What are the forms for garden paths. Garden path mold: manufacturing and use options

An important factor that affects the choice of material for paving garden paths is the price. Paving stones, clinker bricks, paving slabs are expensive options for ordinary summer residents. Pouring concrete using a mold is more affordable. At the same time, such a path has an attractive appearance and serves as an element of landscape design.

Method principle

The decision to use a mold to make original paths with concrete ornaments resonated with many summer residents. At the same time, you can buy a plastic template inexpensively at any hardware store. This form is a frame up to 6 cm thick.

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The area is divided by partitions into several sections. Thanks to the filling of the internal sections with concrete, tiles of an unusual configuration are obtained. The main advantages of this method of laying the sidewalk:

Among the disadvantages are the lower strength of the road surface than other types of material, and a shorter service life.

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Preparatory work

The process of pouring a concrete garden path consists of several stages. To achieve the best result and create a durable coating, the technology provides for some requirements for the landscape, material and quality of work.

Fill under the form

For a garden path made of concrete, you will need cement of a higher grade than for ordinary buildings: M350 and above. Firstly, the sidewalk is not experiencing a uniform load, but a point load - while a person is walking or vehicles are passing by. Secondly, the increased exposure to environmental conditions increases the requirements for the quality of the coating. Fill Features:

1. Concrete consistency -1:3 (cement/sand).
2. The use of metal rods or mesh for screed with this method of making the track is inappropriate. Fiber is used as a reinforcing element when mixing the solution.
   
3. Moisture penetrates into the pores of concrete, which, when frozen, expands and injures it. Therefore, water is the worst enemy of the garden path. To better preserve the coating and increase moisture resistance, water-repellent additives are included in the solution. Additives create a protective layer, closing the outer pores.
4. Of great importance when pouring the track with the help of the form are the density and fluidity of the solution. They are characterized by the amount of water in the composition and the quality of mixing. In order for the mixture to fill the entire volume of the plastic mold, the concrete must be sufficiently fluid (this can be seen with the naked eye). This is achieved by thorough mixing: undissolved lumps of sand and additional inclusions are not needed. The density is regulated by water: the solution should be medium - not liquid and not very dense, so that when removing the mold, the tiles do not fall apart and do not spread.
5. After mixing the concrete, the mixture is poured into the established form and evenly distributed over the sections with a trowel.
6. If necessary, the solution is added from above and the empty areas are refilled. Partitions of the form are on the same plane, so it is very convenient to level the top layer with a float, a regular board or other flat object.
7. If the mortar is thick enough, the concrete will not flow when the mold is removed. However, if it was not possible to prepare such a mixture, the site is given 5-10 minutes to solidify (cement with special additives is used for quick setting).
   
8. The form is carefully pulled out and moved to a new place.
9. The procedure is repeated until the entire track is completed.
10. The period of hardening and setting is about 30 days, but you can walk on the sidewalk after a week (of course, driving a car is not yet recommended). Watering the concrete daily with water is a standard and effective procedure to achieve the strength of the layer.

    Photo: platform from a car mold

11. With the help of staining, the garden path is given an original appearance, which puts it on a par with the finished colored tiles.
    For this purpose, different paints are used: rubber, synthetic, organic, silicate, etc. The main required property is wear resistance. You can also color the solution itself when kneading: this will give the track an even and rich shade. The use of several dyes allows you to create a unique ornament from tiles of different colors.

Elegant and well-groomed garden paths are a mandatory attribute of almost any modern cottage or country house. Agree, it's nice to walk along an exquisite path deep into your favorite garden or please guests with beautiful tiles that lead from the gate to the home porch.

garden paths organically fit into the green landscape and are divided into specific sectors, giving the territory a well-groomed and complete look. They are a kind of fence for a vegetable garden, a garden or a favorite flower bed.

In addition, the tiles can be laid out as a platform for a bench or a parking lot. Finally, thanks to the elastic and durable garden paths, even in bad weather, you can safely go to the outbuilding or to the garage without fear of getting bogged down in the soggy ground. With choice of material for the garden path can be found in .

Today we will talk about one of the most common, affordable and simple ways construction of a garden path using a special "filler" form.

Ready-made plastic molds for laying a garden path have many interesting design options, 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 easy to rearrange the mold and pour concrete, 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.

It is not a problem to buy a form for a garden path - it can be purchased at a specialized store or ordered via the Internet. Traditional form dimensions: 60*60*6 or 40*40*4 cm.

Preparatory stage

First, decide on the location of the new track. Make a preliminary markup: hammer pegs around the perimeter through which you stretch the string to mark the boundaries of the trail.

Now evaluate the density of the soil. If the top layer of the earth 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 form and taking into account the indentation along the edges for the curb. If necessary, you can take a double or triple width.

After - tamp the ground well and add about 5-9 cm of a layer of sand and fine gravel, then compress everything again. Make sure that the earth does not sink anywhere, otherwise the whole work will deteriorate.

If initially the soil turns out to be dense, then it is not necessary to dig a trench. It is enough just to tamp the ground, then lay a thin layer of sand and gravel no more than 5 cm and carefully compact everything again.

In principle, to form the bedding, you can get by with sand alone, and add gravel later when filling the path. The initial gravel-sand backfill is needed in the case of rather loose earth or when a large operational load is expected, for example, a platform is being made for a car.

