Making a dry-laid stone walk

Step 1

LAY OUT THE PATH

Lay out the boundaries and slope of the walk using batterboards, stakes, and mason’s line. Cut the sod along the edge of the walk with an edger and slip a spade under the sod. Press the handle down near the ground and remove the sod by kicking the back of the spade. Dig deeper, removing enough soil to accommodate a 6-inch base plus the thickness of an average stone.

Step 2

FILL THE BED WITH GRAVEL AND SAND

Measure down from the mason’s line to make sure the surface follows the intended slop of the walk. Fill the excavated area with 2 inches of gravel, then tamp with a power tamper. Add another 2 inches and tamp again until you have 4 inches of tamped gravel. Cover with landscape fabric. Spread 2 inches of bedding sand over the landscape fabric. If you need more than one piece of landscape fabric, overlap the sheets 12 to 18 inches.

Step 3

MAKE A TRIAL LAYOUT

Lay out the stones for the walk on the ground next to the excavation-this leaves the sand-and-gravel bed undisturbed while you cut and fit stones. A gap of ½ inch between stones is ideal. When you need to cut a stone, mark the cut with a carpenter’s pencil, making the cut as straight as possible.

Step 4

MAKE CUTS WITH A BRICK CHISEL

Put a brick chisel on the pencil line and strike it what a 3-pound sledgehammer. Score along the entire line this way. Then place the line directly above the edge of the piece of wood. Sever the piece with a single, solid blow. Place the stones in position on the sand-and-gravel bed. Embed each one in the sand by tapping it with a rubber mallet until it is flush with the adjacent ground.

Step 5

CHECK FOR FLAT

Stone walks are never perfectly flat, but check for high and low spots by placing a straight 2x4 across the length and width of the walk. Set a high stone with a tap of the mallet or by removing sand from beneath it. Add sand under the low stones. Once you’ve laid all the stones, sweep mason’s sand into the joints with a stiff brush or broom. Since you can’t use a power tamper on uneven surfaces such as natural stone, mist the surface with water. Continue adding sand and misting until the joints are filled to the level of the stones.

Source: http://diy.homedepot.ca