Homemade garden paths from garbage. Where to lay paths in the country and in the garden - photo

Garden paths are part of the landscape design. They make the suburban area well-groomed and attractive, make it easier to move around the territory.

In our article, we have collected detailed instructions, photos and videos on how to make tracks with your own hands.

Do-it-yourself economy options for tracks in the country

Different materials are used to arrange garden paths, but there are general requirements that they correspond to:

• Aesthetics
• Safety
• Moisture resistant
• Maintainability
• All-season
• Strength
• Easy care

Gardeners and summer residents make paths from concrete, wood, natural stone, paving slabs and other materials. See how they look.

Concrete walkway using ready-made shapes

Natural stone path

Garden path made of wood

Concrete walkway and paving slabs

Concrete walkway imitating natural stone

Gravel path

Combined garden path made of stone and rubble

Another option for combining rubble, stone and paving slabs

Paving slab walkway

Clinker brick path

Stone path

Ideally, garden paths are combined with the exterior of the house and complement the landscape. The material for the tracks is selected taking into account the expected load.

Decorative paths are rarely used for their intended purpose. Bulk materials are suitable for them: gravel, sand, crushed stone.

It is better to move along paths made of solid concrete, brick or paving slabs. It is recommended to cover the car park with concrete, paving stones or stones.

Do-it-yourself concrete paths in the country

Concrete garden paths are practical, durable, withstand heavy loads. The rough surface of concrete pavements does not slip.

Such paths are equipped in two ways: using formwork or special forms.

Casting with formwork

Prepare the base first: remove the top layer of earth and tamp it down. Then follow the scheme.

Gray concrete looks boring, but there are ways to refine it.

In small areas, create winding paths with gentle curves and bends. This will visually expand the space.

Add pigment to the concrete mixture to paint the path in the desired color. Introduce coloring pigments at the stage of preparing the pouring mixture.

Get creative and the gray concrete will turn into a wild stone imitation, as in the photo below. This requires a sharp knife and a steady hand to make stone-shaped grooves on the surface when the concrete has already set, but has not completely hardened.

Pouring into special shapes

Plastic molds for pouring concrete are sold in hardware and garden stores.

Prepare the base for the walkway. To do this, go 10 cm deep into the ground. Then tamp the ground and lay a cushion of sand and gravel. If you add crushed stone to the concrete mix, make a sandy base.

Moisten the prepared base with water, and treat the molds for pouring with special grease from the inside.

Then place the molds in a sand cushion, press them in so that the top protrudes 0.5 - 1 cm above the ground.

Prepare a concrete mixture, add a plasticizer to it to give the track strength, add a colored pigment (optional) and pour into the molds so that the concrete is evenly distributed over the entire area. Level the top layer with a trowel or trowel.

After 30 - 40 minutes, when the concrete has set, carefully remove the forms, cover the path with foil for 1-2 days. You can walk along the path after 5 days.

The video of the thematic master class will help you

Do it yourself tile paths in the country

For garden paths, paving slabs of various designs, colors and sizes are used. It is laid on a prepared base with a sandy substrate, as in the diagram below.

Tiles of 40 × 40 cm are often used for laying. The large size reduces the time for arranging garden paths. The tile is laid so that the distance between its centers is no more than a step.

The gaps at the joints are filled with sand, and the edges of the track on both sides are limited by curbs.

The advantage of paving slabs is that it is combined with country houses and summer cottages of any style, fits into simple and complex landscapes.

DIY wooden paths in the country

Wooden paths in the country look natural, stylish and durable. Garden paths in the country are made of ordinary boards with a thickness of at least 5 cm. You will have to tinker with them less than with the piece-by-piece laying of individual cuts.

The advantage of such wooden paths is quick installation and neat appearance. Manufacturing begins with the selection of materials and tools. Inexpensive and widespread lumber is softwood boards. It is better to choose larch, but the cost will be higher in this case.

The tree is treated according to the standard scheme: with an antiseptic, and then varnished or painted for further protection. The clear lacquer enhances the wood grain, while the colored paint sets the accents. The boards are cut into equal lengths. For paths of complex shape, the length of each board is selected individually.

The base of the paths made of natural wood, as well as for a wooden path from saw cuts, is made of sand and crushed stone cushions. Preparatory work is performed in the following sequence: marking, foundation pit, geotextile, crushed stone layer, sand layer, ramming.

Then the boards are laid on the base or placed on a dais - a specially arranged frame. Planks laid in the ground look natural and relaxed, but such a wooden path deteriorates faster. The structure on the frame will be stronger and more durable, in a word - capital. This idea requires more effort.

Watch a video on how to make garden paths from wood with minimal costs

The device of a garden path made of wooden saw cuts resembles paving stones. Instead of stones, flat wooden blocks of the same height are laid. To create a dense path, large cuts are alternated with stumps of small diameter, the free space is filled with large branches.

From ordinary stumps or tree cuts, pretty winding paths are obtained. Choose the right material, understand the laying methods, and you will be able to make a garden path from tree cuts with your own hands in the garden or in the country.

Pay attention to preparing the tree. Untreated wood will quickly deteriorate, and the tree ring track will have to be redone. First, select the type of wood. Suitable:

• pine
• larch
• birch

The difference between hardwoods (larch, beech, oak) and other types is the service life. Larch will last 25 years, pine will be in use for 5 - 7 years.

Use dry wood free from pests. Dissolve the logs into pieces of the same height. The optimal size is 15 cm. For convenience, use a template. If you make the workpiece yourself, make sure that the cut is made strictly perpendicular to the log. Sort the sliced \u200b\u200b"pancakes" by size, remove the cracked ones. Remove the bark from the rings.

Next, process the tree cuts for the paths to protect them from decay and decay. An elementary method is processing with drying oil. Bring drying oil to a boil, then dip each die in hot oil. The boiling substance seals the pores of the wood and prevents moisture from entering - the first enemy of wood products. Disadvantages of this method: long and dangerous. You can burn yourself with hot linseed oil.

