How to Block in Gravel

Place two garden hoses side by side down the length of the path or driveway planned for the project. Garden hoses are suggested because they are simple to place on the ground and allow the installer to create curves in the path. Consider the type of blocking when determining the desired width. Plan for an average width path of approximately 3 feet. A single car driveway is approximately 12 feet.

Insert a shovel into the ground next to where the hoses are placed. Mark the area to remove the hoses later. Applying spray paint to mark the area is another option over using hoses.

Dig out the area between the two marks using a square shovel. This creates straight edges for the side walls of the trench. Doing so prevents excessive dirt from being removed from the area, resulting in more unneeded work. Remove all dirt, roots and other debris from this area to a depth of 4 inches. Check the depth of the hole occasionally with a tape measure to ensure an even depth. Place all dirt removed from the hole on a tarp or in a wheel barrow to move to another location. Doing so simplifies the removal of the dirt with out killing the grass or leaving patches of dirt on the lawn.

Fill the area dug with 2 inches of crushed stone. Smooth the stone out with a metal rake.

Dampen the crushed stone with a garden hose set on mist. Stop watering it when the crushed stone stops soaking up water. Do not allow the water to pool up. Compact the crushed stone with a hand tamper or rented electric compactor.

Lay the landscaping fabric over the top of the crushed stone. Ensure that the fabric is smooth and lays flat with no wrinkles. Overlap the edges of the fabric by 6 inches. Push landscaping pins into the fabric and the crushed stone to hold it in place.

Cut several 2-by-4 boards measured 1 foot wider than the desired width of the path. Approximately 1 board for every 4 feet of length in the path is ideal. Cut two notches half way through the boards the desired width of the path. For example, a 3-foot wide path requires a 4-foot 2-by-4, with two notches cut into the board, 6 inches away from both ends.

Position the desired blocking into both sides of the hole dug. Position the cut boards over the top of the blocking. Landscape edging is small enough that the notches on the boards slide over the thin material. Stones and other type of materials require the board to rest on top. Evenly space the boards across the blocking material.

Fill the area with gravel 1 inch below the height of the blocking. Smooth the gravel with a metal rake.

Dampen the gravel in the same manner as the crushed stone. Compact with the tamper or compactor.