Form setting

Pour water over the sand at the site of the future path - this will compact the foundation and keep sufficient moisture in the concrete. Sand can be temporarily covered with polyethylene. When it is planned to drive a car or park it on the tiles, then lay a reinforcing mesh on top of the gravel-sand base, which is cut by the grinder to the size of the path. An alternative to reinforcement is fiberglass.

Now, using a brush or sprayer, carefully and thinly smear your mold with soapy water, a specialized lubricant (optimal), or, in extreme cases, recycled car oil. Thanks to lubrication, the form will be better removed back. When using a special lubricant - " K-222”, etc. - it is enough to process the form once, with a soapy solution - every time before installing it in a new position, with machine oil - once every 3 fills.

Again, lightly spray the sand with water using a spray gun, then carefully and evenly place the form on the bedding, gently pressing it so that the layer of future tiles protrudes at least slightly above the level of the surrounding surface.

We prepare the solution

Let's move on to cement mortar. There are several options here.

• You can take the standard ratio: cement 1 hour, clean fine sand 3 hours.
• Further, there is such a method: cement 1 hour, sand 3 hours, crushed stone 4 hours (medium or fine fraction).
• The composition is also used cement 1 hour, sand 4 hours + plasticizer.

Often, for the strength of the track, both crushed stone and a plasticizer are added at once, and sometimes reinforcing fiber is also added.

The consumption of cement can be different, but we will give such a guideline from practice: 50 kg of cement M500 is enough for 2.6-3.0 square meters. m. track at the usual ratio to sand 1:3 and without gravel. Here, for example, forms of 40 cm (4 cm high), 1 row wide plus 17 forms in length, the total came out 40 cm * 680 cm = 2.72 square meters. m.

For tiles 60 * 60 * 6 cm, 50 kg of cement is enough for about 1.7-2.2 square meters. m. With gravel or with a plasticizer, cement consumption will be at least 15% lower everywhere.

So, to begin with, thoroughly mix dry cement grade M500 or M400 with fine-grained sand in a dry container. To make the tropic more durable, crushed stone can be added there.

If you are planning color track, then add a special dye for concrete to the dry mix with a dosage of approximately 2-5% of the total mass of cement. You can use the so-called. liquid pigment, which is added to the solution. A 750-800 g pack 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 track "spotted" when the dye is added to the concrete, but not completely mixed; sprinkle with pigment on top of the finished, but not yet covered tile, coloring only its surface.

Further, it is recommended to add to water or dry mix plasticizer, which will provide the garden path with better protection against moisture and temperature, making it more elastic, flexible, smooth and strong. The plasticizer saves cement consumption and strengthens concrete by about 15-20%. In this regard, we can advise 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 components or directly to the solution reinforcing polypropylene fiber by 12 or 18 mm. This is especially good for a place under the car. Thanks to the fiber, you can do without preliminary reinforcement with wire. Such a substance significantly increases the strength of concrete, levels out any appearance of cracks, and makes the material resistant to abrasion. One 600 g fiber pack is enough for 40-42 60*60 cm boards (about 15 sqm).

Gradually adding water to the dry mixture, thoroughly mix all the ingredients until a creamy consistency. Make sure that the solution is not too thin, as an excess of water can cause cracks to form after the track has solidified.

Laying a garden path

Lay the cement-sand mortar on top in the form installed on the bedding. Fill it as evenly as possible, leaving no gaps anywhere, especially in the corners. Using a trowel or a 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. Gently holding on to opposite diagonal corners, remove the mold, lifting it straight up so as not to warp the edges. Before this, it is allowed to lightly tap the form with a trowel.

Everything, the first fragment of the path is ready.

Then spray the sand again with water, if necessary, grease the mold, move it to an adjacent place and pour the solution again. Control the verticality of the form with a twine, level or long rail: the entire track should be on the same plane in height. By the way, for construction, you can use several molds at once - so the work will go faster.

After the final pouring, cover the track with a film or other material to protect it from marks or rain while it dries.

You can step on the finished path in a couple of days, give loads, walk - after 4-5 days, and put the car in at least 16-18 days.

Final stage

Fill the seams between the slabs of the path, as well as its edges with sand, tamping it well. You can also fill the seams with earth, then plant grass there. they are poured onto the already rammed seams, rolled with a wallpaper roller, then they need to be lightly sprinkled with earth again on top.

Finally, at 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 hour, sand 2-3 hours + plasticizer + fiber. If you take 2 parts of sand, the border will be white, if a little more - dark gray. Add border dye if needed.

Now you have a new beautiful garden path. Good luck with your construction!

Photo of garden paths

You can admire the ready-made options for garden paths and adopt the ideas you like. But make sure that the path you choose fits perfectly into your garden.

Modern matrices for concrete are a turnkey solution that allows you to combine pouring with the manufacture of tiles or artificial stone on the spot. The result is sidewalks with a paving effect, but labor-intensive laying is not necessary. Find out what forms for garden paths are, how to use them and how to make a template with your own hands from silicone, wood, metal. Learn the secrets of experienced craftsmen to get unusual trails in your summer cottage.