Another option is special formulations. Arm yourself with a brush or spray bottle and treat the wood with an antifungal agent. After preventive treatment, let the wood dry.

After preparing the material, proceed with the construction of the path. Take your time to lay a path from wood cuts. First, do the preparatory and excavation work:

• Mark a path in the garden
• Remove the top layer of soil
• Dig a trench
• Arrange waterproofing
• Prepare the base.

Now you can take up the shovels. Don't make the trench deep. Add 10 cm to the height of the dice - this will be optimal.

Lay a waterproofing layer in the trench. Some people use a film, roofing material, but it is better in such cases to take geotextiles. This material prevents stagnation of water and germination of weeds.

Pour a 10 cm layer of gravel on the waterproofing - this is a drain to drain water. Tamp and cover 5 - 10 cm with sand.

Wet the sand to tamp and level the base under the hemp garden path. When wet, the sand is rammed by hand.

The wood is laid in accordance with the pattern or in any order. The logs are placed on a sand cushion, then they are tamped down and level. Sand or crushed stone is poured into the gaps. For seams on top, mulch, sawdust, pebbles, moss are suitable.

Paths should be in every garden. Their presence makes it easy to navigate and move freely around the territory. It is not difficult to make garden paths with your own hands, with minimal cost. Instructions, photos and videos of this article will help you realize your ideas. See how many ideas and a variety of inexpensive, handy materials exist on this topic.

Do-it-yourself concrete paths in the country

Concrete is most commonly used for paths and pavements around the house. This traditional material is readily available and cheap. With your own hands, everyone can make classic cast tracks from it.

1. Start by marking the boundaries. Mark the outline with a wire or fishing line tied to stakes driven in at the corners.

2. Within the indicated boundaries, make a trench 25-30 cm deep, with a 3-4% slope in the transverse direction from the axis of the track or on both sides.

3. Level the bottom of the trench and lay it with a supporting layer of gravel. Pour a 5 cm layer of sand over it. Compact each of the layers with a tamper.

4. Prepare the formwork, for which install a frame made of metal or lumber around the perimeter. Good for this purpose, an edged board with a section of 25 * 150 * 6 mm is suitable.

5. Reinforce the body of the future track, use a "chain-link" mesh or other metal elements (pieces of wire, old water pipes) for this.

6. Insert dividing partitions into the formwork, or special cellular forms treated with a protective solution. This will save the concrete from cracking when it dries and will give the track a decorative embossing.

7. Prepare the solution:

• cement (not lower than M 500) - 4 kg;
• sand - 6 kg;
• gravel - 13 kg;
• water - 1.9 l.

You should get a plastic semi-liquid consistency. It is advisable to add a plasticizer and concrete hardening accelerator. To give the mixture the desired color (brick, stone), experiment with the color scheme.

8. Pour the concrete into the formwork trough flush with the edge. Spread evenly with a trowel using a vibrating motion. Pierce (pierce) the mixture with a metal rod (reinforcement) to give it uniformity.

Advice! To improve adhesion to the substrate, lay the mortar on wet sand, crushed stone, gravel.

9. Finally level the surface of the poured walkway with a rule. Perform the procedure for filling and shaping the body of the track sequentially. Move from one dividing rail to another, from one loading form to another, gradually.

10. Cover the walkway with plastic to prevent the mortar from drying out quickly. Concrete gains strength for 3-4 days, during which moisten it with water. This will eliminate cracking and give the concrete additional strength.

To achieve an even greater decorative effect, various components are "embedded" into the surface that is not completely seized: pebbles, colored glass, shell rock. Various strokes, grooves, prints give relief to the track. And to imitate the old days, as if the path was overgrown with moss, kefir or milk is introduced into the solution.

Garden paths made of bricks and paving stones - scheme, layers, execution

A durable and inexpensive material for the manufacture of garden coverings - facing bricks or paving stones. This material is frost and abrasion resistant. Brick is less durable due to its greater porosity. However, it has a decorative look and is available in several shapes and colors. In addition to the natural dark red color, there is brown, red, brown, anthracite, white. A brick path can be easily laid in the form of an arc, or a herringbone, which significantly improves the spatial perception of the site.

Advice! When laying paving stones, keep in mind that for paving walking paths or a terrace, paving stones with a thickness of ~ 4 cm are better.And on paths with intensive loads, use cubes with a thickness of ~ 6 cm.

Laying pavers

Begin by removing the topsoil to a depth sufficient to lay all layers of the walkway cover so that the last layer of paving stone is level with the ground. More often, this depth is 20-40 cm.

Important! The base for the paving stones is the basis for correct laying. This is the layer responsible for the uniform transfer of the load from the surface of the paving stone to the ground. It also acts as a drainage layer that protects against the effects of precipitation and freezing temperatures.

Making a base for paving stones - 3 important rules

In order for the base for the paving stone to perform its function properly, for a long time, its design and manufacture takes place according to the rules.

1. Thickness of the base layer. It is about the correct ratio of the thickness of the base layer to the planned load of the paving stone surface. On the paths, a base with a thickness of 10-20 cm is more often used.In the case of surfaces on which heavy traffic is planned, the base increases to 25-40 cm.

2. Foundation material. The base under the paving stones must be permeable to water, quickly pass it through itself to drain into the ground. For the production of the drainage layer of the base, use: gravel, crushed stone, slag, or a mixture of sand and gravel.

3. Laying the base layers. To ensure uniform laying and compaction of the base under the paving stones, lay the material in layers 10 cm thick. Be sure to tamp each layer, this will prevent possible subsidence in the future.

Attention! If the soil under the base is characterized by low permeability, it may be necessary to use an additional drainage layer of geotextile.

