Stone paths offer an inviting way through the garden

Whether you want to liven up an entrance to your home or create an enticing route through your garden, stone paths can easily add beauty to your home.

Creating a walkway with stone is a fairly straightforward process, although it involves a good deal of labor. Once it's complete, you might find yourself strolling outside much more frequently.

Start by planning the route the path will take. It can follow an established route, or you can create your own. David Beaulieu, writing for the home design site The Spruce, says curved paths are more aesthetically pleasing and can visit more interesting features in your yard. But you shouldn't make the path too circuitous, and a straighter paths will minimize the walk from the driveway to the front door.

Avoid bringing the path too close to trees. Roots will push up the stone pavers over time.

String, hoses, or other flexible materials can be used to outline where the path should go. Decide if you want the path to be wide enough for two people to walk abreast or if you want it to be narrower. Use spray paint or other markers to record the path edges once they have been finalized.

Use a spade to break through the sod and soil along the path edges, then dig out the area between the edges with a standard shovel. Excavate to a depth of five inches. The magazine Family Handyman says it can be helpful to rent a sod cutter to simplify this process.

If weeds are a problem in the area, put down landscaping fabric or a similar barrier to suppress them. The excavated area should then be filled with gravel, which can help with drainage. Lynne Ocone, writing for This Old House, says you should rake the gravel and tamp it down to ensure that it is smooth and level.

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