Plastic mold 60*60

Benefits of lane molds

You can simply fill the garden paths with concrete, thereby creating well-maintained passages for moving around the garden plot. But it is much more pleasant when the path pleases with a beautiful and original view. To improve the territory, a variety of matrices are used, which have a number of advantages:

1. The production of pavement elements takes place on site, there is no need to purchase and deliver ready-made paving stones to the site, which provides significant savings.
2. There is no need to dry individual products - the pavement hardens in place.
3. The use of molding tools is simple and convenient, since there is no need to select elements, do stitching, use a styling solution.
4. The use of forms makes it possible to create a canvas of the required strength - the thickness of the layer can be adjusted and, if necessary, change the composition of the concrete mixture, adding certain additives and reinforcement for strength.
5. Using garden path stencils , it is easy to create an imitation of stone, tiles and other intricately shaped elements.
6. Making tiles with your own hands makes it possible to add creativity to landscape design and decorate the site with unusual elements.
7. The use of molding devices allows you to lay passages without any restrictions - the paths can be straight, with various bends in any direction, harmoniously blending into the landscape.
8. Forms for pouring paths reduce repair time and save money, since concrete consumption is strictly dosed.

Tile alternative

If you take not just a concrete mix, but add porcelain stoneware, pebbles or crushed stone of different colors to the solution, then it will not be difficult to diversify the design of the territory. In order for the path to harmoniously fit into the landscape, lawn grass is often planted between adjacent elements.

Addition of pigments to the solution

Buy or make your own?

The ease of manufacture of concrete paths in the garden and their quality depend on the matrix used. A ready-made plastic mold for a garden path, as well as rubber compound or silicone stencils, are sold in stores. The advantage of a factory product is that it is made with high quality and is designed for reusable use.

Having studied the range, it is easy to choose a device for pouring the required configuration and size and find out how much the mold for the track costs. The price depends on the material - when using silicone, the cost of the molding matrix increases significantly.

finished form

If you think that 200-1000 rubles are a lot of expenses, you can reduce these costs by making a fixture with your own hands. The main costs will be only for the purchase of raw materials.

Even if you take high-quality silicone, then its cost will be significantly lower than that of a finished product made of the same material. And a home-made form for a garden path made of wood or metal (most often metal waste is used for such purposes: cutting pipes, any steel boxes) is even cheaper.

Homemade garden path matrix

With all the geometric irregularities and inaccuracies, the homemade form will look individual. By making a matrix with your own hands, you can express your vision of the general concept of landscape design of the site as accurately as possible.

Making a shape for a garden path

Very interesting forms for garden paths are easy to make from a variety of improvised materials. For example, from sheet metal, pipes cut in a special way, wooden bars. But the best option is to prepare a silicone matrix, such a material has elasticity and durability.

The simplest pipe patterns

Durable silicone mold

Despite the complexity of manufacturing a silicone stencil, such products have advantages. With their help, a high-quality imitation of other materials, such as natural stone or wood with a recognizable structure, is created. To obtain high-quality paving stones or tiles, molds for garden paths made of silicone can be repeatedly placed on a vibrating table, they do not lose their properties after numerous cycles of use.

Stencil for making road tiles with wood imitation

The step-by-step production of silicone devices for concrete molding looks like this:

1. A sample is selected to be used to make the mold. It is better to take a few as a basis to diversify the appearance of the track.
2. Formwork is prepared from cardboard or pieces of plywood and placed around the selected samples, creating an airtight contour for pouring.
3. The prepared formwork and the sample from the side where they will come into contact with the hardening silicone are carefully smeared with grease so that the finished form easily moves away from the adjacent surfaces.
4. Then silicone, which is usually sold packaged in tubes, begins to fill the space prepared using the formwork. It is necessary to calculate the amount of raw materials and purchase it with a small margin.
5. Distribute silicone with a brush dipped in any detergent. Carefully leveling the silicone mass is necessary to compact it and remove air bubbles. You also need to control that the silicone layer is at least 20 mm.
6. The final leveling is carried out with a spatula moistened, for example, with soapy water.
7. It takes 14 to 28 days for the silicone mass to completely harden (depending on the type of raw material). After the silicone has completely cured, the formwork is removed, and the stone is carefully removed from the resulting matrix.

The resulting molds for making garden paths can withstand up to 1000 cycles of pouring pavement elements.

Metal matrix option

Metal garden path mold

Sheet material is suitable as a material for making a do-it-yourself mold (you can even use an old metal barrel). The work plan looks like this:

1. A drawing is created on which the outline of the product with dimensions is drawn. It is desirable to make an arbitrary contour that imitates the outlines of natural stone.
2. Cut strips of a certain width with scissors for metal or a grinder. It should be borne in mind that the thickness of the pavement for pedestrians should be approximately 30-40 mm, and under the parking area the canvas is made with a thickness of at least 60 mm.
3. In order for the finished product to be used easily, the edges of the prepared strip are cleaned, removing burrs.
4. According to the drawing, the strips are bent. The edges of the strip are fixed with self-tapping screws, the heads of which are oriented inside the area to be filled, or with rivets.

metal template

In this way, it is possible to make blanks from pipes of different diameters, cutting them into rings of the same height. After cutting, the rings are also cleaned and fastened with rivets.

