Garden paths neatly lined with paving slabs self-made, will turn modest country cottage area into a respectable country residence, they will become a source of pride for the owner and admiration for the neighbors. It’s not difficult to make them, the main thing is that there is a form for garden path. You can buy it at the store or make it yourself.
Pros and cons of homemade products
The advantage of ready-made products is that they simplify the work and save time. But then you will have to be content with standard preparations and hardly anyone will call the track exclusive. The quality of the form remains in question.
When making a mold with my own hands The most tempting prospects for showing imagination open up before the master: you can make tiles of any configuration and give its surface any texture. True, economic benefits are not always possible. In particular, the production of a silicone stencil, which provides maximum opportunities for experimentation, will require much more money than the purchase of a finished product.
Hence the conclusion: if the goal is to carefully, without frills, pave the path, you can get by with buying a form in the store. It’s worth doing it yourself only if originality is at the forefront. A homemade mold for a garden path with your own hands can be made from the following materials: wood, metal, silicone and any available means.
Basics of wood and metal manufacturing
In addition to silicone, you should prepare a formwork frame and a matrix that duplicates the shape of the future tile, which is necessary so that after pouring liquid silicone into the formwork, you get a cavity of the appropriate volume and configuration.
For the frame you can take a box the right size or make it from a thin board. The main thing: all parts must be tightly connected so that the silicone does not leak out. When choosing the size of the frame, you should take into account that its walls have some thickness. The height of the frame walls must be greater than the height of the matrix.
The matrix can be made of wood or you can take a ready-made stone that is suitable in size and surface texture. It is important to consider that the matrix must fit into the frame, and between it and the walls of the frame there must be a gap of sufficient width so that the silicone layer is not too thin.
The work is performed in the following sequence:
On last stage It is necessary to carefully inspect the inner surface of the mold. If irregularities are found, they are cut off with a razor and smoothed with sandpaper.
Use of available materials
If you don’t want to make your own mold for paths in the garden, you can, using your own imagination, use any available means to cast tiles.
In the first case, you need to decorate the upper surface of the tile, in the second - the lower or upper surface, depending on the desire of the master.
To create a relief on the top surface of the tile, you need to wait until the mixture hardens a little, loses its fluidity, but has not yet hardened completely. Pre-prepared stones are used and pressed into the solution. You can use shards instead of stones ceramic tiles, old tableware, colorful pieces of glass.
A garden path can become not only necessary element site, but also its decoration. You can make a path in the garden from different materials, for example, from concrete, and it is very convenient when you have a special form at hand for pouring cement-sand mixture. In this article we will tell you how to make a mold for a garden path with your own hands and how to create a beautiful path in your garden.
Why are garden paths needed on the site?
Those gardeners who pay due attention decorative design their plots, they will definitely take care of creating interesting and neat paths. Paths harmoniously integrated into the overall landscape design, perfectly emphasize the stylistic direction of the garden, giving it a certain elegance and well-groomed appearance. That is why their main function is aesthetic. A site that looks neat and presentable testifies to the cleanliness of its owners.
The second function of garden paths is practical. Paths laid through the lawns connect all the buildings on the plot and create a single architectural ensemble from them. They also divide the lawn into separate areas, outline the boundaries of flower beds and flower arrangements. Among other things, paths highlight the stylistic design of the garden and focus attention on it.
Advantages and disadvantages of forms for garden paths
A garden path can be made from any available materials: wood, wild or processed stone, brick, various artificial materials. Filled concrete paths are considered a relatively cheap, but quite practical and attractive option. Forms for them can be purchased on the construction market or made independently. In any case, it will not hurt any gardener to have such a form on his farm.
Matrices for the manufacture of concrete elements have many advantages, let’s look at them in more detail:
- A form for pouring garden paths makes it possible to quickly and easily extra costs make a path with a beautiful and neat pattern.
- Concrete paths made in this way look much better than usual cement-sand screed. In appearance, they resemble a path paved with stones. After hardening, the material can be additionally coated with a layer of special paint, which will make it even more decorative.
