DIY paths in the garden made of concrete slabs. Garden paths made of concrete slabs - techniques for making and laying concrete stone Large concrete slabs for paths

A garden driveway or walking path made of concrete is a common element personal plot or dachas. In addition to aesthetic functions, concrete paths are needed to conveniently move around open ground, but on a hard, clean surface. They are often made by hand.

Material, tools

Concrete is one of the most practical and durable materials: it can be given any shape, color, textured surface, it does not crack, does not crumble, and is frost- and water-resistant. For kneading you will need the following materials:

• water, cement and sand;
• gravel, crushed stone, pebbles;
• stones or decorative elements;
• pigment (if you need to add color) and plastic film (several m2).

You will also need a wide range of tools:

• concrete mixer or container for mixing the solution;
• a sieve for sifting sand or a container for washing it;
• shovel, stirring paddle, boards or formwork;
• hammer, nails for creating formwork;
• rubber hammer, stakes and cords for marking;
• long rule, building level;
• tamper, trolley, trowel, buckets;
• grinder, steel sheet, reinforcement, steel mesh or fiber;
• knee pads, gloves.

Some tools and devices may not be needed. For example, if the sand is clean, there is no need for a sieve.

General requirements

The correct foundation structure has great importance. So, for clay soils and with heavy loads, they recommend a base depth of about 50 cm and a sand cushion of 30 cm. For heavy soil, a sand-gravel mixture of 30 cm is suitable, in which the sand layer should be 15 cm. Each layer of gravel and crushed stone , sand is well compacted and watered.

The bottom of the trench is compacted and geotextiles are laid. It is also laid between layers - this increases the strength of the base and its service life, since the material is specially created for construction in conditions permafrost. It is very strong and prevents sand from being washed away, subsidence, prevents the growth of weeds and allows moisture to pass through well.

For paths made of concrete slabs, take sand with a fraction of 0–7 mm for the base, pour it in a layer of 5–7 mm and level it. If you need to make gaps of 2–3 cm between the plates, then they are filled with fine-grained sand, it is compacted and spilled with water. Concrete paths must have a slope so that water does not linger on them. To do this, make a base with a slightly convex profile - it is enough to make a slope of 1-2 cm per 1 m of the track axis. They also make special drainage. To determine the size of the steps, there is a rule: two heights of the steps plus the depth are equal to a step of 60–70 cm. The path can be created from 40x40 cm slabs at a step distance between the centers of the slabs.

Track creation process

Let us describe the standard scheme for creating a track and the consumption of materials. The parameters of the base and solution vary depending on the soil of the site.

Preparing the base

Concrete must be placed correctly, that is, on a sand and gravel layer. Although sometimes, when there are sandy soils, they are simply laid on a well-compacted pillow, and the consumption of materials is reduced. They start working by creating markup. Pegs are driven in along the perimeter of the future path and the cord is pulled. The top layer of soil is removed. For pedestrian paths, 20 cm is enough, if cars will drive along it - 30 cm, for heavy and loamy soils - 40 cm. Then geotextiles are laid on the bottom and slopes.

Half of the trench is filled with sand. If there are several layers, then a third. In any case, it is desirable for the sand layer to be at least 5 cm. It is compacted well and spilled with water. The ideal option is to deepen the trench and use several layers: sand/gravel (crushed stone)/sand. Each layer is covered with geotextiles.

If there are several layers, then the next one should be gravel. Take crushed stone with a fraction of 10–20 mm, which must be well compacted. In order to correctly concrete a path, its dimensions or slabs in m2 and the approximate proportions and consumption of concrete components are calculated.

Mold for concrete slabs, formwork

Special ones are sold for making slabs with your own hands. plastic molds. If they don’t exist, you can do it yourself. The slabs are often made square with sides of 30–50 cm. For them, wooden forms are created from bars with a cross-section of 50×50 and sheets of steel. In total, their volume should be equal to concrete per batch. The bars are knocked down with nails, polished from the inside and applied oil paint- this way the plate will not get stuck.

A simplified manufacturing method: a mold without a bottom on a plane covered with film. Concrete walkways can be made using formwork, a temporary wooden structure that is molded into mortar. It is made from a board 15–20 mm wide, which is equal to the height of the track. The path should be slightly higher than the ground (4–5 cm) and sloped 1 cm in one or two directions.

The boards are fixed along the edges of the trench - they are pressed against the walls and attached to the marking pegs; the latter should be on the outside. The edge of the boards at the bottom is fixed with pegs, and the top with transverse jumpers; they are nailed to the edges from above - this will prevent the structure from expanding.

It is necessary to separate the slabs - too large ones will crack. To do this, dividers are installed every 1.5 meters: metal plates, siding scraps, wooden or plastic strips. If they need to be removed, then before installation they are lubricated with any lubricant (used machine oil).

Calculation of the amount of concrete

The calculation is done using this technology. The area of ​​one slab is determined (in m2). The value in m2 is multiplied by its height. The result is multiplied by the required number of slabs. When filling a site with a single mass, the area in m2 is multiplied by the thickness of the fill. If the slabs are laid with gaps, then 5–10% is subtracted from the result.

The standard width of a path in a country house will be 0.8 m with a thickness of 5–7 cm; for a path under a car you need 3 m with a thickness of 10 cm. Taking this into account, it is easy to calculate that for 1 linear meter of a pedestrian path the mixture consumption is 0.5 m3, for a path under a car, consumption is 0.3 m3 of concrete. It follows that 1 m3 of solution is enough for 20 m2 of a pedestrian path or 3.3 m2 for a car.

Composition calculation

Measure out the ingredients and proportions in buckets. A standard bag of cement has 50 kg or 38 liters. The best water consumption will be in the proportion of 1 part water to 4 cement, but as you stir, you can add a little to the composition more water for better ductility. Solution and ingredient consumption for paths without heavy loads (regular path on a patio, in a country house): ½.5/4 (cement/sand/gravel). In buckets, the proportion will look like this (per 1 m3 of mixture): 18 – cement (4.7 bags), 45 – sand, gravel – 70.

Car path: 1/1.5/2.5 (cement/sand/gravel). Consumption in buckets: 28 (or 7.3 bags)/40/70. A plasticizer is also added, for example, SP-1, a dye (1–2% by weight of the solution). There is another composition for a solution of durable concrete:

• cement M500 and above – 1 part;
• sand – 3 parts;
• crushed stone – 1 part;
• water repellent additives.

Kneading

If you have a small concrete mixer, it simplifies the work. If it is not there or the amount of concrete is small, you can mix it manually. Concreting of paths is carried out in several stages. To mix the solution you need a trough, a steel box or just a flat asphalt area, a sheet of iron. You can use a construction mixer or a hammer drill with an attachment.

