How to Build a Sidewalk Out of River Rocks

Dig out an area of 6 inches deep where you want to install your sidewalk with a shovel. Dispose of the soil to another area in a wheelbarrow. You do not need to tamp the soil since the rocks will not have a flat surface.

Install edging all along the borders to hold the stone in place. Keep it level with the grass, if possible. Pound the stakes in by laying them almost flat so they are perpendicular to the edging and push them in to the V at the bottom edge with a hammer every 7 feet. Connect each section to the next with the connectors, centering the connector between the two pieces and them anchoring them with a stake at each end.

Pour in 2 to 3 inches of crushed rock to form a base for the sidewalk. Level it with a landscapers rake, sloping it slightly away from the house.

Place landscape cloth over the gravel to prevent weeds from coming up through the rocks and to keep the sand from washing away. Allow the sides to reach about 1 inch from the top of the edging.

Pour in two inches of sand to act as a cushion for the river rocks. Level it in the same way as the gravel.

Set flagstones, or concrete steppingstones, 6 inches apart from each other to form a level walking space along the length of the driveway. Fill in the remaining area with the river rocks, straightening them evenly in the sand as close together as possible.