Video: How to make a metal template

Available wooden mold

Making a wooden fixture for pouring a concrete path looks like this:

1. A template is prepared according to which a matrix for pouring will be created. It can be depicted on paper by drawing a drawing, or you can pick up a finished product, the dimensions of which will be taken as a basis.
2. Focusing on the template, square bars of 50x50 mm in size are cut to the required length.
3. Prepared bars are fastened along the contour of the template, having previously cut grooves at their ends. For strength, the fasteners are reinforced with metal brackets.
4. Then plywood or sheet metal is attached to the resulting square or rectangle, which acts as a bottom.

An easy option for shaping squares

The result was a simple form of wood. This type of formwork can be mounted on site, but only without a bottom - the role of the base will be played by the soil. Also, you must not forget to carefully lubricate the matrix with grease, which will allow you to use it many times.

Types of forms for tracks

Templates for pouring garden droshky are distinguished by size, configuration, the number of elements received simultaneously, and the material of manufacture. Matrices for the construction of paths directly in the places where they run do not have a bottom, which is how they differ from molds for making tiles or artificial stone.

Imitation wild stone

Depending on where the path will be laid or which corner of the garden will be decorated with paving, the type of elements for the country sidewalk is selected.

If a rectangle is used, the path can be laid out as the main path leading to the house. This design looks classic, and even if there are rectangles of different sizes, the drawing still looks complete and not boring.

Working with a stencil

The combination of different-looking elements looks most natural when the sidewalk is laid out in the form of free paving. In this case, the dimensions of the mold should not differ much, although each stone may have a different contour. The elements in this version do not have a rectangular clarity, but the masonry is quite dense.

Paving from elements of different sizes looks even more interesting. Usually laying is done with large stones, between which smaller ones are then laid out. An illusion is created that the coating was not made by human hands, but nature worked on the site. In this option, a zone can be laid out on which a picnic corner is located - garden furniture and a barbecue can be placed on the site.

round stones

If you need to lay out a path among flower beds, the best fit is a form in which there are round stones. This option will look harmoniously near the gazebo, when a cozy corner is surrounded by compositions from the bushes.

In any configuration, the matrix should have a convenient size. Most often, a do-it-yourself form for making tracks 60x60 cm is relevant - along the width of the passage, although pouring devices with dimensions of 90x90 cm, 40x40 cm or 44x44 cm are also in demand. The larger the form, the faster the work goes. The smaller, the easier it is for a beginner.

How to fill molds for tracks with concrete

To get high-quality tiles, you need to know how to make a mortar for the forms of garden paths correctly. Initially, all ingredients are prepared in the required proportions:

• cement brand M500 or higher - 1 part;
• clean sand - 3 parts;
• crushed stone without pollution - 1 part.

Principle of operation

If necessary, you can prepare pigments for concrete.

1. After the initial setting of the concrete, the formwork is carefully removed, and the finished area is not touched until it has completely hardened. The final setting time depends on the composition of the mixture - you can use a variety of additives that improve the properties of the concrete canvas and change the final hardening time of the mixture.

Video: DIY garden path

Options for creating artistic garden paths

Depending on the style in which the landscape design is made, you can create country paths with artistic decoration. For example, elements decorated with mosaic patterns and figured tiles look good.

Making mosaic tiles with your own hands is quite simple:

1. Having laid the reinforcement in the form, the finished solution of the sand-cement mixture is also poured there.
2. On top of the solution distributed in the matrix, the prepared mosaic is laid with the pattern down, and the base of paper or film up.
3. The product must harden for at least a day, after which it is removed from the container.

Burdock print

Another option is to take a ready-made tile, apply a layer of diluted tile adhesive, on which a mosaic pattern is laid out.

Design tiles for garden paths can be made from common materials with some creative thinking. It is enough to take an ordinary solution of sand with cement, pour it into a certain form, lubricated with technical petroleum jelly or grease, and make an imprint from something natural on top - hands or feet previously lubricated with petroleum jelly, a burdock leaf or other plant with large leaves, trimming a wooden boards with a pronounced structure and so on.

Funny three-dimensional drawings

If you look for unnecessary materials in the barn, you can come up with many options on how and from what to make molds for pouring tracks with your own hands. You can use the most unusual objects with an interesting texture and unusual configuration.

Garden paths winding elegantly through the trees add to the yard. refinement and perfection. And it is not at all necessary to buy paving slabs for their arrangement, to hire a designer and builders. You can improve the paths in the garden on your own, putting your soul into their creation, and in return get a durable, well-groomed coating that can delight you for many years. We will tell you more about how to make a garden path from a variety of materials with your own hands.

Types of garden paths

Garden paths can be classified according to many criteria, ranging from the material of manufacture, size and arrangement, to design and compliance with a particular style. Consider which garden paths can be equipped on your site with low costs for their manufacture.

Garden path made with a plastic mold

Ennobling garden paths with plastic molds- a relatively new method, which, due to its simplicity, has found many fans among the owners of suburban areas.

Proof of this are numerous photos from specialized forums, where you can see just such garden paths.

Virtues of this method are not only simplicity, but also low cost and speed of manufacture, because the manufacture of garden paths using molds is, in fact, ordinary concreting.

The cheapness of this method is due to the use of one form, which is enough for trouble-free operation. Of course, the strength of tiles made in this way is inferior to products made by vibrocasting in the factory, but for a track in the country they are one of the best options.

