Install Formal Walkway and Place Fake Boulders
At 0:16 in
Front landscape renovation.
What happens here
Construct the formal walkway by first excavating the path area to a depth of 6-8 inches, ensuring a slight grade (about 1/4 inch per foot) for water drainage away from the house. Lay down a layer of permeable landscape fabric to deter weeds. Add and compact a 4-6 inch base layer of crushed gravel, followed by a 1-2 inch leveling layer of sand. Carefully place your chosen pavers or natural stone, ensuring they are level and flush with each other. Use a rubber mallet to gently tap them into place. Once laid, sweep fine polymeric sand into the joints to lock the pavers and prevent weed growth. Next, strategically place the fake boulders throughout the landscape. These are often hollow and lightweight, making them ideal for concealing unsightly utility boxes or wellheads, while adding a naturalistic aesthetic.
Goal: Construct a durable and aesthetically pleasing formal walkway and strategically place decorative elements.
Tools and materials
- Broom — Sweeping polymeric sand into paver joints
- Chosen Pavers/Stone — Constructing the formal walkway
- Fake Boulders — Concealing utilities and adding decorative elements
- Level — Ensuring pavers are level and the base has proper grade
- Rubber Mallet — Gently seating pavers into place
- Shovel — Excavating the walkway path
- Tamper/Plate Compactor — Compacting the gravel base for the walkway
- Wheelbarrow — Moving gravel and sand
- Crushed Gravel — Creating the compacted base for the walkway
- Landscape Fabric — Weed suppression under the walkway
- Leveling Sand — Providing a smooth, level bed for pavers
- Polymeric Sand — Filling and locking paver joints