Steppingstones Made With Cedar Ends

Draw a bird's-eye view of the area where you plan to lay the path. Experiment with a few alternatives until you find the desired length and direction for the steppingstones. Pace out the positions of each piece of cedar and mark with a handful of sand, making sure they're not too far apart. Wooden slabs should normally be at least 4 inches thick to avoid cracking or snapping, and although cedar is more resilient, it's worth having a sturdy path.

Lay each piece of cedar on its eventual position and mark the perimeter with a trickle of sand. Move the cedar, cut around the edge with a sharp spade and lift out the top layer of turf. Roll up each turf and set it aside for use elsewhere in the garden. Dig down to a depth of 6 inches--the depth of the wood plus 2 inches--removing roots or large stones and smoothing the surface of each site.

Dig a inch wider than the cedar if you are laying cement in the holes, so each one lies in a bed of cement rather than leaving any holes underneath. Mix cement according to the manufacturer's instructions and place a shovelful in each hole. Add enough to embed the cedar and spreading out to the sides.

Wait for the cement to dry, then use some of the saved pieces of turf to patch any bare areas around each piece of cedar. Water the pieces well and leave to regenerate.

Lay an inch-thick bed of sand if you prefer not to use cement. Tamp down the sand with the end of a block of wood wide and heavy enough to firm up the sand. Lay each cedar end in its prepared site.