How to lay a garden path

Inspired by the Wickes how-to series. This guide draws on the popular "How to Lay a Path" tutorial from the Wickes YouTube channel, which walks through the process of laying a slab or gravel path from start to finish. Particularly useful for seeing the sub-base compaction and pointing stages in action before you start digging.

1. Plan the route and mark it out

Use two parallel string lines and pegs to mark the edges of the path. A standard garden path is 900 mm wide — wide enough for a wheelbarrow and comfortable to walk with a garden bag. Narrower than 750 mm starts to feel mean.

Think about the fall: a path should slope very slightly to one side or away from the house — around 1 in 60 — so water runs off rather than pooling on the surface. Mark this into your string lines before you start digging.

2. Excavate to depth

For a paved slab path you need roughly 150 mm of depth: about 100 mm for the sub-base and 50 mm for the mortar bed plus slab thickness. Mark the sides with a spade and remove the turf and topsoil within the string lines.

Dig a little deeper than you think you need. Topsoil is forgiving; subsoil is your real foundation. Once you are into firm, undisturbed ground, you are at the right depth. In Kent the clay subsoil can be quite sticky — if it is waterlogged, allow it to dry before compacting.

3. Compact the sub-base

Spread a layer of Type 1 MOT hardcore or compacted hardcore to a depth of around 100 mm. Rake it roughly level and compact it with a plate compactor. Hire one from a local tool hire firm — hand tamping is slow and leaves a softer result that settles unevenly.

Re-check the level and the cross-fall after compacting. The sub-base sets the shape of the finished path, so correcting the level here is much easier than fighting it with the mortar later.

4. Set a string line for the finished level

Set a new string line at the finished height of the path surface, accounting for the slab thickness plus a 30–50 mm mortar bed. Check this against any adjacent surfaces — a path that finishes proud of a lawn edge will catch every mower blade.

A spirit level on a long batten is your friend here. A 10 mm fall across a 900 mm width gives you that 1 in 90 drainage gradient without being noticeable underfoot.

5. Lay slabs on a mortar bed

Mix mortar at roughly 1 part cement to 5 parts sharp sand, or use a bag of path paving mortar. Apply it in a 40–50 mm bed, using the five-spot method (one blob at each corner and one in the centre) or a continuous bed for heavier slabs.

Lower each slab gently onto the mortar and tap down with a rubber mallet until it sits at the string-line level. Check level and fall with a spirit level across two slabs after each one is laid. Use 10 mm plastic spacers to keep joints consistent — uniform gaps make the pointing look much neater at the end.

6. Cut edge slabs to fit

Where slabs need cutting at the edges or around obstacles, score a line with an angle grinder and a diamond disc, then break cleanly on the scored line. For anything more than a straight cut, an angle grinder with a careful hand or a hired slab cutter gives the cleanest result.

Always wear eye protection and a dust mask when cutting slabs. Concrete dust is not kind to lungs, especially on a dry, windy day. A quick wetting of the cut line reduces dust significantly.

7. Point the joints

Allow the mortar bed to go off for at least 24 hours before pointing. Mix a slightly drier pointing mortar (1:3 cement to sharp sand) and press it into the joints with a pointing trowel, finishing with a profile jointer or a rounded stick.

Keep mortar off the slab faces as much as you can. Cement staining on natural stone or textured concrete slabs is stubborn to shift. Brush off any smears while still damp with a soft brush, not after they have dried.

When to call a handyman

Call Richard if the path is long, if the ground is heavily sloped, if there are drainage channels or edging kerbs to set, or if you simply do not want to spend a weekend digging in Kent clay. Path laying is rewarding but heavy going on your own.