prevent the formation of color transitions.
Structured application allows you to achieve a visual resemblance to marble. To do this, the jet is not directed in strictly parallel lines, but with emphasis on individual areas.

We have presented several ways to improve concrete country paths. Coloring is available to everyone; you don’t need to hire professionals or spend a lot of time. All that is required is to choose the right paint composition and apply it according to technology. Then the result will please you for a long time!

No. 3. What tools and materials will be needed?

Before starting work, you should stock up on everything you need, namely:

cement not lower than grade 300;
sand;
crushed stone;
waterproofing additives for concrete;
pieces of plywood, boards or metal to create formwork;
wooden or steel pegs;
sledgehammer or hammer for hammering in pegs;
container for mixing the solution;
a pair of shovels;
steel construction mesh;
smoother for leveling the surface of the path;
trowels and spatulas.

Stages of decorative coating manufacturing

If you want to create a colorful and high-quality coating in your yard, then decorative concrete is exactly what you need. But in order not to complicate your life, when making decorative concrete you should adhere to the established technology and take into account the advice of specialists.

Preparing the site and formwork

To make stamped concrete, choose a warm, dry day. The air temperature should not be lower than +5°C; minimal humidity will facilitate rapid drying of the workpieces. Using pegs and rope, they fence off the area chosen for covering.

The top layer of soil is removed from the selected area. If the covering is intended only for pedestrians, remove a layer of about 158 cm.

A mixture of crushed stone and sand is poured into the resulting formwork. The resulting pillow is carefully compacted. A polyethylene film is laid on top of the compacted pillow with an overlap of about 10 cm, and a reinforcing mesh is placed on top.

Kneading

For the production of printed concrete, Portland cement M400 or M500 with the addition of various plasticizers is best suited. For decorative coating, it is recommended to add polypropylene fiber to concrete.

For one cubic meter of concrete, 0.6 kg of this additive is sufficient. Polypropylene fiber significantly increases the service life of ready-made concrete and prevents the formation of chips and cracks on its surface. To make decorative concrete with your own hands, you need the following components:

three parts sand;
three parts of crushed stone fraction 5-20 mm;
plasticizer C-3-0.5% on dry matter. It should be noted that the plasticizer is added to the mixture in the form of an aqueous solution;
Portland cement M-400;
polypropylene fiber 0.6 kg per 1 cubic meter.

The mixture prepared in this way is laid out in the formwork, distributed and compacted. A rule is used to ensure the smoothness and evenness of the surface layer. You can also roll the surface of the hardening mixture with a roller, this will ensure that small particles of hardening printed concrete are brought to the surface and large parts of the mixture are deposited.

Applying a decorative layer

Before applying the top decorative layer, the working surface is treated with a fixative. About 70% of the required amount of fixative is manually applied to the matte surface of the concrete and smoothed with an aluminum trowel. After this, the remaining part of the fixative is scattered and the surface is smoothed with a steel trowel.

The next step is applying the hardener. This component is a mixture of permanent pigments, filler and binder. Each layer of hardener is rubbed into the surface until the outer layer of stamped concrete is smooth and evenly colored.

Creating a relief or imitation on the surface

If your task was to make the surface of stamped concrete relief, imitating stone, boards or brick, after applying the hardener, the wet surface should be treated with special presses that will give the concrete the required shapes.

This operation should be carried out with concrete that has not yet hardened, until its surface easily yields to finger pressure.

Laying

The prepared matrices are laid on the concrete surface. The first row is usually placed along the outer edge of the formwork. To achieve perfectly straight lines, the matrices should be pressed closely together. For final hardening of decorative concrete it will take about two days. After this, the concrete surface is cleaned, excess material is removed with hard brushes with long bristles. The surface is washed and dried.

Applying an acrylic layer

For the final finishing of decorative concrete, a protective acrylic layer is applied to its surface. This protective measure will reduce the harmful effects of the environment and significantly increase the service life of printed concrete.

Making printed concrete with your own hands will require special attention, careful selection of components and strict adherence to technology. But such a coating will wonderfully decorate the interior of your home or cottage and give the architectural ensemble of your home its own unique flavor.

No. 4. How to design a path?

The first thing you need to think about is where the paths will be located, who will move along them and when , what determines their width and shape. On paper, you can draw a site plan, indicate on it the location of all buildings and important areas, connect them with straight lines, which will be the axes for future paths. The paths can remain smooth and straight only between huge beds; in other cases, it is better to make them slightly curved to give the area an interesting look and make movement more comfortable and convenient.