Making a sand "pillow"

Create a frame for the future walkway, according to the type of formwork production. In the resulting trough, make a dump of sand. Its task is to implement and fix individual structural elements. Layer thickness ~ 3-5 cm. For greater strength, sand is mixed with dry concrete in a 3: 1 ratio. However, this kind of material complicates later repair work. Level the debris with a wooden lath. Wet a layer of sand until a liquid "gruel" is formed.

Laying brick pavers

The procedure consists in placing one element after another, away from you. At the same time, lightly tapping on the upper part of the brick / stone with a rubber hammer or mallet, allows you to plant the elements in a sandy base.

Surface anchoring

The final stage of the work consists in sprinkling the working surface with quartz sand, which fills the gaps between the cubes, expands and gives solidity to the structure. The action is repeated several times. In between, the sand is abundantly wetted with water and swells. The excess is squeezed out, dried and removed with a brush. A dense, cemented packing remains between the bricks.

Garden paths made of stone

Wild stone walkways are durable and elegant. Their natural texture and various shades of color are perfect for any setting and look good in combination with other materials.

The most commonly used is granite flagstone. It is a hard and very durable material. Water and frost do not harm him. Popular colors - gray, red, beautiful pink-red granite. Basalt (black), porphyry (gray-red-brown stone), syenite (gray, almost black), as well as travertine, gabbro, diabase have similar properties. Sandstone or shale in different variations looks attractive.

In the garden among greenery, informal paths made of mosaic stone slabs look great. In the intervals between them, sow grass or undersized, creeping plants, for example: alyssum, Iberis, sedum.

The method of laying stone material is similar to that described above and depends on the location, purpose of the track and the permeability of the soil below it. On drained lands with low operational load, stone garden paths are laid on a layer of mortar of 5-10 cm from sand or gravel / crushed stone, cement, in a ratio of 1:12.

However, there are a number of problems associated with the use of a field stone:

1. Irregular natural forms. Stones are difficult to pick up, tie together. Creating a perfectly flat plane is also problematic. This makes it difficult to move around them, for example, garden equipment.

2. The stone draws moisture from the ground. Therefore, it is often overgrown with moss and lichen. It is also easily exposed to dirt that is difficult to remove. To prevent this, a wild stone, at least once every 3 years, is treated with a composition based on silicone or resin (Dynasil, Lithofin). These products form a protective layer without creating a slippery surface. At the same time, they clog the pores and give the effect of "wet stone" without changing its natural color.

Garden paths from paving slabs

The functional coating of this material is unmatched. The price of the material is not fabulous, and laying the tiles with your own hands is easy to perform.

There are antique-style tiles that mimic stone pavement and cut granite or raw sandstone. There are high-strength clinker tiles obtained by a single firing. From colored and textured concrete, elements are made that resemble boards, a wooden sidewalk, or old railway sleepers.

In the collections of trading companies, there are elements of various thicknesses and shapes: square and rectangular. Thin 3-5 cm, used for paving decorative paths, thicker tiles - for facing the entrance.

Making paving slabs with their own hands has become popular. Suitable forms for making casts can be bought everywhere today. They are made of high quality, durable plastic, laminate, and there are also wooden ones. Designed for multiple use. Various sizes, designs, shapes, prices. The surface of the casting can be smooth or patterned.

The filler solution is prepared according to the technology described above.

Sidewalk slabs are quite heavy, so a solid foundation is needed for them. It is recommended to do two layers:

• leveling layer (sand, gravel, 10-15 cm);
• retaining layer (mixture of sand and cement, 3-4 cm).

The thicker the frame layer, the more stable the coating - the slabs will not move!

Care should be taken in winter when cleaning tiles - it is better not to beat off the ice with sharp tools, the outer layer is damaged.

Wooden garden paths - ideas, implementation

Wooden paths in the garden are not as resistant to weather conditions as stone or concrete, but they always attract attention for their naturalness, environmental friendliness and high decorative aesthetics.

DIY garden paths from tree cuts

The path lined with wooden round timber looks original. The best wood for this job is oak or larch. Their solid and weather-resistant structure “survives” for more than a dozen years. Remains unchanged without impregnation, due to the large amount of tannins. Pine and spruce, unfortunately, are less durable.

1. Sawing wood. Cut fragments from the trunks and branches of an old tree, 10-40 cm in diameter and 15-25 cm high. The optimal ratio of large blanks (25-40 cm) to small ones (10-15 cm) should be 3: 1. Since the cuts are round and form large spaces between them, the different cutting diameters complement each other during subsequent stacking.

2. Remove the bark and dry the pieces in the sun for several days.

3. To protect wood, be sure to saturate the cuts with an antiseptic primer to a depth of 3-4 cm.

4. After the impregnation has dried (24 hours), it is advisable to apply a layer of varnish for external use.

5. Installation. Remove the soil to a depth of 5 cm. Apply sand. You can make a 4 cm cement screed. When setting the track, alternate a combination of three large and one small dice. A perfect pattern is obtained between them, practically without a gap. The free space between the cuts is covered with fine sand. After a while, it will only be necessary to replenish its natural decline.

Tips.
Do not place the slices close to each other. Over time, the wood swells, the track elements are squeezed out.
It is better to place wooden paths in sunny, windy places. In the shade, wood absorbs and retains moisture, as a result of which it undergoes biological corrosion. Remember, wet wood is slippery!
To increase the durability of the wooden path, place a layer of gravel drainage 20-30 cm thick under the surface.

With proper operation, the service life of such a track will be 10 years.

Garden paths made of tree bark

It is a cheap and environmentally friendly material. Bark yeast, arranged among flowers and ornamental shrubs, provide them with nutrients and protect the soil from freezing. The best, such paths are in places where there are plants that prefer acidic soil (heather, rhododendron, hydrangea, erica). The preparation of the track is not difficult. It is enough to make a foundation pit and fill the bottom with a layer of sand (10-15 cm), then put 8-10 cm of bark on it.