Garden path from paving slabs

For garden paths, the same tile which is placed on sidewalks. The undeniable advantage of this material is strength. The tile laid in the form of a path in the country will serve you for many years without losing its appearance, and if some elements of the path are damaged under the influence of external factors, they can be easily replaced. AT limitations we will write down the tile covering laboriousness and high cost. What do you want? Longevity doesn't come without a cost.

stone garden path

Very often, the stone left over from the construction of the house is used to improve the paths. In this case, we can assume that the price of such a garden path is equal to the cost of one's own labor. We will not talk about the durability of the stone, paths of this type have been known since ancient times. In shortcomings, as in the case of tiles, we will determine the complexity.

Laying a stone correctly is not for the weak, but it will more than pay off with the result. Do-it-yourself stone paths will give the appearance of your garden real nobility and a look of unshakable durability, besides, they will remain your descendants in their original form.

Garden path made of chocks and wood

If the country house is built of logs, then your choice is a do-it-yourself path made of wood. This is one of the cheapest options, very easy to repeat, but nevertheless one of the most spectacular against the backdrop of trees in the garden. Unfortunately, the service life of such paths is limited due to the fragility of the material, so only the hardest wood species will have to be used.

Garden path made of loose materials

If you want to build garden paths with your own hands at low cost, then this method is what you need. It is enough to dig a trench of the required width and fill it with suitable material, ranging from pebbles and screenings to rubble or marble chips. You can even lay pieces of marble or concrete slabs in a chaotic manner, the main thing is to set their upper plane to a level and fill the gaps between them. Such garden paths are not suitable for a heavy load, but they will be able to provide the necessary cleanliness and excellent appearance of your garden.

Instructions for creating garden paths in photos

Garden path with a do-it-yourself mold. Step-by-step instruction

To start equipping garden paths with a plastic mold with your own hands, look at photos of such stencils and get the one that you liked the most.

Pay attention to the height of the forms and "stones" - they can vary widely.

A lot has been written about how to make paths in the country with your own hands. We suggest using the following guide.

Choosing a place for a garden path and we mark it with our own hands. To do this, we hammer in the pegs at all the bends of the path, and then we tighten them with a cord around the entire perimeter. We immediately set the cord according to the level, taking into account the required height of the track above the ground. A water level can make this task much easier.

If the soil in your area is soft, then you need to dig a trench 10-12 cm deep, fill it up to half with sand, after which it is necessary to spill everything with water and tamp. With sufficient soil strength, you can do without a trench, but it is necessary to make sand bedding followed by tamping.

If the paths in the country house are planned to be used for driving a car, then you should dig a trench with your own hands, fill it with a sand and gravel mixture, and then lay a reinforcing steel mesh over it.

We prepare the solution . To do this, mix cement grade 400, sand and gravel in a ratio of 1: 3: 4. If you plan to use coloring and plasticizing additives, then we add them at the rate of 1-3% of the dye and plasticizer. You can take 4 parts of sand, but make sure that the cement is as fresh as possible, and its brand is not lower 400 .

We start making garden paths by mixing all the components in a dry form, after which we add water (if a concrete mixer is used, then half the volume of water is first poured, and the rest of it is added during the mixing process).

We begin to prepare the solution Add a dye for concrete And a liquid plasticizer Mix dry Add water with a plasticizer and mix again

We note right away that excess water negatively affects the strength of concrete after setting, so the amount of liquid should be no more than required for high-quality filling of the form. Application plasticizer will greatly facilitate this process, add strength to concrete and reduce cement consumption by up to 15-20%. Fiberglass can also be added to the solution, which will prevent shrinkage cracks on the surface and increase the abrasion strength of concrete by 100%.

For ease of use of the stencil, we attach handles to it. , using special technological holes in the case. For those who plan to make garden paths at low cost, we will tell you that the mold can be lubricated with automotive " working off».

Of course, this is not the most ideal option, because the greasy surface of the tiles can be painted only after a while. The use of a soap solution is no less budgetary, however, even such an environmentally friendly method also has the drawback described above.

We lubricate the forms for the garden path with a special lubricant Lubrication of the form will make it easy to remove it from the finished product

And here is the application special grease for forms, although it will entail additional costs, it will save you from the need to constantly lubricate the mold for making a garden path with your own hands. The form lubricated immediately before work will not leave greasy marks, so you can paint such a track immediately after setting.

If the soil you compacted has had time to dry out , then it is necessary to spill it with water. Further, guided by the previously stretched cord, as well as controlling the level, we set the form for pouring garden paths, which must be slightly pressed into the sand.

We fill the stencil with the prepared solution , avoiding voids in its corners. Using a small rammer, which we work like a vibrating plate, we try to compact the concrete as much as possible, and then level its surface with a spatula. After the 30-50 minutes required to pre-set the concrete, the mold is carefully removed and set side by side, repeating the process until the finish line.

We begin to gradually fill in the form, do not forget that the concrete should not be very liquid. Pay special attention to the corners, it is necessary to fill them with concrete mortar as much as possible. Since we used a plasticizer and made the solution thick, after 15-20 minutes you can remove the mold. Here is the first plate and ready! Leave to freeze for a day, after which we actively begin to use

To avoid animal prints , hand-made garden paths are covered with plastic wrap and wait at least 3-4 days before taking a new path and taking a photo as a keepsake. The full load on the concrete product can be given no earlier than after 20 days.

