Pave the sidewalk yourself

First of all, of course, you have to mark out the paths, think carefully about where he or she should lead. Then comes a difficult task, the matching stones must be found. The selection is so large that some prospective buyers are simply overwhelmed. It is not uncommon for the price to decide on the purchase whether concrete blocks, clinker or natural stone are used. In any case, the stones should fit into the overall picture. Clinker stones for the paths also go well with the clinker house, while concrete paving often looks best with the new, hypermodern houses with a minimalist garden. Only natural stone usually goes well with half-timbered houses, as does the obligatory natural or cottage garden.

What stones for sidewalks in the garden

There are basically three materials to choose from: concrete block, natural stone and clinker. All three have advantages and disadvantages.

concrete pavers

Concrete pavers are more popular than ever. They impress with their price (not always) and the large selection of shapes, colours, sizes and surface forms. Her looks have improved a lot in recent years. It is not uncommon for them to look so similar to natural stones that you only realize at second or third glance that they are not "real" at all. Concrete pavers are industrially manufactured. So they are all the same, have exactly the same dimensions. That makes it so easy to lay this pavement. It is easy to get even joints, which is important for the appearance of paving work. The easiest to lay are concrete paving stones that have knobs or spacers on the sides. You don't even have to pay attention to the same distances here. You just lay stone by stone.

• Good value for money
• Long service life – resulting in high cost-effectiveness
• Very slippery when wet
• Numerous shapes, colours, sizes and surface finishes (by grinding, blasting, structuring and washing) on ​​offer
• Good look
• Less wear and tear
• Quiet running noise (also driving noise)
• Highly resilient
• Fade Resistant
• Rainwater can seep away well

Concrete consists primarily of natural raw materials, namely cement (ground limestone, clay or other sedimentary rock), small stones and water. The stone, frowned upon as artificially produced, is not really an industrial object. This is also proven by its good ecological balance. Add to that the usually lower price than other stones and it is easy to understand why concrete paving is so widely used.

clinker and bricks

Clay pavers are particularly popular in areas that do not have natural quarries. This is mainly the case in northern Germany. The reddish stones also go very well with the clinker house facades, which are extremely popular there. Bricks usually have a light red color and are quite soft, open-pored and not quite as frost-resistant as clinker, which is due to the fact that they are not fired as hot. Clinkers, on the other hand, are produced at around 1,200 °C. The temperatures ensure that the pores close and the stones cannot absorb water. This makes them frost-resistant and durable.
Both paving stones are not common as with concrete blocks, all the same in shape and size. The slight manufacturing tolerances prevent seamless laying. The variety of shapes is also not nearly as great as with concrete, but also with natural stones. Usually there are only square, rectangular and mosaic pavements.

• Typical reddish stones
• Less variety of shapes
• Bricks are not frost-resistant and absorb water
• Clinker very robust and hardy
• Usually more expensive than normal concrete blocks
• Clinker very resistant, can get old
• Extremely resistant to chemical stress
• Some bricks become slippery when wet (note when buying)
• Stains from fat (grilling). You can see sunscreen and the like immediately and they hardly ever go away
• Clinkers heat up a lot when exposed to sunlight and then give off the heat for hours

natural stone paving

Natural stones are the oldest and most durable of all stones, although there are exceptions. They keep their appearance for decades and hardly need any maintenance. As with concrete paving, there are countless laying and combination options. Natural stone is very versatile, robust, durable and natural.

• Absolutely colourfast
• Durability depends on the material itself
• Granite, porphyry and basalt - very durable
• Sandstone - delicate and not so durable, easily picks up dirt and stains
• Cracked paving stones and slabs - the cheapest, but more difficult to lay
• Usually highly abrasion-resistant
• Resistant to stains and easy to clean
• Good infiltration of rainwater due to different stone sizes
• Higher slip resistance
• Numerous sizes, shapes and colors – versatile in design

City or municipality templates

Development plans may prescribe path coverings. This mostly has to do with environmental protection. Most of the time, the covering has to be water-permeable, which makes sense. There are special paving stones made of aerated concrete or clay. The non-permeable stones can be equipped with recesses, holes and spacers to also become water-permeable. There are many options and it doesn't always have to be much more expensive.