Advice! The bark decomposes naturally. Once a season, a path from it requires additional bedding.

Track of railway sleepers

Railway sleepers are durable but hard to reach. You can make paths from them, laying flat, tightly with each other, or position them freely, and fill the voids, for example, with gravel.

Important! Remember, paths should not run too close to trees, especially those with shallow root systems. Growing up over time, it can disturb the surface of the walkway.

DIY garden paths from car tires

We are all car enthusiasts. Using old car rubber in this case is an ideal budget option for making garden paths. It is the tire that is designed to experience maximum loads.

Constructions from it are obtained:

• reinforced;
• resistant to temperature extremes;
• not slippery;
• non-absorbent;
• not soaking;
• easy to care for;
• easy to manufacture.

The process is as follows:

1. Use a knife to separate the tire rolling track from the side section. To make it easier for the knife to slide into thick rubber, occasionally treat the blade with machine oil or soap.
2. Cut the resulting rings into strips. For the manufacture of a garden path, three to four such tapes may be required.
3. Adjust the strips to length and nail them to a wooden board or timber next to each other.
4. Press the structure into the ground along the perimeter.

A beautiful well-kept garden like a magazine picture is the dream of any land owner. Unfortunately, the costs for such a postcard look are usually very high. What should we, ordinary lovers of beauty, do? Let's look at how you can independently equip garden paths and not go broke.

A little about designing tracks

To begin with, I want to remind you that a garden path is an indispensable element of all gardens, no matter how large they are and wherever they are. This is an important connecting link that will say a lot about your garden, about the feeling of beauty, about comfort, about hospitality and about yourself. Therefore, I ask you to approach the design with great care, because redoing an unsuccessful option is long, expensive and labor-intensive.

Usually, it is convenient to lay paths along already trodden paths: as a rule, this is the most optimal route for movement on the site. Do not forget that tracks have a transit function. If the path meets guests̆, then its width varies from 0.8 to 1.2 m, as the area and budget allows. And when the path leads through quiet corners of the garden, then you should not make it more than 0.6 - 0.8 m.

From the point of view of construction, the paths are of two types - capital and non-capital. A capital path is desirable in a parking lot, on an area with active traffic - from the gate to the house, to the frequently used areas of the garden, someone has a bathhouse, someone has a vegetable garden, look according to your needs. The capital walkway provides active transit, transfer / transportation of goods, cleanliness in the autumn thaw and has a decorative function in the front area. All other paths will be more comfortable in a non-capital design - in the form of narrow paths or stepping paths for rarely used areas of the garden. Plus, treadmills are more economical.

In the ideal world of magazine landscapes, the material of the walkway should match the material of the facade, porch or terrace. If the foundation is decorated with stone, then the paths must be of the same stone; if there is a decking on the terrace, then the paths should also be made of decking or wood, matching in tone and size with the decking. These are generally quite expensive. In the real world, there are other options that will make your garden look good and save you a lot of money.

Stone paths

Stone is probably the best material for paths, from time immemorial. It is great for capital tracks and sites, it serves for a long time, wear-resistant, easily tolerates humidity, temperature changes, it is not afraid of ultraviolet light, it is beautiful, it perfectly removes melt and rain water, but it is demanding in preparing the base and to the ground.

As for the execution of the natural stone walkway, there are exactly two options. The first is a path with a concrete base, which you can make with your own hands, and it will serve you almost forever. Great for parking and front area. The second option is a stepping path, when the stone is sunk into the sand and gravel mixture, and the seams are sown with lawn grass or moss. These paths are suitable for the rest of the garden. They effectively drain water, do not crush the mass of paving, are strong and durable.

The choice of concrete tiles is striking in variety. These can be small paving stones of all colors and sizes, for every taste and budget. Modern concrete paving stones are highly decorative - ornaments are laid out with it, you can choose a harmonious color, mark the center of the path with a pattern and show your design talents. Concrete paving paths will make your garden special and unique, especially made with your own hands.

Another type of concrete track element is medium and large format tiles. Its size starts from 30x30 cm and further can be anything: square, rectangular, polygonal or even round. And, as is the case with paving stones, the color is variable: concrete is painted in bulk at the factory during the manufacture of tiles. In modern designer gardens, such tiles are often used on main paths and are approximately 30x90 cm in size.

Traditionally, it is believed that a path made of concrete tiles is demanding on the soil and preparation of the base, for the presence of drainage and storm sewers. From the point of view of building codes and regulations, this is true. But what should the owners of swampy areas do? How to arrange to lay out tracks in the country at a low cost?

At one well-known forum about suburban life, participants talk about their experience when medium-sized tiles were laid on a layer of geotextile with sand and felt great on heaving ground for many years. Of course, I cannot recommend you with full responsibility this method of paving garden paths, but since there are practically no capital options for wet soils, why not try? In any case, it is cheaper than a drainage device, a large sample of soil and backfilling of several layers of sand and gravel mixture with ramming. I'll make a reservation right away that this method will not work on soil other than wet. The trick is that the tiles are held by wet sand and are sucked into it.

Also, do not forget about the possibility of pouring large-format plates of the desired configuration in place, without using a mold. It is both inexpensive and effective. This technique is sometimes used by designers if it is necessary to make a track from large elements. In the same way, it is possible to imitate ancient stone slabs.

The advantages of self-production of concrete tiles are cheap, in the ability to choose the shape, color, and decorative surface of the material to your taste, and the minus is in the relative fragility. In the factory, the concrete in the mold is subjected to active vibration, which compacts its structure. At home, this is quite difficult to achieve. But this should not be a hindrance to arranging garden paths with your own hands at low cost.