The last stage in the construction of garden paths do-it-yourself at low cost is painting and backfilling tile joints with river sand.

There are several ways to paint a new path.

• The first is to add a dye at the final stage of concrete preparation. . After that, you can lightly mix the concrete, achieving an uneven color, or mix the components thoroughly to obtain a uniform color.
• The second method requires sprinkling a wet concrete surface with a dry dye each time after demoulding. , however, in this case, only the topmost layer will be painted, which will be erased over time. Garden paths with spots wiped off just after such a coloring can often be seen in the photo on the net.

DIY tracks video tutorial

Garden paths painted with their own hands look very interesting. dye dissolved in deep penetration soil , which allows you to achieve similarity with natural stone at low cost. Stone effect tiles painted in various colors will look especially impressive in your garden. And the last tip: after painting, do not forget to treat the surface of the path with a water repellent - it will not allow moisture to penetrate into the pores of the concrete, destroying it from the inside.

We fill the concrete path with our own hands

Easy to manufacture, durable and outwardly attractive are monolithic concrete paths laid along the summer cottage. Read on to learn how to make garden paths out of concrete.

Marking the future path , hammering pegs along its edges and pulling a cord between them at the required height. We take into account that the optimal thickness of the fill is from 7 to 10 cm.

Preparing the sand bed . To do this, we dig a trench up to 20 cm deep, level its bottom, install beacons and lay geotextiles, also covering the slopes of the trench with this material. After that, we fill the hole with 2-3 layers of sand with intermediate pouring and tamping of each layer. It is possible to pour a layer of fine gravel between two adjacent layers of sand. This will enhance the drainage properties of the pillow.

Laying of agrofibre Sand cushion installation Sand cushion leveling

Preparing concrete . You can use the recipe from the instructions for filling forms. If you need a sidewalk of increased strength, for example, for driving or parking a car in the country, then take 1 part of cement (not lower than grade 400), 1.5 parts of sand and 2.5-3 parts of crushed stone or gravel. The ideal volumetric ratio is considered to be 1 part water to 3 parts cement, but a little more is added to increase the plasticity of the liquid. Do not forget that the less water there is in the solution, the stronger the concrete coating will be.

Formwork is used for garden paths from wooden boards with a thickness of at least 20 mm. It is better if the width of the boards is equal to the thickness of the fill, otherwise you will have to dig them into the ground. Boards need to be nailed to the inside of the pegs.

Place dividers at regular intervals in order to create expansion joints. When making a track in the country, dividers can be used from improvised material. For these purposes, flat, narrow strips of drywall, glass, thin boards, trimmings of laminate, siding, etc. are suitable. In order to remove the separators after the concrete has set, they must be lubricated with any suitable lubricant.

We carry out reinforcement of the structure to increase its strength. As a reinforcing mesh, a chain-link mesh, cuttings of reinforcement, pipes, etc. are used. Of course, it is best to use a welded reinforcing belt made of rods with a diameter of up to 8 mm, with a cell of 100x100 mm. The reinforcement is set at half the height of the track, using fragments of bricks or clamps from the same rods.

Garden paths are poured up to the top edge of the formwork . Next, using a rammer, we compact the surface until cement milk appears on the surface of the path, and then level it using the rule. Next, we cover the path with plastic wrap and wait at least 5 days before removing the formwork. The full load on concrete can be given no earlier than after 3 weeks.

Decorate the path possible in several ways.

• Firstly, the surface can be painted or lined with marble or ceramic tiles.
• Secondly, you can apply a pattern to it with a figured spatula, screwdriver or coarse brush.
• Thirdly, you can paint the concrete itself at the stage of preparation.
• Fourthly, gravel or pebbles can be pressed into the wet layer, laying out intricate patterns.

In a word, a concrete garden path can be original and attractive, as on numerous videos of popular Internet resources.

DIY paving slab garden path

If you plan to equip garden paths with your own hands at low cost, then this method will not work for you. Paving slabs cannot be called cheap material. On the other hand, such tracks have a lot of advantages and are practically devoid of disadvantages. Watch the video in which such a garden path is laid with your own hands. Not so difficult, right? At first glance, this is what it is. In fact, in order for the pavement laid in the country to please the eye for a long time, careful preparation of the base and maximum accuracy and accuracy in work are necessary. So, how to make a path from paving slabs with your own hands:

1. Choosing a tile . At the same time, we focus not only on design, but also on its operational features. For example, for a tile on which it is planned to drive a car, the ability to withstand increased loads is important.
2. We stock up on tools . For work we need: a trowel, a rubber mallet, a rammer, a level, a cord, pegs, a pipe or an I-beam, sand and cement.

1. Marking future tracks . To do this, we hammer in the pegs and pull the cord at the required height.

1. We prepare the base . The successful operation of the track throughout the entire service life will depend on this work, so we approach this stage most responsibly. To do this, we level the base as accurately as possible, removing part of the soil on the hills and pouring it in the lowlands. In the process of work, we constantly compact the soil, wetting its surface with water.

We calculate the depth of the base from the calculation of the height of the tile plus the height of the sand layer. To the resulting value, add a couple of centimeters for shrinkage. As a rule, the depth is 20-30cm. Do not forget to create the necessary slopes for the flow of water from the surface.