Pave the sidewalk yourself

There are a few things to consider when paving, so that the path is still level even after years and can withstand severe frost. It mainly depends on the substructure. The colder it can get in your area in winter, the deeper the substructure has to be. He is also responsible for stability. Before you start with the preparations, you should choose a laying pattern. If you are paving for the first time, you should opt for a simple and functional pattern, e.g. B. the row bond or the herringbone pattern. It is better to set accents with different colors than with complicated patterns.
Are needed:

• Paving stones, curbs, sand, concrete
• Spade, shovel, borrow a mini excavator if there is a lot of space, tape measure, vibrator, broom, wheelbarrow, rake, rubber mallet, spirit level, plumb line, stone cutter (to borrow)

Substructure for the sidewalk

The substructure is extremely important for the subsequent installation. It consists of layers of gravel, crushed stone and sand. The depth of the substructure depends on the regional and climatic conditions. It is important that layers of soil that are not stable, such as clay or topsoil, are removed until stable soil is reached. But first the path has to be marked out and measured so that you can calculate how much material is needed. A true-to-scale drawing of the path is most suitable, on which samples can then be tried out. The path is marked out with wooden stakes and string. It is important that the cord is attached at a uniform height. Then the excavation can begin. If you don't have to dig deep and long, the spade is sufficient. Otherwise, a small excavator is a great help. For about. You can borrow it for 100 euros per day. As a rule, it is sufficient to dig the earth 30 to 35 cm deep. You should only go a little deeper in mountainous areas and, of course, if the sidewalk is to be driven on. It is important that the substrate is stable and no longer settles. This is achieved by solidifying everything properly with the vibrator. You can also borrow this device.

travel limitation

In order to give the paved sidewalk support and stability, the side edges are limited. This looks good and prevents the cobblestones from slipping sideways and the path getting out of joint. To make everything durable, it is advisable to set the curbs in a concrete foundation. The layer should be at least 10 to 20 cm thick. The edging stones are set directly into the strip foundation and tapped with a rubber mallet to the height and position so that they just end with the taut cord. The concrete is then filled laterally to form so-called back skirts and shaped so that the curb stone is fixed in the concrete to about a third of its height. Now the concrete has to harden (observe the manufacturer's instructions!) before you can proceed further.

bedding

After the concrete has hardened, the base course for the paving can be tackled. This is important so that rainwater can seep away quickly and completely. Suitable materials are gravel and crushed stone. It is important to create a slope of about 2% right away. The gravel or crushed stone layer should be 10 to 30 cm thick, depending on the excavation depth. Do not fill in the entire filling layer at once, but only a few centimeters at a time and then compact it again and again with the vibrator, layer by layer. This is the only way to ensure that the stones do not slide together later and the path becomes uneven. If gravel and/or crushed stone is compacted, there is a 4 to 5 cm layer of sand on top. In the case of eco-friendly or drainable coverings, it is better to use fine chippings (grain size 2 to 5 mm). In order for this layer to be applied at the exact height (note the incline), the covering should be removed. It is best to have two metal rails embedded in the floor for this purpose. Then a wooden or aluminum decal plate is pulled over the two laid metal rails.
Do not step on the surface again after peeling off!

Lay paving stones

Now the paving stones are laid one after the other in the prepared bed. You work from where you moved to the front. The first row of stones should be laid at the lowest boundary line and perpendicular to the boundary surface. A taut cord or straightedge helps to check that the rows of stones are aligned. Leave a joint width of 3 to 5 mm between the stones. Hit the stones lightly with a rubber mallet. Always follow the string so that the height is even. In any case, keep to the slope so that the water can run off later. Use the spirit level to check again and again that everything is correct. If the pattern ends on the side in such a way that a whole stone doesn't fit anymore, one has to be cut for it. Stone crackers or stone cutters, which can be borrowed again, are suitable for this. If you don't want to cut, you have to create the pattern in such a way that this is not necessary. For cutting, the cut edge must be marked on the stone. Then the stone is placed in the device and divided. The cracker is not suitable for thick stones and long clean cutting edges, the stone cutter is better for that. But it makes a lot of noise and dirt. Once all the stones have been placed, the entire surface is shaken off again and thus compacted.

fill joints

Sand or sand is used to fill the joints. Joint chippings distributed on the paved path and swept into the joint cracks with a broom. When it comes to large stones, grit is the better choice because it increases the area’s ability to seep and simply makes the joints more permeable. If you don't want to wait for rain to compact the sand (gravel) in the joints, you should grab a water hose and do it yourself. After that, more sand has to be distributed and brushed in. These two steps are repeated until the joints are completely filled.

• Quartz sand is suitable for white joints and basalt sand for dark joints.
• Curable joint filler can be used to prevent leaching and weed growth. It is important to choose the right variety. It must be tailored to the conditions of use, stone properties, joint width and the substructure used.
• In order to achieve a visually balanced color image on the laid surface, stones from several stone packs should always be laid alternately.

Conclusion

Laying a sidewalk with paving stones yourself is not difficult. The right substructure is important. Also, one should not pick a complicated pattern, at least as a beginner in the field. In order for the path to endure, a lateral boundary is recommended. This is the only way the stones stay in their bed and durability is guaranteed.

Learn more about garden path - paths in the garden