Walkways · Hardscaping Columbus
Walkway Installation in Columbus, OH
Paths that link the driveway, doors, patio and gate where people walk. Get a free estimate.
Serving Columbus, Dublin, Upper Arlington, Westerville, New Albany and 27 more towns
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List what you want in the yard and what is not working now. The contractor will ring you to talk it over and line up a walk-through.
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Walkways & Paths
Walkway Installation for Columbus, OH
A walkway is the thread that ties a yard plan together. It connects the driveway to the front door, the back door to the patio, the patio to the gate and the shed. The best route is usually the one people already take; look for the worn strip in the grass and you have most of your layout. Width matters more than people expect. Two people side by side need about 4 to 5 feet, and a side path that sees wheelbarrows or trash bins should stay at 3 feet or wider.
Material follows the rest of the yard. A paver walk can match the patio and driveway, curve easily and be lifted later to run a line underneath. A poured concrete walk is a durable, simple choice along the side of a house. Either way the path needs a compacted base, a slight cross-slope so rain runs off one side instead of sitting in the middle, and some thought at low spots, where a path laid across the yard can act like a dam against the natural flow of water.
What's included
What goes into walkways and paths
- 01
Route planning
Following the lines people already walk and the views you want along the way.
- 02
Width for the use
Wide enough for two at the front door, and for carts and bins along the side.
- 03
Paver or concrete
Pavers to match the patio and driveway, or broom-finished concrete.
- 04
Base and cross-slope
Compacted stone and a slight tilt that drains the surface.
- 05
Edges and borders
Restraints on paver walks, and border courses that define the curves.
- 06
Steps where the grade changes
Steps built into the path where a grass ramp would be too steep.
Examples
Walkways & Paths: examples
Example photos of the type of work.
How it works
Walkways & Paths, step by step
- 1
Trace the route
The path is marked with paint and walked before anything is dug.
- 2
Excavate and base
Dig to depth and compact the stone base.
- 3
Lay or pour
Set pavers with borders and cuts, or form and pour concrete.
- 4
Finish the edges
Restrain the edges and pull soil back up along the sides.
Questions
Walkways & Paths questions
Will a walkway heave in the winter?
Not if water can get out from under it. Paths heave when soaked clay beneath them freezes and expands, so the base has to be deep enough and the surface needs a cross-slope. Pavers absorb small movement by flexing; concrete handles it with control joints.
What sets the cost of a walkway?
Length and width, the material, and how much the route curves or changes level. Steps, borders and tearing out an old walk add to it, and a long carry from the street to the backyard adds time.
Is a permit needed for a walkway?
A walk on your own lot is rarely the issue. Anything touching the city's strip, like a new public sidewalk section or a walk that ties into one, usually goes through the city or village engineering office first. Utilities get marked through 811 before any digging.
Should the front walk be straight or curved?
Let the house decide. A formal, symmetrical house often looks right with a straight walk to the door, while a ranch with a wide front yard can carry a gentle curve. Avoid curves people will cut across, because they will, and the grass will show it.
Can the walkway match the driveway and patio?
Yes, and in a whole-yard plan that is usually the goal. Carrying one paver family from the driveway through the walk to the patio makes the property read as one design, even if each piece is built in a different season.
Pieces of the plan
Related work
Paver Patios
The anchor of most yard plans: a paver patio sized, placed and graded to connect with everything around it.
More on paver patios
Outdoor Steps
Paver, block or poured steps wherever the yard changes level, sized for a relaxed outdoor stride.
More on outdoor steps
Paver Driveways
A paver driveway on a deep base, matched to the front walk and steps so the front yard reads as one.
More on paver driveways
Service area
Walkways & Paths around Columbus
We plan and build walkways and paths across Columbus and these towns.
Franklin County
Pickaway County
Fairfield County
Delaware County
Licking County
Talk to us about walkways and paths
Tell us what you want out there now and later, and we will call to talk through a plan and book a walk-through.