1. After leveling the base, lay the geotextile . It will prevent weeds from growing into the tile joints.

1. Pour a sand cushion , spill it with water and ram. After that, we level its surface with a profile, relying on pipes or beams installed at the required distance from each other.

1. We prepare the mixture from 1 part of cement and 3 parts of sand, which we lay out on the base and perform a screed using an I-beam or channel.
2. We start laying tiles from the curb in the direction "away from you" . We lay out the initial row clearly along the cord, installed along the chamfer. In this case, you can use 1-2mm crosses to form seams of the same thickness. To ensure the required height, sand is poured or removed with a trowel, ramming it in the process. At the same time, do not forget to constantly monitor the quality of laying with the help of a level and a mallet. If it is necessary to dock the tile to other buildings, then, if necessary, it can be cut with a grinder with an established circle for working on stone.

1. After the last row is laid, we fill the seams with a sand-cement mixture and fill them with water.

A curb installed along the edges of the sidewalk will prevent the tiles from moving and preserve the integrity of the structure. During operation, sand from the seams can be washed out with water, so it will be necessary to periodically add it.

wooden garden path

Many summer residents think about how to make garden paths out of wood, because this inexpensive and affordable material is always at hand. In addition, you can use not only the classic version in the form of installed saw cuts, but also install beautiful and functional paths in the country, for example, from such improvised material as euro pallets.

The material for saw cuts can be both a purchased log house and fallen trees from a grove, which is located next to the site. A chainsaw will help to make wooden garden paths at low cost, which is not necessary to buy if you can ask a friend for help.

To arrange the track, follow the instructions below:

1. We mark the place for the path and dig a trench 10-20 cm deep.
2. We lay waterproofing, taking into account the overlap of not only the bottom, but also the slopes.
3. As a drainage, we fill the bottom of the trench with rubble.
4. We pour a 10 cm layer of sand as a pillow under the cuts.
5. We install saw cuts, alternating thick logs with thin branches to maximize the filling of space.
6. We fill the gaps between saw cuts with sand.

You can install saw cuts in such a way that their upper part will rise 3-5 cm above the surface. A path of this type will be much less polluted in slush and rain.

In the video, you can often see how great a garden path made of wooden planks looks. But such material as euro pallets is excellent for our purposes, and the cost of such material includes only its delivery to the site. At the same time, pallets are made from durable wood, which, when treated with antiseptics, can last a long time.

To prepare the boards, they are cut into pieces of 50 cm, sanded, treated with a protective agent and painted or varnished. The flooring itself is performed according to the following algorithm:

1. Logs are arranged from wooden bars, which are fastened together with the same bars, using knitting “in half a tree”.
2. Cover the structure with bituminous mastic, which will protect the frame from decay. The same mastic covers the bottom of the boards.
3. Boards are laid, leaving a gap of 10-20 mm between them for water flow.
4. Additionally, cover the track with varnish or paint.

When hammering nails, try to sink their hats into the wood as deeply as possible. This will allow you to walk barefoot along the path without fear of injury.

Prices for molds and materials

Everything you need for arranging garden paths can be found in the relevant sections of the Leroy Merlin store. "Garden paths" and other sections of the catalog contain hundreds of positions of the necessary tools and materials. At the same time, it is impossible not to note the rather democratic prices.

So, the cost of a form for a garden path in Leroy is 507 rubles, which, you see, is quite inexpensive, given its reusable use. A concrete mixer, of course, will cost you more - a 120-liter unit has a price of 5690 rubles, but it will greatly facilitate concrete work.

Dyes for concrete

Dyes for concrete start at 603 rubles. for a 700 g jar, while plasticizers can be bought for a minimum price of 149 rubles. for a container weighing 600 g. Store consultants will be able to answer questions about how to make paths in the country with your own hands or tell you about the features of using certain materials. The form for the garden path, bought in Leroy Merlin, will allow you to save quite a significant amount when arranging paths in your garden.

If you have not yet decided how to make a path in the country, look at the gallery of photos located on our website. Interesting solutions using various ways of arranging garden paths will help you choose the best option, make the necessary changes to it and create your own unique design. And, maybe, soon the photo of your site will appear in the first lines of search results.

Foreword

Stencils and molds for the manufacture of tiles, which will later be paved paths, can be made by hand. This article will tell you how to make them quickly and competently.

Today, interesting stencils are made of plastic, with the help of which, by pouring a cement-sand mortar directly onto the prepared surface, you can make an imitation of a tiled sidewalk. And their cost is not particularly high - within 1300 rubles, and such a form for pouring garden paths allows you to pave a plot of about 50x50 centimeters at once. There are also molds for making tiles, that is, for casting material that will later be laid on a sand cushion.

Imitation of a tiled pavement

Such options are much cheaper - from 20 to 250 rubles, depending on the complexity of the contour and the presence of relief on the template. You can choose the appropriate option from the photographs. What exactly the paving form allows you to do, and what kind of garden path you end up with, you can see in the video. So why do many people prefer to make molds with their own hands? Firstly, a track that has been independently completed from beginning to end will serve as a source of pride. Secondly, a self-made form will allow you to get a unique laying material.