Bulk material paths

Backfill tracks are excellent in all respects - inexpensive, easy to manufacture, undemanding to maintain, perfectly wick moisture away and are simply beautiful. But there are also disadvantages - they often require updating, and in wet weather they will not always provide cleanliness. And also bulk materials are absolutely unsuitable for tracks with a difference in height.

Backfill raw materials can be different:

• gravel and crushed stone of different fractions;
• broken brick;
• marble and granite chips;
• sand;
• pine bark;
• sawdust;
• or even nut shells.

How to make such garden paths with your own hands? The manufacturing technology is different, from very simple - to fill and level (but the service life of such a path in the garden will be small) to more labor-intensive options.

It's still a good idea to prepare the base and install the curb. This increases the cost of construction, but increases the service life and minimizes maintenance - the material is not trampled massively into the ground, does not crumble onto the lawn and beds, a garden with such paths looks more aesthetically pleasing, cleaner and tidier.

If you look at modern or old English gardens, there are many pink gravel paths. Gravel and crushed stone are good for the main paths in the country, for capital sites, and sand, bark and sawdust can be used on paths, on garden paths. When laying garden paths with your own hands, choose the size of the fraction of the material according to your own criteria - large elements are resistant to erosion, last longer, and small ones are more pleasant to the feet, but can get stuck in shoes. Sawdust and sand are uncomfortable in the rain - they stain shoes and slip, but much cheaper than other loose ones.

Wood paths

Recently, environmentally friendly natural materials are gaining popularity. One of the most environmentally friendly paving stones is wood. The choice of materials is incredibly wide: from expensive decking with various special fasteners to simple cuts. And the quality of wood can be anything. Such a garden path can become a real highlight of your suburban area, because it carries with it naturalness, which fits perfectly into the landscape and is combined with plants.

With proper processing, the tree will be very durable, it is important to take protective measures here and prevent the material from contacting the ground. These tracks are easy to maintain and easy to repair. Unlike stone ones, they are tactilely pleasant for walking barefoot. But wooden paths also have disadvantages - in wet weather the tree becomes slippery.

What types of wooden paths are there?

However, there is one important exception when the pallet walkway becomes a permanent feature of the garden: we are talking about forest areas. Traditional paving of garden paths has a very traumatic effect on the existing undergrowth: excavation, forced pruning of roots - all this can destroy the biodiversity that has developed over centuries. In this case, wooden pallets are just a lifesaver. They are easy to install, dismantle and repair, do not require special maintenance, and most importantly, they take care of the forest. And, if you're lucky, this track will become almost free for you.

You can also disassemble pallets into planks and use them to equip a walkway.

Composite materials

The modern world is developing rapidly, and our landscape industry does not stand still. Recently, several new materials from artificial raw materials have appeared for laying garden paths with their own hands.

• Let's continue with decking, now in the context of composite materials. This is the same decking board, only made from sawdust and composite resins, which makes decking an excellent material for paving. It is not afraid of moisture, tolerates temperature extremes, retains color and does not require processing. And also composite decking is cheaper than a natural decking board, it is easy to make a garden path from it with your own hands and simply operate it.
• Another modern material is plastic tiles for paths. They are different, they can imitate natural materials, but the most interesting form is in the form of a lattice. Despite their delicacy, such elements are used in parking lots, in campsites, in other places of active congestion of people and transport. They can be laid on the ground, sand, old paths, their only requirement for the base is a flat surface. Such gratings are not afraid of moisture, frost, heavy loads. Installation is carried out by hand, without tools: the tiles are snapped into the mount and the garden path is finished. The whole structure looks impressive when green grass breaks through the holes.
• And the third modern material is rubber coatings. The types can be different - and tiles, and paving stones, and in the form of a roll. There is also a way to fill the required area with a rubber compound, but it is not for self-production. The rubber coating is excellent in children's and sports areas, as well as in the wet parts of the garden - near a fountain, pool, pond. It is durable, different in shape and color, tolerates our climate well and even protects against ice in winter. This is an environmentally friendly coating.

I would also like to warn you against using tires for arranging tracks. Modern automotive rubber should be as wear-resistant as possible under extreme operating conditions, a lot of toxic components are added to it, tires are not recycled in vain in special places. Therefore, it is worthwhile to use car tires on the site with great care. Tires on contact with the ground poison it with carcinogens, plants die, and replacing the soil will cost a pretty penny.

The cheapest tracks

And in conclusion, ideas for garden paths made of unusual materials, which have quite a few drawbacks, but have their own areas of application.

Conclusion

I hope this review will give you an idea of \u200b\u200bthe variety of paving materials and help you make the best choice. And if you can't make up your mind, then try different paths - the paving slabs in the front area will not interfere with the wooden paths in the garden, and the rubber flooring on the playground does not contradict the gravel path in a secret corner of your garden. Combine boldly!

The cottage is used for gardening and recreation. For the convenience of moving around the site, transitions are needed that connect outbuildings, serve to divide the personal plot into functional zones, facilitate caring for the garden, transport gardening equipment and crops on a wheelbarrow, and allow you to walk around the territory of the dacha in any weather.

Nicely arranged paths are perceived as an aesthetic accent in landscape design. This part of the exterior is easy to do yourself, knowing the styling features and using the materials at hand. Consider the basic rules for arranging paths and try to be inspired by various design ideas in order to embody the ones you especially like in our local area.

What to consider when laying?

The tracks differ in purpose and material requirements. The location of the pedestrian paths is taken into account at the stage of site planning. On the plan, we draw functional zones: a garden, a vegetable garden, a courtyard, a utility block, an entrance area, the main house, buildings for pets and poultry. We connect them with the most convenient transitions. We choose either the shortest distance to the land use object, or the most aesthetic one, if it is a walking path. Often they use this technique: for one season they walk on bare ground and where the paths are trampled, there is the most convenient location.

Along the line of paths, paths are already being arranged.