- The durability of the forms is another of their advantages. These designs can be used many times, and when not needed, simply be stored in suitable place. It is worth noting that purchased forms are most often made of plastic, which is not afraid of moisture, cold, heat, frost, and does not corrode. Such structures are quite durable; during work, you can safely use a rubber hammer on them without fear of damaging them.
- Another advantage of forms is their low cost. You can make the structure yourself from available materials, without spending significant money. Finished goods It won't cost much more. For example, a standard mold for a garden path measuring 600x600x60 cm, made of plastic, will cost you about 700 rubles.
- The strength of paths made using such forms is beyond doubt. Concrete can be poured to any depth, for example, 20 cm, its upper part can be made in the form of cells, and then you can not only walk along the path, but also drive a car.
- Almost anyone can create a garden path using a tile mold. These designs are easy to use, do not require special skills and physical strength. The whole process will not take much time and will be completed faster than in the case of laying paving slabs, bricks or stones.
As you can see, the forms themselves and the paths made with their help have many positive aspects. But before you decide to purchase materials for making concrete paths, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with their disadvantages:
- By appearance garden paths made of concrete are much inferior to other decorative materials: tiles, bricks, wood, natural stone. Even if you try to give concrete the appearance of any of these materials, you are unlikely to achieve complete similarity.
- The spraying used to cover the cement-sand composition after it hardens is prone to abrasion and is short-lived. The path will not look beautiful for so long, and to keep it neat, the paint will have to be renewed at least once a year. Some solve this problem by using special pigments that are added to liquid solution and paint the entire thickness of the concrete. It should be noted that the cost of such substances is quite high, and the final result is not so attractive.
- When pouring large areas, the process will progress slowly, since it will take certain time. You can solve this problem by purchasing or making several molds for the paths. In this case, the work will be completed faster, but additional forms will also entail extra costs.
- It will be possible to walk along the concrete path only 20 days after it is poured - this is the time it will take for the mixture to sufficiently harden. It will be possible to drive a car on such tiles no sooner than in 30-40 days.
Making molds for garden paths with your own hands
Many people prefer not to waste extra time and buy a ready-made form for the path at the construction market or in a specialized store. This option is really simpler in terms of saving time, and besides, the factory forms have geometrically accurate dimensions.
But parts made by yourself will cost you much less. A path poured into such a form is unlikely to turn out perfectly smooth, but this will be its individuality, originality, and originality. A do-it-yourself shape can be absolutely anything, while factory-made products are made according to the same templates.
You can make a shape for a garden path different ways. Let's look at two simple methods for making such a structure.
Wood block mold
To create such a matrix for concrete tiles, you need to stock up on wooden blocks measuring 5x5 cm. Four such boards are fastened together in the form of a square or rectangle. The parts are connected using special grooves, which are cut out on end sides bars Instead of grooves, the structure can be fixed with steel brackets, attaching them to the wood with screws.
The bottom of the mold is made of an iron sheet or a piece of plywood. If the form for the path has large dimensions, it is advisable to reinforce it when pouring concrete metal mesh. Concrete tiles sometimes they decorate various elements: pieces of ceramics, small pebbles, crushed stone, glass, etc. To do this, even before pouring the cement-sand mixture, lay out the decorative material, after which the matrix is filled with concrete. You can do it a little differently: glue pebbles or stones onto a sheet of paper with water-soluble glue, then lay the paper on the bottom of the mold and fill the structure with the solution. After hardening, the product is removed from the matrix, the paper is well moistened with water and removed. The finished tile is ironed on top.
Metal mold for garden path
A mold for pouring concrete can be made from old barrel hoops. If you have such hoops on your farm, thoroughly clean them of rust and dirt, treat them with an anti-corrosion agent and dry them. Then give the hoop any shape you want. If you have several hoops, bend them in different ways and the details of the garden path will look like natural stone. Laying the hoops on the prepared base, they are poured concrete mixture, allow the solution to dry, then metal part removed.
