How to Interlock a Walkway

Make an outline of the walkway site, using two heavy ropes. Position the ropes at least 4 feet apart so your walkway is wide enough for outdoor equipment and multiple people. Once you're happy with the outline, trace the ropes with landscape paint to guide you.

Create or choose the interlocking design for your pavers. You can browse the design options at a home improvement store or use graph paper to create a scale diagram of your walkway site and make your own pattern. For example, pavers come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes that can fit together in diagonals or at 90-degree angles.

Excavate the site of the walkway to a depth of 8 inches, or below the frost line if your area is prone to freezing temperatures. Secure landscape fabric or a mesh weed screen over the surface to inhibit weeds from growing through your walkway.

Lay a 4-inch-thick layer of gravel over the fabric and tamp it down with a hand tamper until the gravel is completely flat. Add another 3-inch layer of gravel. Slope the surface 1 foot for every 8 feet to direct water away from the house, and then tamp the gravel again.

Add 1 inch of coarse sand over the sloped gravel surface. Spread the sand evenly, using a 2-inch by 4-inch wooden board.

Set the pavers, beginning in a corner of the walkway and working your way down the length. Follow your planned pattern, leaving no more than an 1/8-inch gap between each paver all around. Make sure your interlocking walkway is even by placing a water level on the surface and adding sand until the bubble falls between the two center lines.

Brush fine sand over the interlocking pavers, compressing it between the spaces with a stiff brush. Add sand until all of the joints are filled, and sweep away the excess sand.

Apply an even coat of paver sealant with a roller brush or spray pump to seal the sand in the joints, preserve the pavers' color and protect them from weather and wear and tear. Reapply the sealant every two years, or as otherwise noted on the manufacturer's instructions.