How to Install a Flagstone Landscaping Path
by Allison E. Beatty
Repair-Home Columnist
Looking for an easy way to update your landscaping? Try adding a flagstone path that meanders through a section of your yard. This is a home improvement project that even beginners can tackle without hiring a contractor.
Selecting a Path Location
Depending on your landscaping plan, a walkway can fit in a variety of places. Try:
- Along the side of a house.
- Adjacent to an existing flower garden.
- A section going from your driveway to a back alley or refuse area.
- In a newly created garden, where you shape flower and shrub beds on each side.
Landscaping Preparation
The key to any landscaping project is the preparation. Start by:
- Digging a curving trench that is about 3 inches deep and as long as the path will be. (Avoid making a perfectly straight formed path, as it will look forced. Curving walkways look more natural).
- If weeds are a concern, add landscaping fabric at the bottom.
- Slope the walkway gently away from the house for drainage purposes
The Landscaping Path
Next, add a metal or rubber edging to hold the path in place. Secure the landscaping fabric under the edging.
- Add two inches of gravel on top, then one inch of sand. Rake both materials to smooth.
- Use a garden hose to moisten the sand as you rake.
- Use a hand tamper or drum roller to pack down the sand.
Adding the Flagstone
You're now ready to add the flagstone. Start by putting them in place next to your new landscaping path, laying them out like a puzzle. When you are happy with the pattern, gently push them into place in the walkway.
To secure the walkway, add crushed limestone or gravel to fill in the gaps between the stones. Sweep the material over the pathway again and again, gently pushing it into the cracks. Use water to dampen the material.
The rich, rustic look of flagstone can do wonders for a landscaping plan. While the material is heavy, it can be installed without using a contractor. Once you perfect this home improvement project, you're likely to try it again and again in spots around the yard.
About the Author
Allison E. Beatty is an avid old house enthusiast who has been renovating houses and writing about them for more than 10 years. She contributes regularly to national newspaper, magazines and web sites. She lives in an 1888 Victorian era home.
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