This technology is standard. First, gravel and sand are mixed, then cement is added - a gray mass is obtained. A depression is made at its top and water is slowly poured in (half the calculated volume), raking the dry mixture from the edges into the middle. The mixture will become moist. Then they make a hole at the top again and pour out some of the water. Do this several times until the composition reaches the desired consistency.

To make the mortar, cement of a grade no lower than M300 is recommended. It is best to use river sand - it is clean. It is advisable to rinse the quarry and filter through a sieve. Crushed stone can be 10–20 mm in size, the best is granite, it is frost-resistant and durable. For heavy loads, a large fraction of 40 mm is suitable.

The thicker the composition, the stronger the concrete, but then it needs to be compacted well. An excellent solution would be to add a plasticizer - it will make rigid concrete more plastic and fluid with less water consumption, which makes it less durable. This solution will fill all the cracks.

Reinforcement and filling

A garden or yard path made of concrete should rise by 3–5 cm. If there is a desire to give the slabs special strength, then reinforcement is used:

• the form is filled halfway;
• install fittings. Its role is played by steel rods with a cross section of 5–8 mm or a finished mesh. They also use polymer fiber, which is added when mixing concrete.

The solution is leveled and kept for 3-4 days, regularly watering it with water or covering it with a damp cloth. When reinforcing, you can limit the slab thickness to 6–10 cm: such a device eliminates cracking. Otherwise, the thickness of the slab is at least 10–15 cm.

Pouring and compacting paths with concrete occurs in stages from separator to separator. The solution must be poured all at once to the edges of the formwork; the prepared mixture cannot be left for later - this is a guarantee of its cracking.

The top layer is leveled with a rule or a flat board, which rests on the edges of the formwork and rides on them. The rule is to make movements towards yourself along the path, removing excess mixture. When leveling, remember the slope (1 cm by 1 m). Manual tamping will also be required, which should be carried out until cement laitance appears.

Then the mixture is pierced with a pin or a piece of pipe - this is necessary to remove air and increase density. A vibrating screed is also used for this. If the pebbles are turned out, they are rolled with a roller. Afterwards, the concrete is covered with a film to protect it from debris, rain, and to retain moisture (quick drying leads to cracking). So, the concrete path dries for 4 days, and after 5 days the formwork is removed. It is watered with water until it dries completely, and after drying, the sharp edges are polished with a grinder.

Laying slabs

If the path at the dacha will be subject to heavy loads (bicycles, cars, a cart with a load), then it is advisable to leave a gap of 2-3 cm between the slabs. You can also leave a gap of 5-6 cm. You can also place the slabs at intervals of 1 step. Laying process step by step:

• markings are made with pegs and cords;
• remove a 10 cm layer of soil;
• the trench is filled halfway with sand;
• The slabs are laid on a leveled, compacted base. It is important that each slab rests on the sand cushion with its entire plane and is at the level of the other tiles;
• tap the slabs with a hammer through the board for a good fit;
• Sand is poured into the cracks. It can also be decorated decoratively.

Slabs with lawn grass growing between them look good in a dacha. Such a path is made on a finished lawn: the turf is cut out, the bottom of the hole is filled with sand so that the slab is flush with the grass.

Decoration

For a path in the country beautiful view- very important. To make it beautiful and decorative, they use pigments (ochre, umber, etc.), polish it with impregnation, and apply a design with sharp objects. You can decorate using pebbles, tile fragments, even buttons. They are embedded in the surface of the concrete. To do this, place a paper sheet at the bottom of the mold, attach decorative elements to it with glue and fill it with solution. The paper is washed off from the finished slab with water.

Impregnation is also popular liquid glass(fluoride silicate, sodium, adhesive), which gives a spectacular shine. All impregnations are applied with a brush or spray. If desired, you can make large veins and fill them with turf, create roughness with a stiff brush or other devices. Tile or marble cladding is in high demand.

tehno-beton.ru

Garden path made of concrete slabs

A garden path made of concrete slabs is one of the most inexpensive options paving. You can purchase ready-made slabs or make them yourself. And in this case, their color, shape, texture has no boundaries at all, because in fact it depends only on your imagination. For example, look at the multi-colored runner in the photo below. All that is required is to add dyes different colors into solution. Thanks to such diversity, it will not be difficult to choose what you like and is suitable for decorating your site.

Laying ready-made concrete slabs

To begin with, the base is prepared. To do this, an even bed of the required depth is dug (depending on the thickness of the sand and slabs), onto which a layer of sand is poured, which is leveled and compacted. Finished slabs are laid on the sand, which are deepened with gentle blows of a hammer through wooden board(or you can use a rubber mallet).

If you have sandy soil on your site, and the slabs are laid end to end, then the layer of sand can be 2–3 cm. If the soil is clay or loamy, you first need to lay a layer of gravel or slag, 5–10 cm thick, then 4–5 cm of sand. Large, loosely placed, single stones can be laid on the ground without the need for additional foundation preparation.

Another way to lay concrete slabs is to lay them on a mortar applied to a prepared base. The solution is applied in small portions in the corners and center, and when laying and deepening it is evenly distributed over the entire surface.

Plates arrangement

The location of the slabs will depend on the purpose and type of the future path. If this is the main path leading from the street to the main entrance, then the slabs should be laid one next to the other. On fairly infrequently used paths, there may be large gaps between the slabs, which can be filled with soil and planted with grass or flowers. If this is a straight path made of single slabs on the lawn, then the spaces between the slabs should be equal and equal to the length of the average step. Paths laid from slabs of different shapes, and various combinations of slabs with other materials, such as bricks, as in the photo, look beautiful.

Manufacturing of concrete slabs

Concrete slabs are easily made independently in wooden forms, or directly on the ground using plastic, metal or wooden templates. The ease of manufacturing concrete slabs makes it possible to carry out a planned project from start to finish, starting with the shape of the slabs and ending with the pattern of their laying. You can make square, rectangular, triangular tiles and paint them to match the color of stone, brick or any other color. The top layer can be decorated with pieces of ceramics, colored glass, granite or marble chips. You can use scrap materials to create a design you like.

For the manufacture of slabs, wooden forms made from boards and bars are used. It is better to connect the bars using grooves, which make it easy to assemble and disassemble the structure. The size of the slabs is usually chosen in the region of 50x50, 40x60, 5–8 cm thick and with steel lattice reinforcement with a diameter of 5–8 mm. Before pouring concrete, wooden forms must be lubricated with any technical oil or drying oil.

To cast round slabs, you can use scraps of large metal pipes, barrels, buckets with a cut bottom.

The reinforcement, in order for it to be in the middle of the slab, should be placed in the mold after it is half filled with mortar. After which the form is completely filled, the concrete is compacted and the surface is leveled. During the process, make sure that the reinforcement is completely submerged.