If you don't have a hoop at hand, metal mold can be made from a strip of galvanized iron about 5 cm wide.
Creating a garden path using a form
- Having decided on the place in the garden where the path will go, the first step is to prepare the base. If the foundation is done according to all the rules, the path will last long years and will not become deformed or destroyed.
- To create a kind of foundation for the path, a trench is first dug along its entire perimeter, removing approximately 10 cm of soil.
- The resulting ditch is filled with crushed stone, making a layer up to 3 cm thick. Then the crushed stone is properly compacted and covered with a layer of gravel and sand.
- The elements of the path can be laid on the prepared base. If the tile was made in advance, it is placed on a sand cushion, tightly joining the elements together, and then compacted with a rubber hammer.
- Having paved the path, it is compacted. To do this, pour sand onto the path so that it fills all the cracks and gaps between the tiles.
If the tiles were not cast in advance and the path will be poured fresh concrete, the base of crushed stone, gravel and sand does not need to be made in advance. Let's consider the second method of creating a garden path step by step:
- To begin with, in the place where the path will pass, remove a layer of soil about 5 cm thick. Place a mold in the prepared base and deepen it slightly using rubber mallet. You can do it differently: deepen the mold to the desired level, and then remove it from it internal space a layer of soil equal to approximately 5 cm. The indicated figures are approximate, since concrete can be poured to both greater and lesser depths.
- The soil inside the matrix and the walls of the mold are moistened with water, and then a small layer of crushed stone is poured onto the bottom. After this, a cement-sand mixture is poured into the matrix.
- The solution for pouring into a mold to create a garden path is prepared from sand and cement, the ratio of the components is 4:1. Sometimes crushed stone is added to the mass to make the concrete more durable and hard. The consistency of the mixture should not be too liquid.
- When forming concrete tiles, they are given a slightly convex shape so that water does not stagnate on the path, but flows off it.
- The surface of the path is leveled with a trowel, and then ironed with a solution of cement and mineral dye. After a few minutes, when the solution has set, the mold is removed and the production of the next part begins.
- In sunny and hot weather The tile is covered with film and periodically moistened so that the material does not crack during the drying process.
A finished and neat look to the garden path will be given by a border, which can be made of a variety of materials. For example, a plastic border will become inexpensive, but practical option for your garden. This border along the path is almost invisible; it goes well with different styles and types of coatings, prevents growth lawn grass.
A wooden border looks good in areas rustic style, and you can make it from any suitable wood, including from waste boards. Please note that wood deteriorates greatly from moisture, so it is advisable to treat it with antiseptics and protect it with paint or varnish.
The concrete curb goes well with paths made of crushed stone, pebbles or the same concrete. You can also decorate the borders of the path with brick or wild stone. You can use other materials, the main thing is that the fruits of your imagination ultimately please you.
Garden paths are necessary on any site. They protect beds and flower beds from destruction by inattentive household members, and allow you to go out into the garden even on a rainy day. Executed in uniform style with other structures, the paths will complement the landscape design of the site and will help to correctly place accents. It is very important to carefully consider their creation, so that, out of ignorance, natural garden the city path, more like a sidewalk, did not appear. A Japanese step-by-step path will also look unnatural in an English park. A form for pouring garden paths will help you create a path in the desired style. Today we’ll talk about how to do it.
Indeed, in order to make a path in the garden, you can use ready-made tiles: look for a suitable one in the store building materials and order the required quantity.
But the shape for garden paths has its own advantages.
- Saving. It is enough to compare the price of finished tiles and starting materials, from which it is made, how to find out that it is more profitable to mix the solution yourself and pour it into the mold. You don’t have to think about how to transport the finished tiles, you don’t need to spend money on their delivery and loading and unloading operations.
- Uniqueness. The path created using the form will be unique: it needs width, length and configuration that takes into account the scale and design of the specific area for which it is intended.
- Practicality and reliability. The tiles can be made of any thickness and strength, which will allow you to pave a car park and any other areas of the garden with it.
