How to Lay a Paving Stone Walkway

Measure and mark the borders of your walkway. Use stakes and string for a straight walkway. For curved walkways lay a garden hose on the ground to indicate the outside edges. Once the layout is in place, spray the ground with spray paint to mark the perimeter of the path. Remove the stakes and string or garden hose.

Dig a 6-inch deep trench using a flat-edge shovel. Try to keep the ground as level as possible. Tamp the bottom of the trench to compact the dirt. Ensure that the ground slopes away from any structures to assist in drainage. It should slope 1/4 inch for every foot.

Add a 2-inch base layer of crushed gravel and tamp it down.

Position the plastic restraining edges around the perimeter of the walkway. Secure each section along the top rim of the trench with metal spikes.

Fill the trench with coarse sand and rake it smooth. Level the sand and check for any high or low spots by placing a straight edge that measures the width of your walkway, on top of the sand. Pull it along the top and add sand to low areas or remove excess sand as needed. Allow enough room on top of the sand so that when the stone pavers are set, they are at ground level.

Set the stone pavers into the sand working one or two rows at one time. Use a rubber mallet to gently tap them into place allowing a 1/8 inch space between pavers. To see if the pavers are aligned properly, stretch a string across the walkway every tenth row and then check to see if that row is aligned with it.

Tamp all the pavers again once they have all been placed. Pour fine-grain sand over the pavers and work it into the joints with a broom. Continue to add sand and sweep until all the cracks are completely filled.

Wash away any excess sand with a fine mist. Finish by covering the plastic edging and gaps along the walkway with sod.