Landscaping With Patio Blocks & Stepping Stones

Plan where you want to put your patio or walkway. Put your patio in a frequently used area that's easily accessible without breaking up the regular flow of walking traffic through your yard. Plan to set your stepping-stone walkway along the regularly used paths.

Measure the areas you want to cover and run a line of outdoor safe spray paint or sprinkle a line of flour to mark off the area. Remove the upper layer of sod from the area within your marked lines so you are working on bare soil.

Dig down five inches within your bare area, removing the loosened dirt as you go. As you dig, work to make the bottom of your patio or walkway area as flat and smooth as possible so the soil is ready to be covered.

Spread landscaping fabric out along the inside of the entire area, overlapping the pieces of fabric as necessary by four to six inches. Cover the landscaping fabric with two inches of gravel.

Pour builder's sand over the gravel until the sand is two inches deep. Use a garden hoe to smooth the sand out as flat as possible. Use an old board, if desired, to smooth a larger area of sand.

Lay down your patio blocks or stepping stones starting at one side of your patio or walkway and gradually work toward the other side. As you place each new stone, push it back toward the previous stones to create a tight fit.

Spread sand over the completed patio or walkway to cover the stones and blocks entirely. Starting at one end, sweep the sand in short strokes between your stones, not off of them, until you reach the other side.

Apply a light mist of water with your hose to cover the stones and settle the sand between them. Wet the patio only enough to soak it without washing the new sand away. For the next month (and anytime you feel the stones are loose), add more sand and wet it down once a week.