How to Install Decomposed Granite Walkways

Make a general sketch of your yard, including permanent landscape features such as trees, fences and slopes. Determine the path of the walkway and its width. Secondary paths have a typical width of 30 to 36 inches, while a primary walkway should be approximately 4 feet wide. Lay ropes or hoses along the walkway borders.

Cut along the borders with a spade and unearth about 6 inches of earth from the area. Continue digging with a shovel until the bottom is flat, and pack down the subsoil with a hand tamper.

Rake 2 inches of pack, gravel and stone dust over the site and tamp it down. Compacted pack forms a nearly solid surface to keep decomposed granite from sinking over time. Lay landscape fabric over the pack to block weeds and reinforce the loose surface.

Shovel decomposed granite over the surface until it is ground level. Rake it evenly and tamp it down to pack the material firmly together. Add an additional 2-inch layer down the middle of the walkway, and tamp it to form a slight slope on the sides so the middle is the highest point. Sloping decomposed granite prevents puddles from forming on the walkway.

Install edging along the sides with metal or plastic edging strips, a hammer and nail spikes to contain loose material and stop weed encroachment. For a more formal look, use pavers or natural stones as edge restraints.