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8.4 Stepping-stone and slab paths

Slabs or flat stones set one by one in a lawn, in gravel or in planting, each on a bed of sand. The quickest firm path to lay, and the gaps let rain soak in.

Cross-section of a stepping stone set in a lawn: the slab sits on a sand bed, its top level with the soil surface. 2 Slab or flat stone stone thickness 1 Bedding sand 25–40 mm · 0–4 mm Undisturbed soil
Cross-section of one stone in a lawn. For a path that carries barrows, add the crushed stone base from 3.1 under the sand.
Slabs set flush with the lawn, one step apart.
Slabs set flush with the lawn, one step apart. Illustration

At a glance

Difficulty
1 of 4
Time
Half a day for 10 stones
Tools
Spade, half-moon edger or knife, rubber mallet, carpenter's level, bucket, brush
Parts
  1. 1  Bedding sand
  2. 2  Slab or stone

What you need per m² of stone

MaterialSizeTypeAmount
Bedding 0–4 mm Sharp, washed sand (3.3), 30 mm 50 kg
Gap filling 0–4 or 4–8 mm Sand, soil or fine grit as needed
Base, slab paths only 0–32 mm Crushed stone with fines, 100 mm (3.1) 230 kg

Why sand only, or a full base?

Sand only

Single stones in a lawn, in planting or in gravel, walked on. Each stone sits in its own hole on a sand bed, on undisturbed soil. Quick, cheap and the gaps let rain soak in.

0–32 base + sand

A continuous slab path that carries barrows and garden furniture. Build it like a patio: compacted base (3.1), screeded sand bed (3.3), joints filled (3.4).

Step by step

  1. 1

    Lay the stones out on top and walk the line.

    Place them where your feet land at a normal pace and adjust until you no longer shorten or stretch your step. Leave gaps so water can run off between them.

    Stones laid out on the lawn
  2. 2

    Cut round each stone.

    Mark round it with a spade or edger, then lift the stone and the sod inside the cut.

    Cutting round a stone
  3. 3

    Dig each hole to the stone's thickness plus the sand.

    Add 25–40 mm for the sand bed. Firm the bottom with your foot; do not dig deeper than you need.

    A dug hole
  4. 4

    Bed the stone in sand and tap it down.

    Spread the sand evenly, set the stone and tap it with a rubber mallet until it no longer rocks.

    Tapping the stone down
  5. 5

    Check the level and the fall.

    Level the stone, with a slight fall of about 2 % so water runs off. In a lawn, set the top level with the soil so a mower can pass over it.

    Checking the level
  6. 6

    Fill round it.

    Brush sand, soil or fine grit into the gap round the stone, water it in and top up.

    The finished stones
Specifications
PartSieve sizeThicknessHow
Sand bed0–4 mm25–40 mmSharp, washed (3.3). OSU: spread 25–40 mm, about 25 mm when set.
Base, slab paths0–32 mm100–150 mmCompacted in layers (3.1). OSU: 4–6 in.
Fall–about 2 %OSU: 1 in per 4 ft; UF: 2 % to one side.
Gaps0–4 mm / 4–8 mm–Sand, soil or fine gravel (UF Master Gardener).

Spacing

Set the stones to your own stride. For steps on a slope, the treads are longer: see 8.6.

Edges and fabric

Slab paths need an edge restraint of plastic, precast concrete, metal or wood (OSU). Under stepping stones in gravel, landscape fabric helps stop weeds (UF Master Gardener).

Sources

  1. UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County, Master Gardener: Down the garden path (2019): “A layer of sand beneath the stones helps to level and stabilize the path”; fill between stones with sand, soil, or fine gravel; landscape fabric under the path against weeds; stable and “not so uneven as to cause tripping”; primary paths at least 48 in, secondary 30–36 in
  2. University of Florida IFAS Extension, Gardening Solutions: walkways in the landscape: space between stepping stones to let water flow through; about 2 % slope to one side
  3. Oregon State University Extension, 10-step guide to installing pavers: base 4–6 in in three compacted layers; sand spread 1–1½ in, a uniform 1 in layer; slope 1 in every 4 ft; edge restraints of plastic, precast concrete, metal or wood
  4. National Parks Board Singapore (NParks), Gardening resource library: pathways: stepping stones need regular weeding between them and annual scrubbing
  5. UK Government (MHCLG and Environment Agency), Guidance on the permeable surfacing of front gardens (2009): impermeable materials laid with gaps count as permeable surfaces
  6. Penn State University, CE 584 concrete course notes: aggregates: aggregate weighs 1,520–1,680 kg/m³

Amounts: bedding sand at about 1.6 t/m³ for 30 mm, per m² of stone; base as on 3.1.

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