If you want to create a smooth, kind of polished surface, then you need to: pour an even layer of dry cement 5–7 mm thick onto the still damp surface of the mortar and rub it in with a metal trowel until the cement is saturated with water and the surface layer is perfectly smooth.

The slabs should be in the molds for at least 2-3 days until they are completely hardened. At the same time, they should be protected from direct sunlight and moistened daily with water from a watering can.

To give different colors to concrete mortar dry mineral dyes are added or multi-colored pebbles are added to the top layer of concrete. When using dyes, remember that it should be used white cement and white quartz sand. The painting consists of two parts: the selected dye is poured in an even layer onto the newly poured solution, after which it is rubbed in with a metal trowel. Upon completion, the identical operation is repeated.

Can be made from rigid wire for drawing a picture interesting drawing, which is pressed 2–3 mm into the slightly dried solution. If you decide to decorate the surface with some pebbles, crushed stone, broken ceramic tiles or other small filler (2-3 cm in diameter), then to do this, pour the filler into an even layer onto the leveled solution and carefully rub it in with the same metal trowel. After the first hardening of the solution outer side The filler is cleaned from the solution with a brush and water. If the material for decoration is large enough, it should be spread over the surface, and then pressed evenly and incompletely using a board. Don't forget to wash them the same way.

Monolithic concrete path

The monolithic concrete path is distinguished by its high strength. It should be done, for example, from the gate to the garage or other places that involve heavy loads. Although, of course, they can be made throughout the entire territory of the site, decorated in any of the ways described above. To make such a path, the future route is first marked, after which a bed at least 15 cm deep is dug, which is carefully compacted. On the sides of the bed, it is necessary to make formwork from boards 2–2.5 cm thick. It is also made crosswise at intervals of 1.5–2 m. Then sand is poured, and on top there is a layer of crushed stone, 8–10 cm thick, after which it is well compacted and poured concrete to the level of the formwork. The concrete surface must be leveled with a wooden lath, the edges of which rest on the formwork. Considering that concrete expands after pouring, hollow joints should be left every meter of the concrete surface, which will be filled later.

After leveling with a board, the surface of the concrete must be smoothed with a trowel. When the concrete dries a little, brush it with a thick brush to roughen the surface. Afterwards, the path is covered with plastic film to protect it from rain and also to dry evenly. In summer, you can walk along the path 5 days after pouring, in winter no earlier than 10. Heavy loads should not be transported for at least 2 weeks. At the same time, the formwork is being stripped and the curb is being installed. It can be installed before concrete is poured, with inside formwork. The choice of material for the border is quite extensive. You can read more here - border for garden paths, and about other types of garden paths.

That's all. As you can see, a garden path made of concrete slabs can be made without much difficulty; we hope that this article was useful to you.

remont-i-obustroystvo.ru

Concrete slabs for paths

Concrete is used not only in capital construction. Affordable, durable and strong artificial stone is widely used as an element landscape design when arranging paths around cottages, garden houses. It is not always justified to lay it near the house paving slabs or other purchased material. Often a rational solution is to make original decorated concrete slabs.

DIY concrete slabs

The production of concrete slabs is preceded by a preparation stage. It is necessary to decide on the design, think over the placement plan and direction of laying the path. Then you need to prepare the molds, knead cement mortar and pour it into molds, performing reinforcement. At this stage of work, the slabs are decorated in accordance with the project (texture, color, degree of roughness, relief images, etc.). The finished slabs are laid on the prepared base.

Creating a Form

Imagination and expediency (the width of the path) will tell you what shape to give to the slabs that will fill the path in the country. The simplest option is a square slab 40 x 40 (50 x 50) cm. It can also have rectangular, hexagonal, triangular, trapezoidal and other shapes. An interesting option may be alternating slabs various shapes and size. Concrete flooring can consist of elements irregular shape, which will correspond, for example, to the design of flower beds, gardens in the country.

For example, steel hoops from dried out barrels and other available materials that can be bent at will will come in handy. The bottom is attached to such a closed strip, and the form is ready. A path made of round elements of different sizes will look interesting. The molding equipment can be buckets, pans, as well as short, up to 8 cm, sections of metal pipes, etc. The most accessible for manufacturing and convenient for use is a wooden mold.

The design of the path and the creation of forms for the slabs depends on your imagination and skill.

It is assembled from wooden blocks 4–5 cm wide, having grooves for joining, for example, into a square. The design is made durable (with self-tapping screws, corners), but collapsible. The height of the bars determines the depth of the mold - this is the thickness of the slab, which is chosen from 50 to 80 mm. A strong bottom, for example, a sheet of metal on a wooden board, is fixedly attached to the bars. The form must be airtight. It is desirable that the dimensions and geometry of the products ensure ease of casting, installation and comfort of movement along the path in the country.

It is advisable to use several molds at once in order to cast the slabs in a flow. Their repeated use is facilitated by impregnation of the wood with hot drying oil, so the bars will retain their shape for a long time. After the concrete has gained strength, the temporary formwork from the tiles should be easy to remove and disassemble. This is helped by covering the wooden elements and the bottom of the mold with drying oil (technical oil) immediately before pouring. concrete mixture.

Preparation of concrete solution

You can mix the concrete mixture at the dacha manually, or you can use a concrete mixer. Additionally, you will need an open container for the solution and tools. The dry components of the concrete mixture in the proportion: 1 part cement, 2 parts sand (washed) and 3 parts crushed stone (fractions 5 - 10 mm) are mixed until smooth. It is also rational to use ready-made dry mixtures. Then water is added in portions.

The optimal ratio of water in the mixture is ¼ of the weight of cement. It is allowed to introduce slightly more water depending on the crushed stone fraction. The components are mixed until a homogeneous solution is obtained. A concrete mixture that retains its given shape after being compressed in a fist is considered optimal in consistency. The solution is then poured into molds.

Pouring the solution into the mold

You can make molds for filling tracks yourself.

Forms are being prepared. Next, the mixture is filled in halfway. Metal reinforcement (mesh) is laid on the solution, and concrete is added to the upper edge of the form. The mixture is compacted using a vibrating tool (manual tamper). Then the surface of the concrete is leveled with a wide spatula.

The blanks are left for 6–7 days for the material to harden. Direct heating must be avoided sun rays, and cover the molds with moisture-absorbing material (burlap) or film. During this period, it is necessary to irrigate the stone several times day and night. clean water to gain standard strength, as well as frost resistance and water resistance. After stripping, the products can be laid on the path.

Reinforcement of concrete slabs

Paving concrete elements 40 x 40 (50 x 50) cm must be given rigidity, which will increase their service life. It is better to reinforce the slab with steel rods, which have their own elasticity. For this purpose, a reinforcing rod with a diameter of 5 - 8 mm is used.

