DIY Paver Walkway

Want to add a paved walkway to your yard but find the cost is crazy expensive? I hear ya! Hiring a paving or concrete company can be expensive but there are many ways to make a walkway with stepping stones. In fact, we created a few simple paver walkway areas in our yard that were all inexpensive DIY walkways. I’ll share how we created an inexpensive walkway using pavers and how to lay large pavers for a walkway. Keep reading and watch the video to see this DIY Paver Walkway!

If you’re curious (or in a hurry)…

✅ These are the pavers we used for this DIY walkway. We also used these large square pavers to create the paver pattern pictured.

Can you lay pavers directly on dirt?

Yes and no. Yes, you can lay pavers directly on the dirt but you may not achieve the function and style you would if you dig down.

If you want your pavers to stay put (not move after they’ve been walked on several times) then you need to dig down and make sure the ground is level. You also need to add dirt/sand/rocks in between the pavers so they don’t move.

How much does a paver walkway cost?

The cost to paver a walkway depends if you plan to hire a company or individual, or if you plan to do it yourself.

I had paver companies quote us $10k-$15k to pave our driveway, sidewalk, a parking pad, and the side yard walkway.

I spent around $150 in pavers to pave the side yard walkway so I think there is a considerable difference in price if you do it yourself!

How do you make a cheap walkway?

As I mentioned above, I spent around $150 to DIY the walkway in our side yard. We had crushed shells in the side yard before I did the walkway and I think the existing crushed shells made it easier to create this walkway. If you are starting in a yard with grass, then you will need to dig all the grass out in the area you plan to install the walkway. You don’t want grass growing up through your new pavers.

What is the best material to put under pavers?

I didn’t put anything under our pavers. However, we had crushed shells with a weed barrier cover in our side yard, which made it easier since there wasn’t grass or weeds to dig up. You could put down weed barrier but it would be easier to just dig down to install the pavers and don’t waste your money on weed barrier.

Side Yard DIY Paver Walkway

The easiest DIY walkway would be one with large pavers and a flat, level surface. If you have a somewhat small budget, I suggest checking out the pavers available at your local Home Depot or Lowe’s. Home Depot carries large square pavers that will easily fill up a space to create a patio in 15 minutes or less (as long as the ground is level).

We used a combination of 12″ x 12″ pavers, 16″ x 16″ pavers, and 3.5″ x 7″ brick pavers

Supplies we used:

Directions:

Gather supplies.
Shovel the entire area where you wish to create the patio space.
Use a rake to level the surface as flat as possible.
Use a small rake to rake smaller areas under the pavers and use a level to make sure the ground is level.
Begin placing the pavers in the ground in your desired pattern. The prettier the pattern, the better the pavers will look. Our pavers are about an inch apart.
The start of the walkway on the side yard. I ended up changing the pattern.
Use a level to make sure the pavers are the same level when placing into the ground. Use a rubber mallet to tap the pavers into place in the dirt ground so they do no shift. You can even step on the pavers to make sure they are not wobbly.
Once all the pavers have been placed in the ground and are level, pour extra dirt, rocks, or sand over the pavers and sweep into the cracks until the pavers are clean.
Use leveling sand on top of everything and sweep the leveling sand off the pavers and into the cracks.
in this picture: our side yard walkway has a curve in it and this is how I laid the pavers to create the curve.
Use a paver sealer to seal everything into place (follow the instructions on the sealer you use). You might need to add more sand over time for upkeep.

Wrap up about DIY Paver Walkways

I hope you found this paver walkway pictures tutorial useful and are inspired to try your own DIY walkway using pavers. You can easily create a beautiful walkway by adding your own pavers. You can use inexpensive pavers to create unique paver walkway patterns for a DIY walkway.

Print the Instructions and Watch the Video for the DIY Paver Walkway

DIY Paver Sidewalk

Want to add a patio to your backyard but find the cost is crazy expensive? I hear ya! Hiring a paving or concrete company can be expensive but there are many ways to make a walkway with stepping stones. In fact, we created a few simple paver walkway areas in our yard that were all inexpensive DIY walkways. I'll share how we created an inexpensive walkway using pavers and how to lay large pavers for a walkway. Keep reading and watch the video to see this DIY Paver Walkway!

Print Pin

Author: Melanie | Simple Made Pretty

Supplies

Instructions

Gather supplies.
Shovel the entire area where you wish to create the patio space.
Use a rake to level the surface as flat as possible.
Use a level to make sure the ground is level.
Begin placing the pavers in the ground in your desired pattern. The prettier the pattern, the better the pavers will look. Our pavers are about an inch apart.
Use a level to make sure the pavers are the same level when placing into the ground.
Use a rubber mallet to tap the pavers into place in the dirt ground so they do no shift.
Once all the pavers have been placed in the ground and are level, pour extra dirt, rocks, or sand over the pavers and sweep into the cracks until the pavers are clean.
Use leveling sand on top of everything and sweep the leveling sand off the pavers and into the cracks.
Use a paver sealer to seal everything into place (follow the instructions on the sealer you use). You might need to add more sand over time for upkeep.

Video

Did you make this project?Mention @simplemadepretty or tag #simplemadepretty!

Don’t forget to check out this DIY Paver Patio Tutorial!

–>> Go here to see the full post to DIY a Patio on a Budget!

Pin this post with this tutorial on How to Build a Walkway

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That’s why I put together the best tips on How to Choose Interior Paint Colors in this post.

Every home is different… the entryway in our first home was much different than the entryway in our second home, and both of those were very different from the entryway in our third home! So I chose a different paint color for each entryway in all three of our homes. Not to mention, from the time that we bought our first home, to the time that we bought our third home, home paint color trends changed drastically. The colors that I used back then are no longer a trendy color and well, I just didn’t like the brown-ish tan that was in our first home, haha.

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You can find peel and stick wallpaper online at Target, Amazon, Home Depot, and more! I’ve linked my favorite peel and stick wallpaper and the ones I’ve used personally below.

✅ This is the peel and stick wallpaper that I use in my home. It is reasonably priced and very good quality!

If you really like the idea of peel and stick wallpaper but have never used it before, I highly recommend reading my tips on using peel and stick wallpaper and checking out the different kinds of wallpaper that’ll instantly update your space!

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In our third home, I used this peel and stick wallpaper in our Entryway, this peel and stick wallpaper in our eating area, and this peel and stick wallpaper as our kitchen backsplash.

Using peel and stick wallpaper has definitely given us the ability to update our home quickly without all the hassle of cutting shiplap, faux wood, or tiling!

If you decide to try peel and stick wallpaper, I highly recommend reading my tips on using peel and stick wallpaper and checking out the different kinds of wallpaper that’ll instantly update your space!

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If you love white farmhouse kitchens and want to paint your kitchen white, then you will love this post that teaches you How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets White Without Sanding! I’ll show you how to paint old kitchen cabinets and answer how much does it cost to paint kitchen cabinets (it’s much cheaper than you think!). I also have lots of pictures of painting kitchen cabinets before and after!

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–>> Learn how to Paint Kitchen Cabinets without Sanding here!

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Tour Our Homes

Tour our First Home here

Take a Tour of our Second Home here

Tour our Third Home here

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DIY Paver Walkway