The width of the path that leads from the gate to the central entrance of the house should be about 2 m, for auxiliary paths a width of 0.8-1 m is enough, between the beds you can arrange paths about 0.5 m wide. Those paths along which the car will move , should be no narrower in width than the car itself.

Design solutions

Landscaping of a garden plot begins with a site plan, on which permanent and temporary buildings are marked, and the location of green spaces is indicated.

To create an aesthetic and useful space when arranging garden paths, it is recommended to adhere to simple rules of landscape design:

Paths should connect all areas used by the owners. Short paths that end at random places create a feeling of unfinished decorative work.
Paths with natural bends for entering a recreation area or going around flower beds and flower beds look harmonious. Chaotic waves from the paths visually overload the landscape.

Paving stone paths
For large gardens, wide walking roads are provided so that two people can easily walk along them side by side or special equipment can drive through them.
If the garden has a symmetrical layout with geometric shapes, then the paths are made straight. The landscape style, close to the natural arrangement of plants, is designed with curved lines of paths.
In places with slopes, it is advisable to form steps for safe passage.
For paths that are used year-round, technologies are used that differ from the methods for creating summer walkways.

A beautiful path made from sawn wood.
The size of the paths can vary depending on the purpose - the main passages are made wide, and the auxiliary paths can be narrower. It is possible to use various methods of creating coatings and combine a variety of road materials in one landscape space.

No. 5. How to correctly calculate the weight of building materials?

To avoid having to urgently purchase additional cement or sand during construction work, it is better to at least approximately estimate in advance the amount of materials that will be needed. The layer of concrete in different conditions may differ : for heavy clay soil - 5-7 cm, for sandy and light loamy soil - 10 cm. In addition, if the soil is swampy, then you need to provide a layer of gravel 5 cm thick. In any case, you will need a so-called cushion , which is made of sand and has a thickness of 10-15 cm.

The calculation of all the necessary materials is quite simple. Let's say it is necessary to build a path with a width of W = 1 m, a length of D = 10 m and a thickness of T = 10 cm (0.1 m), and the underlying layer of sand will be equal to P = 0.1 m:

To organize a sand cushion, the required amount of sand is calculated as W*D*P. In our case, it turns out 1m*10m*0.1m=1m3. According to the reference information, the weight of a cubic meter of sand is 2400 kg, so 2400 kg is needed to complete the underlying layer;
concrete can be prepared in the proportion of 3 parts sand and 1 part crushed stone, cement and water, but there are other options, which will be discussed later. It is more convenient to first calculate the volume of concrete required using the formula W*L*T, which comes out to 1m*10m*0.1m=1m3. According to reference information, the average weight of a cubic meter of concrete is 2800 kg. The resulting weight of the concrete volume can be divided into 5 parts, not taking into account water: 2800/5 = 560 kg - the weight of one part, i.e. cement. The rest 2240 kg is the weight of sand, crushed stone and water. You may also need dyes, plasticizers, water-repellent additives, etc.

Of course, this calculation does not pretend to be strictly mathematically accurate, but it allows you to approximately understand how much and what will be needed.

Technology selection

The whole day was spent searching for a suitable “path” technology. The main candidates here were paths made of sandstone and paving slabs. I rejected the first option due to my lack of the necessary artistic skills, but the second was unpleasantly surprising at the cost. For the kind of tiles I liked, they asked about 150 hryvnia, but they still had to spend money on borders and trim. Where do people get this kind of money?

But I didn’t want to see square concrete slabs in my yard. Oddly enough, advertising helped.

Why not? In fact, they don’t offer anything terrible. The same concrete only in a more attractive decorative form.

Of course, instead of wooden formwork, you will have to buy forms for concrete paths, but if you take into account that I needed to fill not more than a meter, and wood in our time is also not free, then the purchase should ultimately pay off.

Along with the forms, I ordered fiberglass and plasticizer. Even if I did not have a technical education, the importance of the above components would still not raise any doubt.
But I decided to abandon the lubricant and dye. It’s not that there wasn’t enough money for them, but I was quite happy with the concrete color of the sidewalk, and pulling out a plastic mold from a damp solution is not such a difficult task that it would be worth throwing away an extra 70 hryvnia.

No. 6. How to markup?

Using a pre-prepared plan for the location of garden paths, it is necessary to determine directly on the ground where the paths will go. Their location is indicated by wooden pegs , which are driven in at equal distances from each other and a rope is pulled between them. This is the simplest and least labor-intensive stage of work.

