How to Prepare a Walkway

Use two ropes to outline the path of the walkway with a minimum width of four feet. Test the course and adjust the ropes if any turns feel too sharp.

Dig an expanse from the area inside of the two ropes to a depth of seven inches. Tamp the soil on the bottom to stabilize it for the foundation. Place weed screen over the soil so weeds won't develop beneath.

Pour four inches of aggregate over the weed screen and spread it out evenly with the shovel. The walkway should slope away from your house if it is within six feet of the building. You can shift the aggregate to create this slope. Place a 4-foot 2-by-4 across the surface. Hold the board at an angle so the side furthest end from the house is one inch lower, and drag the board over the surface.

Tamp the aggregate so the stones pack together, forming a solid base for the walkway. The tamped aggregate will enable water to travel through the foundation so you don't have any drainage problems. Set a bubble level across the aggregate to check that the surface is slightly sloped.

Place edge restraints along the inner walls. Use plastic or other flexible edging if the walkway is curved, or metal or wood for a straight path. Sink 12-inch spikes through the edging to attach it to the ground. The edging will keep the stone or paver surface from rotating under traffic.

Lay one inch of bedding sand over the aggregate and spread it with the 2-by-4 using the same method to preserve the slope.