How to Make Cement Walkways

Mark the path of the walkway. Use the marking paint to make precise marks in your yard where and how wide the walkway will be. You can use a 3-foot board to move along the path and keep your measurements accurate.

Cut the siding board long ways so it is 6 inches wide. Curve it along your marked path and hammer stakes into the ground next to the pathway to hold it in place. The stakes should be on the outside of the siding board to help it hold its shape and strength when the concrete is eventually poured. Stakes should be put down at approximated 3-foot intervals.

Remove the forms and excavate the site. Use a shovel to dig out the sod and soil from the marked pathway. The slab of concrete poured should be about 4 inches thick, so the depth from the top of the eventual cement walkway to the bottom of the freshly dug path should be approximately 6 inches. Two inches will be left to lay compacting gravel for the base.

Replace the sideboard forms. Use the gauge board to ensure a consistent width all the way down the walkway.

Pack the soil. The pathway you just carved out needs to be packed hard so the weight of the cement will not shift and warp. You can rent a soil compactor or use a manual one. Pack the soil all the way to the edges of the walkway and along each sideboard.

Shovel gravel onto the packed dirt path. Gravel rocks that are about 3/4 inches in size are best for most conditions. Gravel is ordered in weight, so calculate the amount you will need to fill a 2-inch thick path by determining the volume and dividing it by 1.4 to calculate tonnage. Level the gravel and pack it down with your feet.

Pour cement mounds every few feet on the gravel path. Lay the wire mesh along the path and pour concrete on top. The mounds give some room for cement to fill and lift the mesh above the gravel and keep it suspended in the cement. Fill the path with cement and rake it out with a wire garden rake. Cement is ordered in cubic yards, so calculate how much you'll need for your walkway before ordering. You can do this by dividing the square-footage of the path by 27 to convert it into yards. Tap the sides of the guards with a hammer to bump air bubbles out.

Use a bull float to smooth out the surface of the concrete. Only begin this task when surface water has evaporated from the top of the path and the cement has begun to harden. Smooth the edges out with a groover and edger. Work the concrete from the end you began on as this part will have started the hardening process the earliest. Use a stiff broom to sweep tiny grooves into the surface to prevent slippage.

Remove the siding guards the day after you pour to give the cement enough time to set up.