Outdoor Living & Lifestyles - Upgrade a Garden Path
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JS3102
04-04-08, 01:15 PM
I just put in a garden path and filled it with pea gravel -- now, I find that wasn't such a great idea as the path is sloping down hill and the pea gravel is very mobile -- meaning it just rolls around. It is difficult to walk on and I think we made a bad decision.
What can be done to firm up the pea gravel? The path is 2 ft. wide by 16 ft. long and at least 4 inches deep.
I would welcome ideas on what to do to make this path more stable and better looking short of starting over.
What can be done to firm up the pea gravel? The path is 2 ft. wide by 16 ft. long and at least 4 inches deep.
I would welcome ideas on what to do to make this path more stable and better looking short of starting over.
Kobuchi
04-04-08, 01:28 PM
The problem is that all the stones are same-sized. Mix in different sizes, it'll firm up. In fact if you carefully range the aggregate sizes & throw in a dash of cement, you will have concrete.
Course sand can be added without raising the height, because the smaller grains will just fill voids between the peas. That'll help. There is also a paving blend you should be able to find, which may be called "hardpack", "screenings", or something else.
I think a 50/50 blend of your existing pea gravel, and hardpack, would be tolerably firm and still look much like pea gravel. But this would raise your paths to ~6". Maybe get the same quantity of hardpack as you ordered pea gravel, and split it all with a neighbour?
Course sand can be added without raising the height, because the smaller grains will just fill voids between the peas. That'll help. There is also a paving blend you should be able to find, which may be called "hardpack", "screenings", or something else.
I think a 50/50 blend of your existing pea gravel, and hardpack, would be tolerably firm and still look much like pea gravel. But this would raise your paths to ~6". Maybe get the same quantity of hardpack as you ordered pea gravel, and split it all with a neighbour?
JS3102
04-06-08, 02:28 PM
Thank you for the helpful information. Now, we just have to get the work done.