But it will cost, perhaps, a little more expensive, especially if you do not make a frame out of wood, but a full-fledged silicone template, or even plastic. In particular, two-component silicone will cost 850 rubles per kilogram, and if you take high-quality raw materials for printing, then 1200 rubles per 150 grams. What to choose? If you are ready to stamp a typical tile, then get cheap forms, and if you want exclusive paving, then we will share various interesting technologies for making laying elements with our own hands.

So, you do not like the ordinary contours of the tile, but there is not enough time to make a stencil for the tracks, or simply nowhere due to the lack of a workshop. Then the ideal option is to find a suitable form on the farm or make it as quickly as possible from tin with your own hands. First of all, we look at unnecessary kitchen containers or other containers, for example, half-kilogram rectangular ice cream cans.

Iron track stencil

With their help, you can get a wonderful rectangular tile, completely flat or slightly rounded at the top, depending on the shape of the bottom of the container. In order for the cement blocks to be easily removed from the containers, it is recommended to lubricate the walls and bottoms of the latter before pouring the solution with ordinary vegetable oil. Another option is to take as a basis large cans of salted spicy herring, 1300 grams each. They are large enough to get a large blank for making a template. First, take a can opener and cut off the bottom. We get a solid size ring made of tin.

Then you can leave it as it is and cast round pancakes for the original track (then you can take jars of different sizes to get different-sized tiles). But it’s better to bend simple home-made geometric shapes from several cans to complement each other, like a puzzle. Each such stencil, made by hand, will allow you to perform quite a lot of styling elements that will look great on photos and videos.

The easiest way is to make a wooden frame for pouring, a kind of formwork, with your own hands. After carefully polishing the boards, you can fold them into an even frame, which will allow you to get castings of any size, up to large slabs of 50x50 centimeters. But we recommend choosing not a boring rectangular outline, but try to make something more complex.

Wooden frame for pouring garden tiles

In particular, it is possible to make triangular home-made shapes for any garden paths, which will allow you to make multi-colored laying elements for paving with intricate patterns. There is also an option to make a polygon by sawing off triangular fragments from the ends from equal pieces of timber, getting elongated trapeziums (the main thing is to choose the right saw angle). But if you still want to limit yourself to a square or rectangular frame, then you can make an interesting tile with your own hands and such a typical shape. To do this, when loosening the soil, collect large stones, the size of half a palm.

Then prepare the solution and pour it into the hammered formwork so that the layer thickness is at least 5 centimeters. Now we take the stones and put them directly into the solution so that they are almost completely immersed in it. The cement-sand mixture should be thick enough so that the cobblestones do not drown in it, but are slightly pressed. After laying, wipe the surface of the “mosaic” with a damp cloth. When the solution hardens after a few days, remove the tile and leave to harden in a cool place.

The most interesting thing is to make unique templates. But pouring plastic is a task that is far from accessible to everyone, and raw rubber requires vulcanization at high temperatures. Therefore, we suggest trying to make a do-it-yourself mold from two-component silicone, which hardens at room temperature. As mentioned above, the cost of raw materials is not too high, although it will cost more than the finished plastic print.

Two-component silicone mold

So, we knock together a frame of wood, as suggested earlier for pouring cement with stone inclusions. But this time we make it collapsible, carefully polishing every detail. Next, we take a board, it is possible even with carvings on the surface, or ready-made with or without relief. The main thing is that the sides of the formwork are higher than the sample, then the stencil will turn out to be thick, and the paving of garden paths will be reliable and beautiful enough to capture it in a photo and brag to friends. Now we prepare a mixture of silicone, according to the recipe indicated on the container. There are many instructional videos on this subject.

When the mass is ready, we lay the plank or tile in the frame so that there is an equal distance to the sides on all sides. It is better to put cellophane or cling film down, lightly lubricated with oil. We also lubricate the walls of the formwork and the sample laid inside with oil. It remains only to pour a mixture of liquid silicone in small portions, making sure that air bubbles do not form. The technology is simple, and you can master it without a training video. When the composition hardens, we disassemble the frame, carefully remove the sample from the resulting form. Then you can pour cement inside and, after it hardens, remove a soft template from it, getting a high-quality neat tile.

We make tiles from cement using a homemade mold

It remains only to find out exactly how the laying elements for paving the paths should be made so that they do not split at the very beginning of their operation. So, if you have decided on the form, it remains only to prepare the solution. We take a large container and pour cement with coarse-grained sand into it in a ratio of 1: 3, that is, 3 shares of sand fall on 1 share of cement. Pour water and start mixing with a construction mixer or a special nozzle on a drill.

The solution should be homogeneous, without separate lumps of sand or cement. If necessary, add water in the process, so that the result is a consistency of thick sour cream. You can watch the whole process in the tutorial video.

Now, carefully, with the help of a construction ladle, pour the solution into a mold, no matter whether it is a stencil placed on the ground with gravel backfill, or a template for making tiles. The main thing is that the plastic, wooden or silicone mold is lubricated with oil, so it will be easier to remove the finished laying element in the future. Having filled the stencil to the brim, leave it for at least 5 days, until the cement has completely solidified. But even after removing the tile, it is still not ready. We put it somewhere in a cool ventilated place, and every day we spray it with water a couple of times.

The cement will completely harden in about a month, when a hammer blow on the surface of the product will cause the tool to rebound without leaving marks.