- Ease of use. Using the shape of the desired configuration, you can create a path not one tile at a time, but entire sections.
- Beauty. By forming your own tiles, you can decorate ready product pieces of porcelain stoneware or pebbles, make the path an element that further emphasizes the advantages of the garden.
Anyone for whom individuality is important in everything, who is not used to obeying standards and does not always follow the rules, will certainly make a choice in favor of self-made elements of garden paths.
The design options for garden paths are very diverse. A selection of design ideas + step-by-step master classes You will find in the material:
A path made using a mold is economical, unique, practical, and the result of its use is pleasing to the eye.
Thanks to the shape, you can make paths different lengths, width and configuration
Non-standard paths attract attention with their unusualness
Should I buy a ready-made mold or make it myself?
A mold for making garden paths, made with your own hands, may not give geometrically accurate elements, but the result of its use will be the most natural and original. It is for individuality and uniqueness that handmade things are valued all over the world.
Who said that the form hand made will it be worse than the store version? In addition, a thrifty owner will always find something to spend the money saved on. It's time to use your wits and consider two options for creating your own mold for pouring tiles.
Homemade option #1 – form made from wooden blocks
Four wooden bars 50 x 50 mm can be fastened together to form a frame. Reliability of fixation will be provided by grooves that are cut out in pairs of opposite bars. You can use thin sheet steel in the form of brackets, which are attached with screws at the junction of the bars.
The role of the bottom of the form will be played by a sheet of iron or plywood. These details will look interesting on the surface of the finished tile. When applying the form big size It is better to reinforce the tiles with a metal mesh. The front surface of the product can be decorated with pieces of ceramics, crushed stone or pebbles.
The decorative material can simply be laid out on the bottom of the mold, but it is more reliable to secure it with water-soluble glue on the surface of the paper, and then lay it on the bottom of the mold with the paper down. Poured. The mold is removed from the frozen tile, after which warm water wash off the paper. The surface of the product is iron-clad.
Homemade option #2 – sheet metal mold
If the farm has an old wooden barrel, tightened with iron hoops, they can be used to imitate natural stone. Simply bend the metal the way you want, and the shape for the path can be applied. This method is especially convenient if there are several hoops. If there is a shortage of hoops, they can be made from a sheet of galvanized iron. It is enough to cut 5cm strips and bend the ends with a hammer like a roofing seam. The mold for the garden path with your own hands is ready.
Application of sheet iron mold:
A - monolithic concrete, b - decorative inclusions, c - hoop
A path using such forms does not require a special foundation. They can be created on any surface, as long as it is not too rocky or muddy. The mold is laid out on the finished base and deepened with a hammer. The soil from the inner area of each hoop must be removed to a depth of about 5 cm. The resulting depression and the inner surface of the hoop must be well moistened, then pour a little broken bricks or crushed stone and pour the solution.
It is better to prepare a solution from 4 parts sand and one part cement. You can add fine crushed stone filler. It is important not to overdo it with water: the consistency should be slightly thicker than sour cream. It is better to give the tile a slight convexity so that water can drain from it. The surface is carefully leveled with a trowel and ironed with a mixture of cement and any mineral dye.
The solution sets quickly enough - it will only take a few minutes. The hoop can now be removed and reused until the entire track is complete. It will take 2-3 days for the path to dry completely. In case of extreme heat, the tiles can be covered with film to prevent them from cracking.
Even the imitation of round stones looks attractive, and the addition of pigment creates an additional play of color
You can use sand or lawn grass between the path elements
If the path is rebuilt, concrete discs will always find a new use.
By the way, even in the form of circles concrete path will look original. In case of redevelopment, the tiles can be removed from the ground and reused. The cracks between the tiles are sprinkled with sand, but lawn grass will also look good. And you can add pigment to the solution itself or decorate the surface of the tiles before it hardens with any design using a brush or spatula.
