How to create a garden path

The first choice is the material on top of the path:

• Gravel path: Firm, durable and easy to walk on and push a wheelbarrow over. The right gravel binds together and forms a hard surface. Suitable for main paths, entrances and paths with heavy use.
• Mulch path: Soft, natural and quick to lay. Perfect for woodland and wildlife gardens and for smaller paths between beds. It does, however, need topping up at regular intervals.

Mark out the route of the path with string or marker spray before you start digging. Walk the route a few times and see whether it feels natural.

• Width: 60-80 cm is enough for one person. If two people need to walk side by side or you need to use a wheelbarrow, the path should be 100-120 cm wide.
• Drainage: Give the path a slight fall to one side, or make it slightly higher in the middle, so that rainwater runs off and does not form puddles.
• Edging: Edging made of e.g. steel, timber or cobbles keeps the material in place and gives crisp, neat lines.

1. Dig out: Remove turf and topsoil to a depth of approx. 15-20 cm. If the path needs to withstand heavy traffic, you can dig a little deeper.
2. Fit edging: Install the edging along both sides of the path.
3. Lay weed barrier: A weed barrier at the bottom prevents the sub-base from mixing with the soil beneath and keeps weeds away. Let the fabric overlap by at least 10-20 cm at the joints.
4. Lay the sub-base: Spread 10-15 cm of road base and compact it with a plate compactor. This gives a firm and stable base.
5. Lay the top gravel: Spread 3-5 cm of top gravel evenly with a rake.
6. Water and compact: Water the surface and compact again. The moisture helps the clay and stone dust in the gravel to bind, so the surface becomes hard.

For the top layer, choose a gravel containing stone dust and clay so that it binds and forms a firm surface. Here are some of the most popular choices:

• Pathway Gravel is developed specifically for paths in gardens, parks and grounds. It is a clay-rich gravel that binds together well.
• Royal Gravel consists of small stones, stone dust and a large proportion of clay and becomes very hard once laid. It is therefore often used in parks and cemeteries with heavy footfall.
• Noble Gravel contains more than 60 % crushed material plus stone dust and gives an attractive, durable result on paths, roads and courtyards.
• Clay Road Gravel contains both small stones, which ensure good drainage, and plenty of clay, which binds the gravel together particularly well.

1. Dig out: Remove turf and topsoil to a depth of approx. 10 cm.
2. Lay weed barrier: The fabric keeps weeds down and prevents the mulch from mixing with the soil.
3. Spread mulch: Spread 8-10 cm of mulch evenly. Bark mulch gives a dark, exclusive look, wood chips are an affordable and natural choice, and Forest Mulch is a blend of bark and wood chips that gives a natural look.
4. Fit edging: Edging along the path prevents the mulch from spreading into the beds.

• Gravel path: Rake the surface level as needed, and fill holes and dips with a little new top gravel. Water and compact the areas you have filled.
• Mulch path: Mulch breaks down slowly, so expect to top up with a layer of a few centimetres every 1-2 years.
• Weeds: Remove weeds while they are small. Find more advice in our guide to weed control.

Calculate the area (length × width) and multiply by the layer depth in metres. For example, a path 15 metres long and 1 metre wide with 12 cm of road base needs 15 × 1 × 0.12 = 1.8 m³ = 1,800 litres, while 4 cm of top gravel needs 0.6 m³ = 600 litres. Add 10-20 % extra to the road base, as it is compressed.

Use our quantity calculator if you would like help with the calculation.