It is necessary to take into account the landscape of the site. You may have to fill up the soil somewhere, and cut off an unnecessary hill in other places. Walking paths should be laid using uneven terrain. It is pleasant to go up the hill and see a sprawling garden or park. Designers prefer the turning effect: a straight section is replaced by a sharp turn, behind which there is either a beautiful gazebo, or a specially decorated corner of the garden, or a waterfall surrounded by a pond.

It is recommended to equip straight paths in economic zones for the efficiency of work in the garden or for the convenience of caring for a bird. In a garden or park area, winding natural lines are better perceived. The elongated narrow section can be visually expanded by placing the track along a sinusoid or zigzag across the territory. Straight paths going into the distance will visually lengthen the space of the cottage.

The path should not rest against the fence. It is better if it ends with an entrance to a building or a gate. You can equip the false gate with an arch entwined with flowers; it is not bad to place a bench in this arch, then the path will be logically justified and completed.

The list of mandatory works according to the technical requirements for arranging paths includes digging a trench, tamping the foundation with a bed of sand or gravel. Such a litter protects the path from subsidence of individual sections of the material and prevents overgrowing with grass.

The device of the track assumes the presence of drainage so that puddles do not form on the canvas. It is usually sufficient to make the edges slightly below the middle. In section, it looks like an arc. This will allow the water to drain from the center and the track will always be dry.

It is important that the track width is sufficient. The minimum width of the summer cottage track should be at least 80 centimeters so that a loaded wheelbarrow can be freely moved around the site for the necessary work.

The height of the path without the curb should be level with the ground, so it is more convenient to mow the grass and the path will always look neat.

The path protruding from the ground will not allow doing this, and the grass will have to be cut with a special hand tool separately, this is not always convenient.

Popular materials

The material chosen for the tracks is not slippery and resistant to temperature extremes in winter and summer. In the front area and in places of frequent visits, it is better to choose a more wear-resistant stone or tile; in the park area, you can give preference to sand, wood cuts, crushed bark.

Concrete

The most inexpensive and durable paths are made on a concrete base. To do this, a trench 15-20 centimeters deep is dug, a layer of crushed stone about 5 centimeters high is poured onto the bottom, a reinforcing mesh is laid, a layer of sand 5-7 cm is poured, a formwork is made from the lath and installed along the edges of the trench. Instead of formwork, if desired, you can immediately install curbs if they are planned initially, but such a path is strong enough without borders.

A cement slurry is prepared in the following proportions: for 1 part of cement, 1.5 parts of sand and 3 parts of gravel are needed, water is added slightly less than 1 part until a semi-liquid mass is formed. This mass is poured into the formwork, observing a slope from the center of the path to the edges for drainage. They are leveled to ground level. The track can be used in this form, but it is better to cover it with a film for 3-4 days to uniformly set the cement.

These tracks have increased strength, it is good to use them in the economic zone and in the area of \u200b\u200baccess roads. This material practically does not corrode, withstands heavy loads, but from an aesthetic point of view it looks somewhat monotonous.

For decoration, it is worth acquiring a mold for casting parts from cement and already with these elements lay out the track canvas.

Pebbles

If desired, decorate the surface of the path with various natural finishing materials that are in your area, for example, pebbles or shell rock. They can be pre-painted in a variety of exterior paint colors.

You can leave the stones in their natural form. You can buy pebbles, or you can collect them in the area, however, this will take time, but this way you will usefully spend time in nature. The decor is laid out either chaotically, or in the form of a pattern.

It is worth making a beautiful and utilitarian path at the dacha from fragments of unnecessary ceramic or faience tiles. It's good if these tiles are of different colors. Many have the remains of tiles after the repair, which are a pity to throw away, perhaps friends have a couple of tiles or cracked pieces. Everything is collected and formed like a mosaic. It's good if the pieces are of different sizes. The base is prepared, as in the first case, but fragments of the tile are pressed into the not yet solidified cement.

Such garden paths made of improvised material are durable, well insulate from moisture, are not destroyed by frost, and are a bright accent in the design of the cottage.

Plastic bottles

On a concrete base, decorative finishes are made from a variety of materials. If your family loves carbonated drinks, then do not throw away the bottles or collect the caps from them, you can ask for a plastic container for drinks at the nearest catering point. Various parts of plastic bottles are used for decoration.

The brightest and most beautiful paths can be made from multi-colored covers. It will take a long time to collect on a long summer trail, but everyone can arrange some areas with their own hands. The covers are pressed into the prepared concrete surface, placing them harmoniously in color.

Another way to decorate is as follows: the bottom of the bottle is cut off to a height of 5 - 8 centimeters and these glasses are buried in a concrete screed. Even if the plastic breaks off over time, a beautiful flower of frozen cement will remain on the surface.

For the device of the track, a whole plastic container is sometimes used. The bottle is filled with sand, placed in a dug trench with a sand cushion, the cracks between the bottles are filled with very fine gravel or sand. Glass bottles are also suitable for such purposes. Glass or plastic creates multi-colored reflections in the sun and has a very picturesque appearance.

The coating turns out to be unusual and elegant, children really like it.The plastic surface is always warm, but the payload is small and the material easily deteriorates from mechanical damage. The decor of the caps is well combined with the borders of the bottles installed upside down.

Brick

Remnants of bricks may be found in the country, they can also be used to build approaches to the house, shed, bathhouse.

The manufacturing technology of such a path is somewhat simpler than that of concrete.A trench is dug for a bed with a depth of 15 centimeters, a pillow of sand 5 centimeters thick is poured, rammed, bricks are laid on the sand, not forgetting to make a slope to the edges. They cover it with sand from above, spill it with water from a hose, after the sand settles, add it again, spill it again. This procedure is carried out until the sand fills all the cracks to the top of the bricks. The coating turns out to be very durable, frost-resistant, warms up well in summer, it is pleasant to walk on it barefoot. An important role here is played by sufficient tamping of the brick so that a flat surface is maintained and the edges of the bricks do not stick out of the canvas.

