1. Determine what kind of gravel you would like to use for your path. Cost effective gravels are grey crusher run, stone dust or #78 stone. More costly decorative gravels are brown crusher run, brown pea gravel, rustic red stone.
1. Mark out the area for your path. You may use a garden hose, string or the most preferred is to use marking paint. After marking one side of the path, use a tape measure to establish the other side. Determine your width and mark every several feet and connect the lines when finished. A standard walkway is 3 feet. After you have determined your length and width use this gravel calculator to estimate how much gravel you’ll need.
2. Excavate area. You can hand dig the area or rent a sod cutter. Sod cutter rentals will vary depending on time but will average $35 for 2 hours up to $120 for 24 hours. The sod cutter is a fast and easy way to remove the ground especially if you have a lengthy walkway or hard ground.
3. Install edging after cutting out the area. You can use steel or aluminum edging, wood, concrete or natural stone. This will help keep the gravel from spilling out into other areas. Keep a minimum of 1/2 inch, preferably 1 inch above the gravel.
4. Spread gravel over entire area and rake smooth. Compact the gravel a plate compactor or by hand with a hand tamp. A plate compactor rental will range from $40 for 4 hours to $60 for 24 hours.