The most common borders
Special fences or borders give the path a finished look. In addition, borders successfully resist the growth of lawn grass if this process is undesirable. The service life of the fenced walkway increases. It is important that the style of the border matches the appearance of the path itself.
Main types of borders:
- Plastic. Ideally fixes the contour of the track. A plastic border for garden paths matches any type of covering because it is practically invisible, which does not prevent it from being functional.
- Concrete. Used, for example, for an area in landscape style. It is made in a variety of ways, depending on the designer’s imagination. They are often used to enclose crushed stone paths.
- Wood. Perfect for a rustic style area. With prolonged use, such a border becomes not very presentable, but cheap wooden borders can even be made from waste boards.
- Brick. Suitable for country or English garden style. Such a border can beautifully frame areas made of paving stones or natural boulders.
This material about constructing garden paths from paving stones may also be useful:
Below are photo examples of each option.
The plastic border is invisible, but perfectly performs all its functions
Concrete curb fits perfectly into landscape style
Wooden borders require maintenance to maintain their appearance.
A brick border can decorate a path made of natural stone or paving stones
A garden path made with care will protect and zone the garden. It will help summer residents to walk freely in any weather. The path will even improve the microclimate of the site, heating up on sunny days.
The mold for making a garden path will allow you to quickly acquire interesting element personal plot. Quite recently, plastic analogues have appeared on the building materials market, which allow them to be used repeatedly, making smooth and practical paths. If you are unable to use ready-made paving slabs or clinker bricks, then purchasing such equipment can be an excellent solution.
Reviews of plastic forms
The mold for making a garden path will become a great assistant For home handyman. However, before purchasing such equipment, it is imperative to find out about all its positive and negative sides. Among the latter, consumers highlight the fact that the resulting structures are not as strong as if vibratory casting or pressing technology were used. However positive sides there too. And there are quite a lot of them. We can highlight, for example, the ease of manufacturing tracks, as well as low cost. Using the described products and the filling mixture, you can create tracks of any configuration and length. New form for making a garden path is different from those that consumers are used to seeing in everyday life.
Difference from traditional analogues
When using traditional formwork, it would be necessary to pour and wait about two days for the mortar to set. Only then was the formwork removed. When using modern plastic products filling is carried out on site, the entire process is carried out without stopping, which eliminates the removal of the corresponding equipment from operation. Thus, only one formwork can be used. This is especially attractive to private consumers. Before casting, it is necessary to prepare the base for the track.
Features of using modern forms
If you will use a mold to make a beautiful garden path, then you need to mark it in advance and then remove the soil. If you have to work with sand or other a solid foundation, then soil excavation need not be carried out; in this case, backfilling is carried out from above. Initially, it is necessary to lay sand in the resulting trench, the thickness of which is 20 cm, and then crushed stone of 12 cm must be placed. Only then a leveling layer of sand, the thickness of which is 5 cm, must be laid. Each layer must be compacted. Such a foundation must undergo significant loads. Making a garden path using a plastic mold involves providing some inclination, which can guarantee the free convergence of precipitation.
Making a solution for pouring
The mold for making the track will allow you to get a durable and reliable design, only if you make the solution correctly. To do this, you should use cement and sand, which are mixed in a ratio of 1 to 3. When adding water, you should ensure that the consistency is not too thick, the mixture must be fluid so that the solution can fill all the cavities. Making garden paths using molds may involve the addition of reinforced fibers and water-repellent additives.
Additional Ingredients
Consumers note that the fibers give the structure strength, while water-repellent components increase the life of the track. If you will use a mold to make a garden path, you should read the reviews in advance. In order to give the design decorative characteristics, pigments can be added to the solution. For the reason that the formwork for the paths is made using special plastic, which, after hardening, forms smooth surface, it is not necessary to use lubricants, since the solution does not stick to the walls. This, according to home craftsmen, is very convenient.