If there is a whole brick, it is laid out like inlaid parquet.

A budget option is to use broken brick. This may remain after repair work or be a waste of construction. Pieces of brick are carefully picked up over the chips and laid like a mosaic.

The option using bricks of different colors: white and red will look even more interesting. The coating looks aesthetically pleasing. Brick is one of the most resilient materials, but for driveways, of course, it is a fragile coating. But for pedestrian and bike paths, it will serve for many years.

Wood

Wooden paths are one of the most popular in summer cottages. It is an affordable and beautiful natural material. The natural wood surface attracts with the natural color and interweaving of wood grain, it can be tinted in various shades. In the summer heat, such a coating cools the feet, and in the cold it has a pleasant surface temperature. It is useful for children to play on wooden paths, they will not get dirty or catch a cold. The aesthetics of the wood flooring match the aesthetics of the natural style site.

Such paths are made of boards. A frame is built on supports from wooden or metal posts, boards are sewn onto it. The space between the ground and the covering is ventilated and prevents the tree from rotting. All wooden parts must be treated with an antiseptic.

In another embodiment, wooden sleepers are laid on a crushed stone pillow. A shallow trench is dug, filled with a layer of sand, the space between the boards is filled with stone. Here you can not make a clear boundary between gravel and forbs. It is a good idea to walk along such a path to a pond overgrown with sedge, to touch the branches of apple trees bent under the weight of apples.

The tree is usually the main element of the landscape composition.

However, a processed board is a rather expensive material, therefore, wood cuts are used much more often for the construction of paths. They can be of different sizes and heights from 8 to 15 centimeters. The installation technology is quite simple: a trench 20 centimeters deep is dug, a sand cushion is compacted, hemp is installed and the gaps between them are covered with crushed stone, pebbles, sand. Wood cuts give an intricate pattern of wood rings, are environmentally friendly, inexpensive, easily replaced when destroyed.

Wood of any tree can be used, but it requires treatment with means to protect it from moisture.

Car tires

The rubber coating from car tires is practically not exposed to environmental influences. The easiest and most practical tracks are obtained from trimmed tires, the straight part is straightened and laid directly on the ground. Such paths, if necessary, can be moved to another place, they are irreplaceable in the garden for the passage between the beds or in areas intended for keeping pets.

Other means

In some areas there is an overabundance of any natural material that can form the basis for garden paths. If there is a coniferous forest near you, you can probably collect bark there. This material, poured in a thick layer, is quite durable, has a beautiful texture, it passes moisture well, remaining dry, and if the coverage area fails, it can be easily replaced with fresh bark. The manufacturing technology of such a track is very simple - a trench is set up with a depth of 10-15 centimeters, a layer of sand is poured and compacted, and the rest of the space is filled with bark with a layer of about 10 centimeters.

More resistant to moisture and carrying a large payload is a crushed stone or sand coating. The arrangement technology is the same as in the first case, only fine gravel, gravel or sand is poured instead of bark. With the correct equipment of the pillow, such paths serve for many years, but it is better to protect them with curbs.

Perhaps there are cobblestones nearby. The paths from them have a fabulous look, are durable and adorn the landscape of the site. For the construction of such paths, stones are placed in the trench on a sand cushion with the flat side up so that the surface is as even as possible. The gaps are filled with sand or fine gravel.

The first thing that meets us behind the country gate is the garden path leading to the porch. From it in all directions: to the bathhouse, and to the garden, and to the garage - similar paths and paths run up. It is always more pleasant to walk on a solid, well-groomed surface, especially when the grass is damp from rain or clay soil is around. Let's forget about designers and try to make garden paths with our own hands, but for this you only need a desire and building material, affordable and inexpensive.

There are no so many classifications - both by material for manufacture, and by location, and by size. We will take a division into views based on the device method.

Garden trails

This is a natural view as the paths appear on their own without special planning. Usually they are trampled by people's feet or rammed by the wheels of garden equipment and serve to connect the most important points of the site - a house, a bathhouse, a vegetable garden, a garden, a gate. The usual unpaved path has disadvantages (mud after rain, puddles, overgrown with grass), so it is possible only as a temporary option. The path, by the way, can also be improved: it is enough to lay out a curb of cobblestones or paving slabs along the edges.

Garden trails are ideal for areas located in dry areas

Backfill paths

They are easy to arrange: a ditch should be dug, about 100 mm deep, geotextiles should be laid along the bottom and edges (density not less than 150 g / m²), and the sides should be reinforced with curb tape. It will remain on the finished base to fill in pebbles, crushed stone, marble chips or screenings. If this option seems simple, you can additionally lay stone or concrete slabs on the surface - in an orderly or chaotic manner. For ease of movement, the slabs should be drowned in the backfill so that they are flush with the surface.

Having picked up gravel or crushed stone of different colors, you can decorate the paths or divide them into zones

Solid fill tracks

The durable cover is ideal for heavy loads. Paving of garden paths takes place on a concrete base with further laying on it of decorative elements: tiles, paving stones, natural stone. The use of materials of different colors gives the decor a natural look. It is better if the finished object will rise 50-70 mm above the ground - this will save it from erosion by water and soil sediments.

Slab or stone paths laid on a concrete base are reliable and durable

Use of wood cuts and bars in work

A budget and favorite option for summer residents is wooden garden paths. The most popular are two types:

• using wooden blocks;
• from wood cuts.

If the climate is dry rather than humid, you can use wooden planks or thick planks, which are easy to obtain in any building supermarket. Better to stay on solid woods. Equal segments are cut (100 cm long, 30 cm wide and 15-20 cm thick) and placed on a prepared base - gravel or sand.