It is placed in a mold on the first concrete layer of mortar in the form of a cage (welded at the intersection points, tied with wire). The ends of the segments should not reach the walls of the form by 20 - 30 mm, so that they are completely hidden in the concrete solution. It is also possible to use steel mesh made of wire with a cross-section of 1.5 - 2 mm. The reinforcement in the forms is filled with concrete from above.

Decor of concrete slabs

Concrete path framed by a border imitation clinker brick.

The slabs can become a bright color accent in the landscape at the dacha. For example, the original color shade of the slab will be given by adding a colored pigment to the solution ( acrylic paint). Ocher is widely used, added in the ratio: ½ part ocher, 1 part white sand, 1 part cement. As a result, the slab acquires a yellow tint. Brown color umber gives in the same proportions, and glauconite green gives the green color (proportions of parts: 1, 1, 1).

Stone (marble) chips, multi-colored pieces of glass, river (sea) pebbles, fragments of ceramics, beautiful leaves, etc. are added to the surface layer of the tile (on the bottom of the mold or on the upper surface). It is better to add decor before pouring the mold. Coating with marble chips except impressive design will have anti-slip properties. On the upper surface of the workpiece, these elements are strengthened several hours after pouring the concrete (the beginning of the setting process) by tapping with a mallet. During the same period, a wire stencil can be applied to the “face” of the workpiece, which can be tapped through a hard surface. flat surface an ornament will be formed, pushing through the drying solution with its outline.

And a sheet, for example, chestnut, laid on the bottom of the mold, will create an imprint on the surface of the product (after stripping it, it is removed). If it is necessary to make the surface of the slabs on the paths smooth, dry cement (iron plating) is rubbed into the still wet concrete, which is beginning to set. It is introduced into the material with a spatula, having previously covered the area with an even layer 2–3 mm thick. This also strengthens the top layer of the slabs.

Concrete slab laying technology

The place where the path passes through the site is cleared of obstacles and traced with twine. The earth is removed to a depth of 100 to 200 mm, taking into account the slabs extending 3–4 cm above the surface. The bottom of the trench is compacted, and a sand cushion 50–150 mm thick is laid on top. For clayey (loamy) soils, first fill up with fine gravel (a layer of up to 10 cm), then slag, and then sand (a layer of 5 cm). In areas with increased load, the slabs are laid closely in one or several rows with a gap of about 30 mm.

The immobility of their installation in the sand is increased by tapping with a rubber hammer. The smoothness of the upper level of the track is set by the rule and level. Sand is poured between the slabs. To drain precipitation, it is advisable to install a storm drain. The track elements are also installed on cement mortar, which is applied to the center and corners of the tiles.

When installed and pressed, the solution is evenly distributed under the surface. Installing flooring elements on the lawn (ground) staggered involves cutting out a layer of turf (creating a depression) along the contour of the slabs. In the latter case, the grass is planted later. Other operations are similar to those described above. The distance between the plates is consistent with the length of the average step. An alternative design is when, after a while, some of the slabs are removed, and mini-flower beds are laid out in their place.

Conclusion

The simplicity and richness of options for manufacturing and decorating concrete slabs allows you to create an individual original design paths to the house and in the garden. It is important to follow the technology of work and show imagination.

kladembeton.ru

Do-it-yourself garden paths made of slabs without concreting - catalog of articles on the website - DomStroy

Garden paths They shouldn’t be expensive - this applies to both materials and work on installing the coating. In addition, since not everyone knows how to lay concrete, let alone lay paving slabs or paving stones, I want to find an option for a beautiful and even impressive path that does not require special skills.

One of them is a garden path made of square concrete slabs, heavy enough that they do not move underfoot and without being secured with mortar.

Materials for garden paths made of slabs

• Concrete slabs - dimensions 40x40 cm or 50x50 cm;
• Screening of crushed stone for the base under the slabs - the smaller the fraction, the better;
• Small crushed stone for filling between slabs.
• Film, geotextile - if the path is made on the ground (so that grass does not grow in the seams between the slabs). If the path is being built over an old asphalt surface (updating an old path), film is not needed.

Concrete slabs for walkways

Border blocks for paths and flower beds

Garden paths - step by step guide

We mark the path. Its width should be such that the slabs fit between the curbs, plus take into account the width of the seams.

We arrange curbs on both sides of the future path. The easiest way is to lay them out of curb or building blocks by digging grooves along the width of the block.

A solid curb can be cast from concrete. For this:

• pour crushed stone and sand onto the bottom of the ditch;
• installing formwork;
• pour concrete into the formwork, laying in reinforcing bars.

Level and compact the bottom of the path.

We fill the cushion with crushed stone screenings. If we are not making a path from scratch, but updating the old one, leveling its surface by adjusting the thickness of the screening layer. If possible, compact the pillow.

If we are making a garden path on the ground, we cover the screening layer with film/geotextile.

We lay the slabs.

We fill the seams between the slabs with fine crushed stone.

We water the path with water and compact the crushed stone with a piece of wood/batten.

Agree, the path turned out to be luxurious.

Two methods are used to construct paths and platforms from concrete slabs. In the first case, they are made in pre-prepared forms required amount small tiles and then lay them on the base. In the second option, concrete is poured for the production of large slabs directly on site from the location. In both cases, a special base is prepared for them in order to prevent subsidence of the paving surface as a result of exposure to moisture.

Preparing the base of the paths

To lay concrete slabs on garden and pedestrian paths, it is necessary to prepare solid foundation, consisting of a drainage layer and a sand or cement-sand cushion. To do this, the top layer of soil is removed by 20-35 cm and lined with non-woven waterproofing material along the bottom of the trench. roll material. A layer of sand 3-4 cm thick is poured onto this covering. It is needed so that the sharp edges of the crushed stone do not pierce the canvas.

A layer of medium-fraction crushed stone should be poured onto the textile, which will act as drainage to remove moisture coming from concrete slabs and drain groundwater in the spring during their rise. The crushed stone is well compacted, sprinkled with sand on top and covered with another layer of geotextile.

Two layers of non-woven fabric will ensure free passage of water into the soil and prevent the entry of moisture from below, making the drainage layer work quite effectively. In addition, geotextiles will prevent the germination of weeds inside the base and between the tiles of garden paths.

The covered drainage is filled with sand or dry cement-sand mixture in a ratio of 1:6.

The second option for backfilling the base allows the tile covering to withstand higher loads, making it more durable and stronger.

Sand or dry mixture is well compacted and leveled using a rule or a flat wooden block. In this case, it is necessary to provide slopes for possible drainage of water from the surface of the path.