Technical characteristics of art concrete

Decorative concrete is superior in its physical properties to many types of finishing materials. Peculiarities:

resistance to temperature changes;
strength to compression, abrasion and physical stress;
antistatic;
the surface does not slip;
immunity to fats, alkalis, acids and other aggressive substances.

Technical characteristics depend on the composition and additional components.
To prepare the solution, it is better to take gray or white concrete of grade M400. The sand must be dry, with a fraction of 0.5 cm. This material will tell you about larch decking boards.

No. 7. How to prepare the soil?

At this stage, they begin to select the top layer of soil at the trail locations. The soil is removed along with small roots, which can begin to rot and form voids in which water can accumulate, and when it freezes and increases in volume, additional pressure will be exerted on the path.

If the layer of “cushion” of sand is 10 cm, and concrete - 10 cm, then taking into account that it is better for the path to rise 3-5 cm above the ground level , you will need to choose 10 cm + 10 cm - 3 cm = 17 cm of soil. If a drainage layer of gravel is needed, then you need to add another 5-10 cm to the resulting value. Select the soil layer using a shovel.

Process Basics

You can create the texture of a concrete surface that will imitate stone, brick or other material using the following techniques: stencil mixture, stamped mortar and sprayed mixture.

Stamped concrete

Now let’s look at the technological processes of each of the listed methods for manufacturing decorative concrete:

Spraying method.

It is used in cases where there is a need to imitate stone, brick or other images on the wall. During the application process, a special acid dye is used, which is laid on the surface in several layers. This leads to a reaction of the solution with dyes, which results in the desired color. The color shade can be complemented by a variety of effects. The dye is applied to the surface using several methods, in particular, the spraying method. To create a beautiful texture or apply a particular image, you can use stencils when spraying.

Stencil method.

This method is called “stencil mixture”. It is applied to the surface using a pre-prepared stencil made of paper or other material.

Stamping method.

This method is unique of its kind. Stamped solution, as it is also called, is applied to a wet surface, consisting of a colored fixative, a protective mixture and hydrophobic additives. All this is necessary to ensure that the stamp used does not stick to the concrete. Before stamping concrete, you need to make sure that the surface is perfectly smooth. The template or matrix must remain on the concrete until it dries completely. After removing the stamp, the surface must be thoroughly impregnated with a special impregnation, which acts as additional protection. But before applying it, the surface must be thoroughly washed to remove all kinds of substances that were used during the work process.

So, now we invite you to consider the process of making garden paths from decorative printed concrete.

No. 8. How to install formwork?

Formwork is a structure for pouring concrete. It is made of wood. If you want to make smooth lines or curves, you can always use plywood or other flexible material. The formwork is installed immediately or in parts, since the concrete is poured gradually. The second option will also save costs on materials.

The formwork should protrude 5-10 cm above ground level. It is necessary to lay a construction mesh at the bottom of the prepared trench, and every 5-6 m of the future path, install boards across it, which act as expansion joints . Thanks to them, the concrete path will not crack during temperature changes, placing stress on the boards. The height of the expansion joints must match the height of the track.

Design

The final result directly depends on how carefully the project is thought out and the necessary calculations are carried out. To do this you will need to do the following work.

Choose a location for the path. It is better to lay it where a natural path has already formed: people always intuitively choose the optimal path.
Make sure that the path does not pass under the crowns of large trees and under the eaves of the roofs. This will avoid damage to the canvas by tree roots and moisture from leaves or the roof dripping onto the concrete, which can damage the material.
Decide on the shape and design.
Decide what the width will be. If the area is small, forty centimeters is enough. However, if free space allows, it is better to make paths 60-80 centimeters wide.
Consider the presence or absence of curbs. If you do not plan to install such elements, you will have to raise the road surface above the soil level. This will require additional work, but it will prevent the edges of the concrete structure from crumbling and protect it from subsidence.

No. 9. How to arrange a pillow?

The so-called cushion under the concrete path performs several functions, the main ones:

concrete load distribution;
drainage.

The sandy base allows water to pass through well, which means that the soil under the path will not freeze, causing deformation of the path. Under the sand, many experts advise organizing a layer of compacted crushed stone, but this is not always necessary. Over time, sand can sink into the ground along with water passing through it, so it is better to lay a layer of waterproofing made of roofing felt, geotextile or agrofibre . The last two perform very well, as they do not rot and allow moisture to pass through perfectly.

The sand layer must be compacted well. You may have to wet it for this, since there should be no voids left inside. The surface must be level so that the concrete layer is distributed evenly. It is worth noting that an alternative to sand can be a concrete screed or flat stones, but their thickness must be taken into account when deepening the trench.

