How to Lay Limestone Paving

Lay out a string along the route you want your pavers to take. It might be straight or meandering. Once you're satisfied with the path, drive garden stakes into the soil and tie the spring around the stakes.

Dig out the soil to a depth of 4 inches so you can lay stones. As you dig, follow the natural grade of your land so the path slopes downward away from your home. This naturally draws water away from your home to prevent flooding. Remove any stones, roots or other materials you dig up.

Rake the trench smooth with a landscape rake.

Measure the length and width of your trench. Cut landscape fabric or landscape plastic to fit. Nestle the fabric into the trench to prevent weeds from growing, pressing it downs until it lies flat.

Pour 2 inches of builder's sand in an even layer inside the trench to hold your landscape fabric in place. Rake out the sand to distribute it.

Moisten the sand until it's damp.

Tamp down the sand using a hand tamper. Lift the tamper up then lower it down to compact the sand. Work along the whole path.

Place your pavers one at a time. Lay uniform limestone pavers for a neat look, or combine different-sized pavers for a rustic rural pathway. Leave 1/2 inch or more between stones.

Pour more builder's sand or gravel in between the gaps in your path.

Tap the limestone pavers with a rubber mallet to settle them. Make sure the pavers lay flat, not crooked. If you need to tap part of a paver down, do so.