Production of tiles for piece laying

Manufacturers of concrete products offer construction market a wide range of ready-made concrete slabs of various sizes and configurations. However, if you decide to make paving material yourself, then you will need forms and a concrete mixture.

The most simple shapes You can make it yourself from wooden blocks with a height of at least 50 mm and plywood, which is used as a bottom. The bottom can be made from other sheet materials

. It is not difficult to make rectangular, square, trapezoidal or triangular shapes from wood to make concrete tiles. The design of forms for concrete slabs should provide for the possibility of their disassembly to remove finished tiles after the concrete has hardened.

Diagram of a mold for making concrete tiles.

The mixture is prepared from 1 part PC400 cement, 2 parts river or washed sand and 3 parts fine crushed stone (no more than 10 mm). All components are mixed dry, and then water is gradually added. Its optimal amount is a quarter of the total volume of the remaining components. If you use larger crushed stone, the amount of water increases.

The best consistency for concrete allows you to squeeze a certain amount in your hand and the lump will not fall apart after that.

Pouring the concrete mixture into molds for garden path slabs is carried out in two stages. First, the mold must be lubricated from the inside with any technical grease or waste oil. This will make it easier to remove the finished products. The recommended thickness of the slabs should not be less than 50 mm.

Formwork diagram.

Production of slabs on site

With this technology for making concrete garden paths, forms that do not have a bottom are used. They are placed and secured on the prepared base and then filled with concrete mixture in two times with the installation of a reinforcing mesh. Instead of mesh, reinforcing materials can be added to concrete synthetic fibers. Then pouring into molds is done in 1 time.

Large slabs can be cast without molds by simply installing the formwork of the desired shape. In this way, large slabs of various configurations are made and a very original coating is obtained.

The composition of the components of the concrete mixture is the same as in the manufacture of piece slabs for garden paths. But the forms themselves, which do not have a bottom, are made of flexible strip plastic, thin plywood and other sheet materials. Before the concrete hardens, it is recommended to iron the surface. To do this, sprinkle the top of the slabs with a dry cement-sand mixture in a 1:1 ratio or only with PC300 cement. The powder layer is about 2 mm.

Backfilling of seams.

The cement coating must be rubbed into the surface of the concrete slabs using a trowel or wide spatula. For ironing, you can use a mixture of cement with a coloring pigment. This will give the surface of the garden path slabs a more original look and increase their wear resistance. If, before ironing, the surface of the slabs is sprinkled with fine marble chips or similar material, then winter time and after rain the surface of the path will not be slippery.

After the concrete has hardened, the forms or shaped formwork are removed, and the seams are filled with a dry cement-sand mixture, granulate, broken brick, fine colored crushed stone, marble chips or just soil for the possible germination of lawn grass.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of do-it-yourself walkways made of concrete slabs are:

1. accessible manufacturing technology;
2. obtaining a durable and frost-resistant coating;
3. use of inexpensive materials;
4. the ability to do all the work yourself;
5. durability and environmental friendliness.

The disadvantages of concrete paving slabs include increased abrasion of the surface with the formation of dust, and appearance, inferior to factory-made products.

Abrasion can be reduced by covering the surface with a strengthening agent. This protection is valid for 5-7 years, after which it must be renewed.

Finally

Self-production of concrete slabs is much cheaper than industrially manufactured products. The design of the paths is determined by the shape that you create yourself, depending on your own wishes and imagination.

To make molds, you can use not only new materials, but also various available means. Pouring on site can be done using the most ordinary formwork, without the use of special forms and devices. By adding colored coloring pigments to concrete or bedding for ironing, you can get an original and beautiful surface.

Make at least one path on your site from homemade concrete slabs, and you will see all the advantages of using such technologies in the manufacture of paving surfaces.

A garden path made of concrete slabs will be comfortable and at the same time will complement the landscape design composition well. garden plot. It’s quite easy to make concrete slabs with your own hands and pave the garden path with them, and now we will prove it to you!

DIY concrete slabs

The advantage of concrete slabs for paving garden paths is as follows:

• high strength concrete
• durability of concrete slabs
• ease of creating and paving concrete slabs
• ease of replacing damaged slabs
• a garden path made of concrete slabs does not require special care and money for maintenance
• concrete slabs can be creatively decorated during the creation process
• small cash costs for creating concrete slabs and paving garden paths with them

To make a concrete slab with your own hands, you just need to prepare a mold, make a concrete solution and pour it into the mold. After the concrete solution has completely set (this takes about 3 days, depending on weather conditions), you can begin paving with concrete slabs. Now we will take a closer look at the steps of creating a concrete slab with your own hands.

In order to make a concrete slab we will need the following materials and tools:

• Wooden beam with a section of 50*50 mm
• Hammer (metal and mallet)
• Nails
• Steel sheet
• Concrete mortar components: cement, water, sand, gravel and dry concrete mix
• Materials for decorating tiles (color pigments, broken ceramic tiles, small natural stones, etc.)
• Reinforcement (your choice, either rods with a diameter of 5 mm or reinforced mesh)

Creating a mold for a concrete slab

The mold for the concrete slab is created based on the future dimensions of the slab. As for the size of the concrete slab, it is determined by the width of the garden path. We recommend creating a mold with dimensions of at least 50*50 cm, so that the process of casting slabs does not take a long time, and the garden path is comfortable to move. You can make a mold trapezoidal, round, rectangular, etc., everything is up to your taste.

So, we take wooden blocks, saw them into suitable sections and fasten them with nails - the mold is ready. It is best to make several molds at once in order to simultaneously produce 2-3 concrete slabs.

You can more easily make a mold for concrete slabs without using a steel sheet. To do this, you need to find a flat surface and stretch it on it. plastic film and place a mold of bars on top. As soon as the solution is poured, we wait for the plate to harden, after which we disconnect one of the sides of the mold with a chisel. After this, we fasten the mold again and repeat the procedure. With this cycle, one mold can be enough for 10-12 disconnections/connections.

Creating a concrete solution

The most suitable ratio of materials for concrete mortar is the following: 1 share of cement/2 shares of sand/4 shares of gravel (or crushed stone). It is also recommended to use ready-made concrete mix, which is sold dry, but it will cost more than preparing it yourself.

In order to mix the concrete solution well, it is better to purchase one, or do it yourself, it is not so difficult.

You can also mix the concrete solution manually using a trough and a shovel, but in this case it will take more time and effort.

Now the most important thing: the amount of water in the concrete solution. It should be noted that the ideal proportion of water in the solution should be ¼ of the weight of the cement, but it is unlikely that you will be able to mix the solution well, so it is allowed to pour out a little more water (40% of the weight of the cement).

If you mix the concrete solution by hand, you must first mix the dry material until smooth, then add water little by little. Excess water significantly reduces the strength properties of a concrete product. The ideal solution is one that, when squeezed in a fist, forms a shape that does not spread or crumble.