Features of the arrangement of underlying layers

Simply mixing a solution and pouring it on the ground is a waste of time, labor and money. For any coating, especially concrete, it is necessary to install the correct foundation.

Drainage

The purpose of this event is to remove excess moisture and reduce deformations resulting from soil heaving. The soil is cut to a depth of 25-30 cm, the base is well compacted. There is no need to go too deep. This will increase the consumption of materials, but will not affect the strength and durability of the track in any way.

Crushed stone and sand are laid on the resulting dense bed. The total thickness of the bedding should be at least 10-20 cm. Everything is compacted layer by layer.

To protect the base from the germination of vegetation and siltation of crushed stone, it is recommended to use geotextiles. This is a non-woven polymer material that allows water to pass through but filters out contaminants. It definitely won't be redundant.

Waterproofing

Many people think that a garden path does not require waterproofing, but this is not entirely true. It must be taken into account that moisture is necessary for concrete to harden. And since the hydration reaction of cement with a lack of water occurs incompletely, dehydration should not be allowed at the initial stage of hardening.

To prevent water from fresh material from seeping into the ground, waterproofing is installed - roofing felt, dense polyethylene, membrane. The water in the solution is retained, and the hardening process proceeds normally.

No. 10. Concrete preparation and mixing

There are no single correct proportions in the ratio of sand, cement, gravel, water and other components of concrete. As for the amount of water , the best option would be 1 part water to 4 parts cement, but as the composition is prepared, water can be added to improve plasticity.

For paths with light loads, you can choose a cement, sand and gravel ratio of 0.5:5:4. For car paths, a ratio of 1:1.5:2.5 is suitable. Many experts use a universal composition of durable concrete , where cement, sand and crushed stone are in a ratio of 1:3:1. Additives are also used to give the concrete the required qualities.

It is better to choose cement no lower than M300, river sand, crushed stone 10-20 mm in size. Granite is optimal. If the load on the paths is large, then you can take a larger crushed stone fraction of 40 mm. It is convenient to mix all the ingredients in a concrete mixer or mortar mixer , but if they are not available, any container such as a trough or just a large steel sheet will do. First, sand and crushed stone are mixed, then cement is added, and a gray mass is obtained. After this, add half of the required amount of water, mix, and then gradually add the rest of the water so that the composition becomes the desired consistency.

In theory, the thicker the concrete, the stronger it is, but thinner ones are easier to work with and distribute evenly. To simplify your task, you can add a little plasticizer , which makes the concrete more plastic and fluid without excess water.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any other surface, concrete roads have many advantages:

strength, reliability, durability - the surface remains for decades;
the surface can be easily given almost any configuration;
affordable price - the cement, sand, water that makes up the coating cost very little;
ease of installation - easy to create with your own hands, without special skills;
high resistance to mechanical damage, wear resistance, even during active use;
the material does not lose its qualities, even when exposed to harsh weather conditions - rain, wind, frost, heat, snow;
the ability to fit a path into even the most complex terrain and garden design.

But there are also disadvantages:

due to seasonal soil mobility, cracks often appear on the paths;
a concrete surface is a permanent structure, its location is difficult to change;
If done incorrectly, the path will ruin the appearance of the site.

No. 11. Reinforcement and filling

Reinforcement or reinforcing mesh is laid on a sand bed, on top of which concrete is poured. The bottom of the trench can be additionally watered so that it does not sag under the weight of the concrete. The layer is leveled and compacted until the so-called cement laitance appears, which gives the concrete excellent strength characteristics and allows it to harden rather than dry out. In order for the concrete to harden and not dry , it is recommended to periodically wet the surface with water or cover it with polyethylene. Some even spread plastic film under the concrete, but this is not the best way.

To prevent water from accumulating on the paths in the future and forming puddles, you can make the central part of it a little higher than the side ones. The next day, when the solution has slightly hardened but is still soft, you can decorate the surface. For example, you can make furrows in a chaotic manner, imitating a stone surface. The next day, white or red colored cement mortar is poured into the furrows.

Requirements for compositions

When choosing a suitable composition, you should focus not only on the color of the paint, but also on its characteristics. The purchased paint and varnish material must withstand special operating conditions, and therefore must meet certain requirements.

In order for the applied coating to last as long as possible, it is necessary to choose compositions that have:

resistance to abrasion and mechanical stress;
resistance to ultraviolet radiation, which can cause cracking and peeling of the applied coating;
good breathability;
sufficient durability. The properties of the applied composition must remain unchanged for many years.