Each bar should be treated with fuel oil or a special compound that protects against moisture and decay. For the same purpose, liquid asphalt is applied to the underground part of the bar, and sometimes a standard sand cushion is arranged. It is better to lay such combined coatings in the fall, since in the winter time the soil subsides, due to which natural compaction occurs.

For paths made of wooden blocks, it is better to use fine gravel or crushed stone

Using cuts of different sizes and colors, you can create unique track variations

Old fallen trees in the country are a real find for craftsmen. By sawing the trunks into pieces, from the resulting elements - cuts - you can make wooden garden paths that look equally good when crossing the lawn or winding among flower beds. Not only trunks will be used, but also thick branches, with cuts from which it is convenient to fill the voids between large elements.

Screening strengthens the individual elements, and the geotextile protects the path from grass germination

In order for wooden products to serve for a long time, they must be treated with hot linseed oil on all sides, it is better to repeat the procedure twice. A piece of geotextile or polyethylene is placed between the saw cut and the ground.

A short master class on laying paving slabs

With the help of pictures and descriptions, you can imagine how to make - noble and durable material.

Irregularly shaped paving slabs look more natural than straight ones

For work you will need:

• wooden mallet;
• rubber hammer;
• stakes;
• master OK;
• building level;
• cord;
• rake;
• broom;
• watering hose;
• channel;
• manual ramming.

Materials: paving slabs (50 mm or 60 mm thick), curbstone, crushed stone (fractions 20-50), dry mix for plaster or cement M400 (M500), sand, geotextile.

Now we will consider all the stages of the work. The first step is planning. It includes creating a drawing, choosing a stacking scheme and shape of curly elements, choosing a color (or several colors). At the same time, they calculate the number of tiles (including spare) and the consumption of the rest of the material.

There are many schemes for laying paving slabs based on the alternation of products of different colors.

Next, we do the markup. Precision of action is one of the conditions for correct styling. A tape measure, pegs and a cord will help define the boundaries of the work. Sometimes it is necessary to walk along the proposed path in order to understand how it is more convenient to lay it.

For the device of a path from paving slabs, the accuracy of the marking and the sequence of work are important.

After marking, it is necessary to prepare the base. First you need to cut the top layer - sod to a depth of 20 cm. If the soil is clayey, drainage will help. Then you should create a sand or gravel cushion and cement (concrete) screed.

A multi-layer base under the tiles is necessary so that the track is strong, does not settle and does not wash out with water

Geotextiles can be laid between layers of sand and gravel, making the structure more durable. The top layer is a dry mix purchased from a store, or a self-prepared mixture of sand and cement. A layer of mixture (3-4 cm) should be leveled with a rake and a channel.

An even distribution of the cement mixture is carried out using a conventional garden rake.

The channel for leveling the surface can be replaced with a regular wooden beam

Now we are laying the tiles. Laying direction - away from you, so as not to spoil the base. Products should fit tightly, but with a gap of 1-2 mm. Each tile must be tamped with a wooden mallet. Finally, check with a level and trim with a rubber mallet. First, the whole elements are laid, and only at the end the paving slabs are cut and the missing pieces are laid.

For high-quality laying of paving slabs, simple tools are needed - a rubber hammer and a wooden mallet

For ease of laying, first of all, whole products are placed, leaving voids at the edges

The voids along the curb are filled with pieces of tiles of the required size

A border is laid along the edges, fixed with M100 solution and covered with sand. The seams between the individual elements are covered with a sand-cement mixture, which is then moistened with water from a hose. Add the mixture to the places where it has subsided and repeat the watering. After 2-3 days, the track will be finally ready.

DIY cement paths

7-part video instruction for working with ready-made forms

Natural stone paths: durability for centuries

Spectacular garden paths made of stone can be made from material left over from the construction of a house or home decor, for example, an alpine slide. The picturesque paths are created by the uneven shape and different size of the stones.

Stones of different sizes and colors are suitable to create a beautiful path.

The first step is to calculate the number of large stones. To do this, they can be laid along the future path. The basis for laying is a cushion of sand poured into a shallow ditch directly on the ground.

It may be necessary to process the stones to join them. A grinder or a more serious tool will help. There are two ways to arrange the finished material: in the form of a pattern (relief, mosaic) or in a chaotic manner, alternating large stones with smaller ones. If you do not hammer the joints between the stones with a cement mixture, after a while they will be overgrown with grass. This option is also possible, it looks more natural.

The diagram shows the approximate thickness of each layer, which should be adhered to during installation.

A combination of different types of stones and plants - an example of a path suitable for a Mediterranean-style site

Stone paths and paths are appropriate when creating a landscape painting of any style.

A modern touch - the use of plastic modules

If there is no time to build a solid stone or tiled covering, but there is a desire to quickly install paths in the garden with your own hands, you can use a temporary option - garden plastic paths. Ready-made modules, most often the same size and color, are sold in the store.

The color of the plastic modules is chosen depending on the area on which they will be laid. Most often these are green or black products.

In addition to the low cost, plastic tracks have other advantages:

• retain their shape and appearance for a long time, wear out slowly;
• have holes so that water does not accumulate and go into the ground, that is, they do not form puddles and do not create a smell;
• plastic is practically not rotting;
• do not require constant care and attention, they are well cleaned and washed with water from a hose;
• resistant to chemical attack;
• quickly assembled and assembled according to the principle of a constructor;
• they are equally easy to fit on any base - sand, turf, clay.

At the end of the summer cottage, plastic modules are dismantled, washed, dried and stacked in a utility room until next year.

Plastic paths are a good option for creating temporary paths on lawns

Paths at the summer cottage are created not only for practical use, but also for decorating the territory

In addition to the listed options, there are other types of garden paths - brick, from parquet boards, from concrete blocks, as well as all kinds of combined options. The basic rule for choosing material for the track: it should be combined in texture and color with the house and other buildings.