Pouring mortar into the mold and reinforcing concrete slabs

So, let's move on to the main stage of creating concrete slabs with your own hands. First, set up the mold and mix the solution. Next, pour half of the required solution into the mold. We lay reinforcement bars (or mesh) on the mortar and add the rest of the concrete mortar.

It’s good, of course, to pour concrete slabs on vibrating tables, which will thoroughly compact the solution in the mold and remove excess voids from it. This technology is used to create concrete slabs.

If you do not have the opportunity to use vibrating tables, then at least compact the solution with a homemade wooden tamper and level the surface with a trowel.

As soon as the molds are filled, we leave the products for several days so that the solution sets and hardens. Usually it is enough to wait 2-3 days. All this time, it is necessary to wet the concrete products several times a day so that they do not crack. hot weather. If it is not possible to wet the concrete slabs, then at least cover them with a damp cloth.

Decoration of concrete slabs

There are several ideas you can use to decorate concrete slabs.

The first is that when creating a concrete solution, a color pigment is added to the mixture, which will give the concrete slab an original color. The most popular color pigments for concrete products are brown umber and ocher mineral dyes.

The second way is to lay it on a concrete slab made of natural pebbles or broken ceramic tiles. This procedure must be carried out during pouring of concrete slabs. After the solution is poured into the mold, wait a few hours for the concrete to set a little, and lay out the pattern on the slab, lightly tapping the material for decoration with a mallet.

DIY technology for paving concrete slabs in the garden

In order to pave a garden path with concrete slabs, you need to take the following steps:

1. We prepare the area. We remove garden waste, remove bushes that are in the way, remove stones, etc.
2. We mark the boundaries of the garden path. To do this, we use wooden pegs and rope or simply fill the borders with sand.
3. We remove a 10-centimeter layer of soil over the marked area. In the resulting pit, compact the bottom and fill it with 5 cm of sand cushion.
4. We lay concrete slabs from one side of the path to the other. The gaps between the plates should be no more than 3 cm. To ensure that the plates sit tightly in the sand, we tap them with a mallet. We make sure that the path is level; to do this, we either add sand under the slabs, or, on the contrary, remove the excess.
5. We fill the gaps with sand, compact them and sweep away the excess with a broom.

That's the whole technology for paving concrete slabs in the garden with your own hands. As you can see, there is nothing complicated, the main thing is to know the basics that we have provided to you.

Please note that if you decide to create a path from concrete slabs on, you just need to cut in lawn grass areas for concrete slabs, fill in a layer of sand and place the slab on the prepared site!

Garden gazebo projects

Number of projects 69

Concrete is called artificial stone for its high strength characteristics. Therefore, concrete slabs for paths will last a long time, but not only due to the high strength of the products, but also due to low abrasion and high frost resistance. In this article we will consider several issues related to the manufacture of concrete tiles: mortar proportions, shapes, pouring technology. After reading the article, you will know exactly what and in what order workers should do when pouring concrete slabs for walkways.

Garden path made of concrete slabs

Slab mold

Form, also known as formwork for garden paths, comes in a huge variety of sizes and configurations. There are no restrictions on the choice of these two parameters other than common sense. In this case, the design you choose can be made of lumber in the form of boards or slats, or metal (steel strip or angle). The main requirement is that the form must be collapsible.

The number of formwork elements is selected based on the pouring speed. The more there are, the faster the required number of concrete slabs will be produced.

Hexagonal shape made of wooden slats

Pouring technology

To properly pour concrete paths in a country house or suburban area, you need a flat area, preferably concrete or asphalt (without large differences, bulges, recesses and cracks). If there is no such thing, then any open area on which sheet iron is laid under the forms will do. Because the main requirement for tiles is smooth planes.

Mixing concrete solution

The classic recipe for concrete mixture for garden paths is:

one volume of cement grade M400;

two volumes of sand;

four volumes of crushed stone or fine gravel (up to 5 mm) - not always used.

As for the amount of water, in the classic recipe it is equal to 0.5 of the volume of cement being laid. If a concrete mixer is used for mixing, then all indicated proportions are strictly observed. If the mixing is done in a trough with shovels, then more water can be taken to facilitate and increase the convenience of mixing the components of the concrete solution.

If a concrete mixer is used, then cement is first placed in its drum and water is poured. The main thing is that all the cement particles are well wetted. After which sand and crushed stone are laid in portions.

If the kneading is carried out in a trough, then all the dry ingredients are mixed well with each other. And then water is poured into the mixture. And the solution is thoroughly mixed.

performing landscape works on a turnkey basis. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.

Pouring concrete into molds

Concrete tiles for paths are a product that is subject to reinforcement. The reinforced frame is a lattice assembled from metal rods with a diameter of 4-5 mm. Typically, steel wire rod is used for this. The grille elements are fastened together by electric welding or binding wire. You can use a ready-made steel mesh with cells of 20x20 or 25x25 mm as a reinforcing frame.

The production of concrete tiles begins with pouring concrete mortar half the height of the formwork. The laid solution must be compacted. It is ideal if a vibrating table is used during the manufacturing process. But if there is none, then use a trowel to pierce the laid mixture in order to remove from it the air that gets into the concrete during its mixing. Air pores and cavities reduce the strength of the concrete product.

Then a reinforcing frame is laid on top. Its dimensions are slightly smaller internal space formwork. And concrete mortar is poured from above to the edges of the form. The poured mixture is pierced, and then the surface is leveled along the edges, removing excess material. The surface of the tile is smoothed with a trowel, achieving maximum smoothness.

Pouring the solution into molds

If the task is to decorate the finished product, then it is at this stage that the upper surface of the slabs is finished. For example, pebbles, pieces of ceramic tiles, and other materials are placed on top. If you need to make tiles of any color, then pigment is added to the concrete solution itself. The latter is poured into the concrete mixer drum during the process of adding fillers.

Stripping

If the outside air temperature is within +25C, then remove the formwork of concrete garden path tiles after 1-2 days. But it is not recommended to use the tiles right away. It is better to dry them for a week, when the concrete is 50% mature. Therefore, the tiles are collected in one place by laying them “on top”, that is, on an edge. In this position, they are well blown with air from all sides, and the concrete dries evenly throughout the entire body of the product.

Video description

The video shows how stripping is carried out:

On our website you can find contacts construction companies who offer the service of designing small architectural forms. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.

Laying paths with concrete slabs

The technology for laying concrete tiles depends on the soil located in the suburban area.

If the soil is sandy, then the tiles are laid directly on the sand.

If it is clayey, then prepare the base.

Preparatory work

At this stage, the garden path itself is marked - its configuration and width. Then the top fertile layer of soil is removed, plant roots and the vegetation itself are removed.

