How to Excavate for a Walkway

Refer to your area's building codes for any restrictions or permits on laying a walkway. Call the utility companies to ensure your site doesn't run over underground wires or pipes.

Lay two ropes or hoses parallel from the starting point of your walkway to the end point. Common paths include from the driveway to a front entrance or patio or from a patio to a garden or pool area. Shape the course in a curved path for a rustic, winding walkway. For a more formal look, use long boards instead of ropes and lay them in angles for a brick or paver walkway.

Measure the width between the ropes with a tape measure. If there's not space for a wide walkway, a 2-foot wide sidewalk is comfortable for one person. A 4 to 5-foot walkway accommodates two people passing, outdoor equipment and wheelchairs.

Drive wood stakes about halfway into the ground every 4 feet along the ropes. Tie a cotton string around the tops of the stakes.

Use a spade or square-tipped shovel to cut straight down along the borders. Dig out sod and other growth from the surface of the site and transplant immediately to a bare area in your yard.

Use a shovel to dig out 7 to 9 inches of soil from the site. It's important to dig deeper than the frost line if your ground freezes or a frost heave could damage your walkway.

Lay a board on the bottom of the expanse and use a bubble level to see if it is level. Dig out any high areas from the soil to make it as level as possible.

Create a slope in the ground that runs away from your house if the walkway is within 6 feet of your home. Make the side of the walkway furthest from the house 1 inch deeper than the side nearest the house.