How to Install a Stone Path in the Lawn

Measure the length of the area you want for a stone path as well as the width you would like the pathway to be. Sketch the outline of your path onto a sheet of graph paper with each square on the page representing 1 foot.

Select the stone or brick you want, based on the style, color, size and shape you prefer. Measure the stone. Sketch the design layout you want to create with the stones onto your graph paper. Count the stones in the sketch to determine how many you need for the project.

Mark the perimeter of your path on the lawn with flour or outdoor marking spray using your sketch and tape measure as a guide. Dig and remove any grass and soil within the marked area until the path area is 6 inches deep with a flat bottom and smooth, flat walls.

Fill the bottom 2 inches with gravel. Cut a piece of landscaping fabric to the length of your pathway plus 1 foot by the width of the pathway plus 1 foot. Spread the fabric over the gravel and allow the edges to run up each side of the dug area.

Pour 2 inches of sand over the fabric to hold it in place. Smooth the sand as flat as possible with the head of your shovel or a garden hoe.

Place your stones onto the sand according to your sketch, starting on one end of the path and working toward the other. As you place each stone, tap it toward the previous stones with a rubber mallet to make the pieces fit together tightly. Continue until the path is laid.

Spread 1 inch of sand over the stones and sweep the sand into the cracks with a broom. Spray over the sand with a gentle mist using your garden hose to settle the sand. Repeat after a week and if the stones ever feel loose or wobbly.