Preparing the base of the future path

On clay soil, backfilling is carried out: first, crushed stone with a layer thickness of within 10 cm, then sand with a thickness of 5-8 cm. Both layers are well compacted.

Installation of concrete tiles

The slabs are laid from one side of the width marking to the other. The configuration of the masonry can be different: spaced across the floor of the slab, in a row. If the tiles rectangular shape, then perpendicular to each other. There are no restrictions here. Concrete tiles for paths in the country are laid with force (pressure). That is, they place the slab, press it with their hands and tap it with a mallet on top.

The main task of the work manufacturer is to lay out the elements in one horizontal plane, leaving a gap of 1-2 cm between them.

Therefore, it is very important during the installation process that the master does not let go of the level.

The first laid tile is checked for horizontalness. If any edge sticks out, then I tap it with a mallet, pushing it down. If it is necessary to raise the edge, add a little sand under it.

Then the second element of the track is laid nearby, which is placed horizontally not only as a separate product, but also in conjunction with the already laid slab.

Once one transverse row is laid out, it is checked with a long rule for horizontalness.

Laying concrete tiles, forming a path

The concrete path assembled in this way is covered with sand, which is spread with a broom over the entire surface so that the bulk material fills the gaps between the tiles. Ideally, the finished path should be thoroughly watered so that the sand in the gaps becomes compacted and subsides. After that, additional backfilling is carried out again and watered again.

There is a technology in which the installation of concrete tiles for paths is laid on cement-sand mortar. Its recipe: for one volume of cement, four volumes of sand. Today in stores you can buy a ready-made dry mixture, in which the proportions of the components are strictly maintained. It is simply diluted with water in the ratio indicated on the packaging (paper bag).

The use of this technology has several requirements:

The path of concrete slabs is assembled with a slight slope to one side. The thing is that the cement-sand mortar will create a waterproof layer under the tiles. This means that water will collect on the path. To prevent this from happening, a slight slope of the plane is needed.

The gaps between the slabs are filled with either a dry cement-sand mixture, followed by watering with water, or with a ready-made solution, filling the gaps with a trowel. The second option requires care so that the solution does not stain the surface of the path.

Filling gaps between tiles with sand

And one moment. The path itself is formed not only by concrete tiles. Concrete or stone curbs are used to mark its boundaries. First of all, they are installed on cement mortar, and then the tiles are laid. But if the surface of the path does not protrude beyond the ground, then curbs are not installed. The soil itself will keep the laid products from spreading to the sides.

Video description

There are several ways to create concrete slabs for a garden path. About them in the video:

Decorating garden paths

To prevent paths made from concrete slabs from turning into a practical but boring element of the landscape, there are several ways to decorate the slabs themselves, or the space between them:

Concrete tiles do not have to be gray - if you add a coloring pigment to the cement during manufacturing, you can get a multi-colored path.

Multi-colored path made of concrete tiles

While the concrete is drying, but has not yet completely hardened, glass, ceramic or marble chips- you will get a beautiful mosaic.

Concrete tiles can become the basis for almost any design

Also, while the solution is drying, you can squeeze out a relief pattern on the surface of the tiles.

There are ready-made forms on sale that give finished tiles relief

If you lay the slabs with a small gap, you can sow grass in between them.

A very easy way to decorate even standard concrete tiles

The “path within the path” looks beautiful

Ironing is a way to “polish” concrete tiles. To do this, pour a layer of cement onto the still damp slabs and rub it into the surface.

Iron tiles have a perfectly flat surface

Conclusion

For garden areas, concrete slabs used to form paths, perfect option. These are durable products with increased wear resistance, which are made in different sizes and shapes. At the same time, this is one of the cheapest and fastest to construct options for finishing garden paths, which can be easily repaired. If one tile cracks during use, replacing it with a new one is not a problem.

Every owner of a garden or country house I would like to build an original garden path on the site. At the same time, there is a desire to fulfill it with minimal costs funds. You can make stone and brick paths yourself.

Also perfect solution problems - garden path made of concrete. It’s not difficult to do it yourself, you can decorate it at your own discretion and save on the cost of materials and work.

Types of garden paths

In order for the path to fit organically into the surrounding landscape, it is necessary to select the material from which it will be made that matches the design and style of the yard and house. In addition, such a base should be durable, practical and low maintenance.

Tracks can be divided into the following types:

• unpaved, paved (cobblestones),
• crushed stone,
• herbal,
• gravel,
• clinker (brick),
• stone (natural stone),
• end, tile (concrete slabs and tiles),
• monolithic concrete.

The first four types require relatively constant care, and hard-surfaced paths, including a do-it-yourself concrete path, last a long time, are clean and tidy, beautiful, and more practical.

The specific type of garden paths is selected based on functional purpose, style of the yard and preferences of the owners.

Concrete garden paths

Monolithic concrete paths are distinguished by high strength, they are resistant to deformation, and do not press through even when a car moves along them. Therefore, such bases are perfect for check-in areas Vehicle, from the entrance gate to the outbuildings.

Concrete paths are the cheapest in terms of cost, but require some effort and labor. But it's worth it. In addition, the owner receives satisfaction from the fact that the concrete path was made with his own hands. It amazes with its variety of shapes, colors, and patterns. Also, the texture of concrete allows you to combine it with other materials: brick, stone, cobblestone or other finishes.

Advantages of a concrete path

The advantages that a DIY concrete garden path has are due to the qualities of the material used. The positive characteristics of concrete are:

• strength and durability - concrete products are not pressed through or deformed;
• ease of use - does not require the use of special equipment;
• low cost - cost per 1 sq.m. is approximately 25 rubles;
• high resistance to climatic influences of any kind: frost, heat, moisture;
• resistance to aggressive environments - not afraid of spilled chemicals;
• the ability to withstand large mechanical loads - makes it possible to transport garden loads along paths without fear;
• versatility of use - a large platform or garden path can be built with your own hands without professional craftsmen;
• Concrete can be used to create different shapes: straight and curved (depending on the formwork), it can be painted and decorated, compatible with many other materials.

How wide should the path be?

First of all, the width of the track is a multiple of the width of the tile, if one is used.

A path with a total width of about half a meter can be built on secondary paths, for example, on the approach to a greenhouse: there is enough space for one person to pass and a one-wheeled car to pass.

On a path up to 80 cm wide, a couple of people can hardly pass by, and a child’s bicycle can pass by. But there won’t be enough space for an electric car. Such a path can be built to outbuildings.

The central paths need to be made fully functional, approximately from a meter or so to one and a half meters wide. Two people can easily walk here, children can pass in their own vehicles, and there will even be a small bench.

