How to Construct a Wooden Walkway at Grade

Mark the path of the walkway with string and stakes.

Dig four holes that form a rectangle at the beginning of the walkway. The short side of the rectangle should be roughly 2 feet and the long side should be 5 feet. Each hole should be deep enough to hold a support pier.

Adjust the soil under all four support piers until they are level with one another.

Cut two 6-foot pieces of 2-by-6 inch board. Stand one on its side resting in the slots of two support piers. This will form one of the long sides of the rectangle. Stand the second one on the opposite side to form the second side of the rectangle. Stand a 30-inch piece of 2-by-6 inch board on its side at the beginning of the walkway. This forms one of the short sides of the rectangle.

Use the carpenter's square to check your corners and adjust piers as necessary. Fasten the 6-foot pieces to the 30-inch piece using metal connectors.

Dig two pier support holes that are roughly 5 feet down the path of the walkway. Again, these should be roughly 2 feet apart. This is the next 6-foot section of the walkway. Level the piers and stand two six-foot pieces of 2-by-6 inch boards on their sides in the slots.

Use cleats to secure the 6-foot boards from the first section you built to the boards from the second section you just built.

Continue making walkway sections until you have achieved your desired length. The last section should have a 30-inch piece of 2-by-6 inch board on the end.

Cut decking boards into 3-foot sections and screw them into the joists. Leave a ¼- to ½-inch gap between boards to allow for expansion.