Features of use
If you will be using a mold to make a garden path with your own hands, then it is important to know not only about its quality characteristics, but also about the features of use. The product should be installed on the base, which must first be prepared and moistened, and then you can begin pouring the first section. Filling with the solution must be done using a spatula, which will allow the mixture to be well distributed. After the filling has been completed, the solution must be leveled using a spatula or any other tool with a smooth and flat surface. work surface. Once the form is filled, it must be left for 15 minutes, then lifted up and placed next to it, this process will have to be repeated until the track reaches the desired length and width.
Elegant and well-groomed garden paths are a mandatory attribute of almost any modern dacha or country house. Agree, it’s nice to stroll along an elegant path deep into your favorite garden or to please guests beautiful tiles, which leads from the gate to the home porch.
Garden paths organically fit into the green landscape and are divided into unique sectors, giving the territory a well-groomed and complete look. They are a kind of fencing for a vegetable garden, garden or favorite flower bed.
In addition, the tiles can be laid as a platform for a bench or for parking a car. Finally, thanks to flexible and durable garden paths, even in bad weather you can safely walk to the outbuilding or garage without fear of getting stuck in soggy ground. WITH choosing material for a garden path can be found in .
Today we will talk about one of the most common, accessible and simple ways construction of a garden path using a special “filled” form.
Ready plastic molds for laying garden paths have many interesting options design, thanks to which any, even the most fabulous “stone” path pattern is formed.
Further, they are very easy to work with: the whole process is fast and fun. It is not difficult to rearrange the mold and pour concrete, and besides, you will not waste time making your own mold from an old iron hoop and other materials. Finally, it is important that this method will be cheaper than buying ready-made paving slabs.
Buying a form for a garden path is not a problem - it can be purchased at a specialized store or ordered online. Traditional dimensions of the form: 60*60*6 or 40*40*4 cm.
Preparatory stage
First, decide on the location of the new path. Make a preliminary marking: drive pegs around the perimeter, through which you stretch a string to mark the boundaries of the path.
Now estimate the density of the soil. If upper layer the soil is loose and fragile, then dig a trench - a groove about 8-12 cm deep depending on the type of soil, and at least 45-65 cm wide based on the parameters of one shape and taking into account the indentation along the edges for the border. If necessary, you can take double or triple width.
Afterwards, compact the soil well and add about 5-9 cm of sand and small gravel, then compact everything again. Make sure that the earth does not sink anywhere, otherwise all the work will be ruined.
If the soil is initially dense, then it is not necessary to dig a trench. It is enough just to compact the earth, then lay a thin layer of sand and crushed stone no more than 5 cm and compact everything thoroughly again.
In principle, to form a bedding, you can get by with sand alone, and add crushed stone later when pouring the path. Original gravel-sand backfill needed in the case of fairly loose soil or when a large operational load is expected, for example, a platform is being made for a car.
Setting up the form
Pour water over the sand at the site of the future path - this will compact the foundation and retain sufficient moisture in the concrete. Sand can be temporarily covered with polyethylene. When you plan to use tiles to drive a car or park it, then lay it on top of the gravel-sand base. reinforcing mesh, which is cut with a grinder to the size of the path. An alternative to reinforcement is fiberglass.
Now, using a brush or spray, carefully and thin layer Lubricate your mold with soapy water, a specialized lubricant (optimally), or, as a last resort, recycled car oil. Thanks to lubrication, the mold will be easier to remove back. When using special lubricant - " K-222"etc. - it is enough to treat the mold once, with a soap solution - every time before installing it in a new position, with machine oil - once every 3 fills.
Lightly spray the sand with water again using a spray bottle, then carefully and evenly place the mold on the bedding, lightly pressing it in so that the layer of future tiles protrudes at least slightly above the level of the surrounding surface.
Preparing the solution
Let's move on to cement mortar . There are several options here.
- You can take the standard ratio: cement 1 part, clean fine-grained sand 3 parts.
- Further, there is this method: cement 1 hour, sand 3 hours, crushed stone 4 hours (medium or fine fraction).
- The composition is also used: cement 1 part, sand 4 parts + plasticizer.
Often, for the strength of the track, crushed stone and a plasticizer are added at once, and sometimes also reinforcing fiber.
