Transform A Dirt Path Into A Quaint Cobblestone Pathway
If raised vegetable beds were added to opposite sides of a dirt path that borders your back yard and you enjoy tending to your vegetable plants, but find conditions less than savory after heavy rains because the dirt path turns to mud, installing a cobblestone pathway will not only prevent puddling but will also add appeal to your property. Use the steps below to create a quaint looking cobblestone surface that will require little maintenance.
Supplies You Will Need:
- tape measure
- metal posts
- grub hoe
- wheelbarrow or cart
- steel tamper
- cobblestone blocks
- joint grout
- long stick
- soft cloth
Use A Grub Hoe To Dig Through Packed Dirt
After the soil between the raised beds has had plenty of time to dry, head outdoors and inspect the pathway between the raised beds. Use your hands or a rake to collect fallen debris. Use the tip of a metal grub hoe to dig through the top layer of dirt that the pathway is constructed of. The hoe needs to break through a depth of a few inches. Use a spade to collect the loosened soil and deposit the soil in a wheelbarrow or cart so that all of the soil can be wheeled away. Use a steel tamper to compress and level the base of the pathway.
Install Cobblestone Blocks And Use Grout To Fill Joints
Use the measurements of the pathway to assist with obtaining plenty of cobblestone blocks to complete the project. When viewing blocks at a landscaping retailer, consider the colors of the plants that are growing in the raised vegetable beds to assist with purchasing cobblestone products that will be complimentary to the crops growing in the beds. After you have brought a load of blocks back to your property, begin to line the blocks up next to each other in one end of the pathway.
Take your time to align the blocks so that adjacent sides of blocks are even. Use the steel tamper to press the blocks firmly against the pathway's soil base. If you have decided to purchase cobblestone blocks that are a few different colors, create an alluring pattern with the blocks by alternating colors as you add the blocks to the pathway's base.
Purchase a bag of sand grout mix and pour grout mix into a plastic bucket. Add water to the grout and stir the grout mix until the grout is soft and pliable. Use a trowel to add grout to joints. Before grout begins to harden, use a wet, soft cloth to wipe off the top of each cobblestone block that grout spilled onto when you were filling joints. Visit a site like http://harristone.com/ for more help.