Paths made of ready-made concrete slabs

Concrete slabs or small tiles are the simplest and quick way in order to make a garden path from concrete with your own hands. Reviews say that this is also the easiest method to lay out a path.

The technology for their installation is as follows:

1. Prepare the base: level the ground, make markings.
2. Spread agrofibre or geotextile to isolate the sand from the ground.
3. Cover the base with a five-centimeter layer of wet (not wet!) river sand, level and compact. River sand contains less clay, so it allows water to pass through better.
4. Start laying the slabs one by one. To prevent the slabs from moving when walking on them, it is necessary to deepen them by hitting them with a hammer through a wooden plank, carefully so as not to split them. Check the installation with a level.
5. The tile joints are rubbed with cement or sand.

If the slabs are laid end-to-end on sandy soils, then a 3 cm layer of sand is poured. On loamy and clay soils First, gravel or slag 7-10 cm thick is poured, and then sand is poured in a layer of 5 cm.

The slabs can also be laid on a solution that is applied to a sand bed. The mortar is placed in fragments at the corners of the tile and in the middle; when laid and pressed, it is distributed evenly over the entire surface.

Path using a form

Today, forms for making garden paths are very popular: wooden, plastic, metal. They have several cells different sizes and shapes (squares, rectangles, triangles, hexagons or irregular configurations) and are used to lay out track fragments.

To estimate the speed of performing such work, you need to know that using ready-made forms About six meters of path can be built in two hours. Forms can be purchased ready-made or made independently.

To obtain round slabs for pouring, use pieces of metal pipes or buckets without a bottom to create an original garden path.

Large slabs with a frame of 7 mm reinforcement laid in the form of a lattice are also cast from concrete with their own hands. Before pouring, the mold is lubricated with technical oil or drying oil. The reinforcement is laid in such a way that the solution covers it from below and from above. Afterwards it is compacted.

Materials and tools for monolithic pouring

In order to be made of concrete, you will need the following tools and materials:

• sand;
• agrofibre;
• M400;
• coarse steel mesh;
• wire for knitting 2 mm thick;
• in order to improve elasticity and waterproofing properties;
• pieces of sheet iron, plywood or boards at least 25 cm wide;
• wooden or reinforcement pegs;
• rope;
• polyethylene film;
• container for mixing the solution;
• shovels and bayonet shovels;
• ironing board half a meter wide;
• large hammer or sledgehammer;
• small construction tool: different-sized spatulas and trowels.

Material calculation

Calculation example required quantity materials for a part of the central path one meter long and wide and 10 cm thick:

1. The thickness of the layer of sand for bedding is 10 cm. The required volume of sand will be as follows:

• multiply the length, width and thickness, you get 0.10 m3;
• according to reference data, sand with a volume of 1 m3 weighs 2.4 tons;
• Let's recalculate to the required volume: 2400 kg/m3 x 0.10 m3 = 240 kg.

2. It is important to choose the right concrete composition for garden paths. A self-made path will not crack if you use the following proportions for the solution:

• 1 part water
• 1 part cement,
• 4 parts sand.

The volume of cement required is calculated similarly to sand and is equal to the same value: 0.10 m3. According to the reference book, a cubic meter of concrete mixed with sand weighs 2.8 tons. For one meter of track it will be: 2800 kg/m3 x 0.1 m3 = 280 kg. Dividing the resulting value by 5 (we do not take water into account), we obtain the weight of cement: 56 kg.

The remaining value of 224 kg is the weight of water and sand intended for mixing concrete.

When calculating the weight of materials to make tracks 5 cm or 7 cm thick, you need to multiply the resulting weight value by a factor of 0.5 or 0.7, respectively.

DIY concrete path: instructions

Filling a monolithic track is divided into the following stages:

1. First, planning is done on a piece of paper with all the elements of the yard, buildings, paths, preferably to scale.
2. The next step is to calculate the amount of materials: it depends on the soil. On clayey soils, a half-meter layer of concrete is sufficient, but on light and loose soils, a layer of one meter is necessary. For marshy soils You still need to make a half-meter gravel drainage layer before laying the concrete.
3. Marking is carried out by arranging pegs according to the plan. A thick rope is stretched between the pegs.
4. According to the markings, the turf is cut with a shovel and a trench is dug. Its depth should be approximately 20 cm, and if gravel drainage is installed, then 25 cm. All plant remains must be carefully removed.
5. Next, the formwork is installed, which should be 10 cm higher than the ground. On the outside it fits tightly to the walls of the trench, and on the inside it is reinforced with pegs.
6. Agrofibre is laid at the bottom of the prepared trench so that the sand does not go into the ground, and the sand itself is poured onto it and compacted. This is necessary to drain water. For better compaction, the sand cushion is wetted.
7. Place plastic film on top of the sand, making sure there are no holes. This is necessary so that the concrete does not dry out immediately, but acquires the required strength.
8. Mix the solution by adding waterproofing admixtures.
9. Place the solution on the bottom and spread it out. Compact, level with a shovel and then with a trowel. The middle of the path is raised 3 cm to allow water to drain during rain. Expansion joints are made through each linear meter, then a DIY concrete garden path will not crack or deform depending on weather conditions.
10. The path is covered with film for a couple of days. Then the film and formwork are removed. During drying, the concrete is moistened with water.
11. The sides are filled with earth and compacted. Irregularities from the pegs are sealed with concrete.

When making a path in summer, you can walk along it after five days, in winter - after ten.

Decorating paths

Do-it-yourself laid concrete garden path, photo examples of which can be found in large quantities, can be decorated to add originality.

The following options are suitable:

• at the stage of mixing the solution, add colored pigment to it;
• dry dye can also be added while smoothing the surface with a trowel;
• after the concrete has hardened for three hours, pieces of glass, ceramics, brick, natural stone, marble chips;
• you can sow grass or flowers in the gaps between the slabs or expansion joints;
• the surface of the path can be decorated with a relief pattern, which is applied when the concrete has not yet completely hardened;
• To obtain a polished surface, the latter is ironed: dry cement is applied to the raw mortar with a layer of 6 mm, then rubbed in with a trowel.

Installation of curbs

If something made with your own hands from concrete runs along the flower bed, then it does not have to be highlighted with a border. Other paths with edging look more impressive. The border can be made from brick or paving stones, or you can cast the edging elements yourself.

The curb is especially useful when laying concrete tiles, since it requires a limiter. It is precisely because of the role of the limiter that installing the curb is a responsible task. It is designed to keep the tiles from moving away under loads. If the border is poorly secured, the tiles will begin to diverge over time, and the DIY concrete garden path will lose its original appearance. For strength, the curb is installed on a concrete strip base (or simply on the ground) and supported with pegs from the outside.

The distance between the curb and the tiles should be minimal, and the installation should be as dense as possible.