Cement consumption may vary, but here is a guide from practice: 50 kg of M500 cement is enough for 2.6-3.0 sq. m. m of paths with the usual ratio to sand of 1:3 and without crushed stone. Here, for example, are 40 cm shapes (4 cm high), 1 row in width plus 17 shapes in length, for a total of 40 cm * 680 cm = 2.72 square meters. m.
For tiles 60*60*6 cm, 50 kg of cement is enough for approximately 1.7-2.2 square meters. m. With gravel or with a plasticizer, cement consumption will be at least 15% lower everywhere.
So, first, thoroughly mix dry cement M500 or M400 with fine-grained sand in a container. To make the tropics more durable, you can add crushed stone.
If you are planning color track, then add to the dry mixture special dye for concrete with a dosage of approximately 2-5% of the total mass of cement. You can also use the so-called. liquid pigment that is added to the solution. A 750-800 g package of pigment is enough for about 8-9 square meters. m paths.
With painting, you can do this: paint the path in 1 color, adding it to the solution or mixture, mixing the dye evenly; paint the path “spot”, when the dye is added to the concrete, but not completely mixed; sprinkle the pigment on top of the finished, but not yet covered tile, painting only its surface.
Next, it is recommended to add to the water or dry mixture plasticizer which will provide the garden path better protection from moisture and temperature, will make it more elastic, flexible, smooth and strong. The plasticizer saves cement consumption and strengthens concrete by approximately 15-20%. In this regard, we can recommend the plasticizer “SP-1” (or “SP-3”) with a dosage of approximately 100-200 g per 25 kg package of cement (0.3-0.8% by weight).
You can also add to the dry ingredients or directly into the solution reinforcing polypropylene fiber by 12 or 18 mm. This is especially good for space under the car. Thanks to fiber, you can do without preliminary reinforcement with wire. This substance significantly increases the strength of concrete, eliminates any appearance of cracks, and makes the material resistant to abrasion. One package of fiber per 600 g is enough for 40-42 slabs of 60*60 cm (about 15 sq. m).
Gradually adding water to the dry mixture, thoroughly stir all the ingredients to a creamy consistency. Make sure that the solution is not too liquid, as too much water can cause cracks to form after the track hardens.
Laying a garden path
Post it cement-sand mortar from above into a form placed on the bedding. Fill it as evenly as possible, do not leave any voids anywhere, especially in the corners. Using a trowel or wide spatula, carefully level everything, compress and remove excess mortar. Try to keep the top of the tile as level as possible.
Now wait about 20-35 minutes until the solution thickens. Carefully holding the opposite diagonal corners, remove the mold, lifting it straight up so as not to distort the edges. It is permissible to lightly tap the shape with a trowel before doing this.
That's it, the first fragment of the path is ready.
Then spray the sand again with water, if necessary, lubricate the mold, move it to the next place and fill the solution again. Use a string, a level or a long strip to control the verticality of the form: the entire track should be on the same plane in height. By the way, you can use several molds at once for construction - this will make the work go faster.
After the final filling, cover the path with film or other material to protect it from traces or rain while it dries.
You can step on the finished path after a couple of days, apply loads, walk after 4-5 days, and park the car after no less than 16-18 days.
Final stage
Fill the seams between the path slabs, as well as its edges, with sand, compacting it well. You can also fill the seams with soil, then plant grass there. pour out onto already compacted seams, roll with a wallpaper roller, then lightly sprinkle them with earth on top.
Finally, around the edges you can make a more solid border using a special form. The work process is the same, but the composition of the solution will be as follows: cement 1 part, sand 2-3 parts + plasticizer + fiber. If you take 2 parts of sand, the border will be white; if a little more, it will be dark gray. Border dye is added as needed.
You now have a beautiful new garden path. Good luck with your construction!
Photos of garden paths
You can admire the already ready-made options garden paths and adopt the ideas you like. But make sure that the path you choose fits perfectly into your garden.
