All buildings on a summer cottage require the creation of comfortable hard paths that will function at any time, without interfering with free movement and without losing their appearance. Since the design of dachas consists of trees, flowers and other plantings, a wooden path will fit best into the landscape.
Garden paths made of wood can look different, but those paved with closely spaced saw cuts look most beautiful. Wooden rings different diameters allow you to create the most unusual shapes and compositions on the ground. As a result, even a straight path of this type will look stylish and original. Let's figure out how to do it garden paths from wood cuts with your own hands and what to pay attention to in the preparation process.
General Features
What is so attractive about garden paths made from saw cuts? First of all, it is an extraordinary harmony with nature. Whatever shade you choose, whatever design you choose, the wooden elements of your path will set the rhythm of the picture of your site.
If desired, the tracks can be designed additional materials. For example, combine with stones unusual shape, fill the cracks with sand or gravel. Grass sprouted inside the structure of the path will make it bright and contrasting. The color of the wood can also be changed using high-quality paint. An effective path design can be obtained by alternating wide and narrow cuts.
Tip: by placing the rings in even, ordered rows, you will emphasize the rigor and restraint of the design of your summer cottage.
While winding paths with disproportionate shapes will be perceived as elements of light and playful design.
Along such a path you can plant flowers or bushes, arrange flower beds or borders, and also create interesting design from stones. Often the edges of wooden paths are decorated with cuts of greater height.
The naturalness of paths made from saw cuts successfully complements the carpets of flower beds.
Pros and cons of wooden walkways
There are many advantages to using saw-cut paths in your summer cottage. Let's look at the main ones:
- For such a design, you can choose cheap tree species, saving on materials;
- It won’t be difficult to design a path: just cut a log and lay out a strip of them, like a puzzle. A simple preparation technique is available to everyone, so you can do it yourself;
- there are almost no puddles in such paths;
- spectacular appearance allows you to design such paths not only traditional, but also modern houses and cottages;
- if one of the cuts is damaged, you can always replace it, and repairing the entire path will not require significant effort;
- wooden materials safe and environmentally friendly.
In addition, creating a path from wooden saw cuts has decorative advantages, since you can create your own design. Look at the photos of garden paths made of wood: each of them looks harmonious and special.
Disadvantages include the natural properties of the materials used. Trees can rot, crack, and pests can infest them. In addition, wooden paths will require careful maintenance, and after rain they can slip a lot, be careful.
Attention! You can get rid of some problems (for example, pests or the risk of slipping) using special wood impregnations.
However, even with such shortcomings, wooden paths will last quite a long time. The service life will depend on the type of wood chosen and the correct processing. So what wooden materials are best suited for constructing such paths?
Choosing materials for paths
Of course, the choice of breed will also depend on cost. Poplar is considered one of the most reliable materials with a low price. The approximate cost of logs of different species is indicated below (data for 2015):
- one cubic meter of oak will cost you from 4 thousand rubles;
- the cost of pine is from 6.2 thousand rubles per cubic meter;
- larch costs from 7.5 thousand per cubic meter;
- cedar is estimated at 7-8 thousand rubles;
- poplar can be purchased at a cost of 1.5 thousand rubles.
In order for the result of your expenses and efforts to be preserved for a long time, it is not enough to purchase a high-quality type of wood; it is necessary to use it correctly.
Making the path yourself
Preparatory stage of the process self-creation garden paths made of wood consists of choosing wood and making cuts (the log is sawn into rings with a width of 15 cm, depending on your preferences).
Attention! The height of the cut should depend not only on the required strength of the rings, but also on the diameter of the tree. The larger and wider the ring, the stronger its structure should be. Thin saw cuts will not be able to maintain stability in the ground and will quickly deteriorate under the influence of external factors.
In order for your path to serve you as long as possible, first clear each cut of bark. Then you won’t have to deal with the problem of peeling after installation is complete. Remove saw cuts with cracks immediately. Do not forget that each element of the future track must be processed protective equipment.
Individual cuts can be tinted, which will make the path brighter and more interesting. Drying oil heated to a boil is considered the most reliable. Such treatment can be dangerous, so if you wish, you can purchase an antiseptic solution (in which the cut will lie for 2 hours to 2 days) or bitumen. After treatment, wait until the wood is completely dry.
When the cuts are ready, you can begin installation. Creating garden paths from wooden saw cuts involves several successive stages. Let's describe the process step by step:
1. Create markup. Find out the dimensions of the future path (its width should be 35 cm or more), shape and intended design. Mark the route on the ground, set boundaries with pegs and connect them with fishing line.
2. Ensure that the track base is secured. Dig a trench at the site where the cuts will be installed. The depth of the trench should be sufficient for installing stumps, and also have a reserve of 5-10 cm. The width of the trench corresponds to the future path. After creating it, lay a waterproofing film or durable polyethylene, and cover the base with a 2.5-5 cm layer of crushed stone or gravel on top. Such a base will protect the tree from moisture and displacement. Using a level, the layer is leveled for subsequent processing.
An example of making a path from wood cuts without borders (first part). 3. Install curbs if your design calls for them. To do this, use beams, stones, concrete posts or whole logs of similar species.
4. Create another protective layer. This time sand is poured along the entire path. The layer height should be about 5-10 cm. Fill the sand with water for better compaction.
Laying out the cuts and forming a path without a border (second part). 5. You can start installing the cuts. It is advisable to provide a minimum of free space between each of them, since a dense path will be more stable. Be sure to compact each cut and ensure that the top of the path is even.
6. When the path is ready, you can start decorating. Paint the wooden parts, pour sand, earth, stones or seeds into the niches.
Tip: Your path will last much longer with careful care, so clean the surface annually with a metal scraper and also treat by special means.
Look at another set of photos step-by-step production original garden path made from saw cuts.
Consumption of materials
Required amount The material will depend on what kind of future path you see: straight or winding, with dense laying of cuts or the presence of large distances between individual elements. Sketch out a sketch of the path and calculate how many cuts will be enough to realize your idea. As a rule, at 1 square meter The path takes from 8 to 11 laps depending on the diameter of the log.
Do not forget that each element of the path must have sufficient width and strength, otherwise during operation cracks may appear along the entire path in your dacha. By comparing the required thickness of each cut and the height of the existing tree, you can figure out how many parts you can divide it into. It is advisable to leave a few cuts in reserve, since in the future you will have to replace damaged track rings.
Making a path from saw cuts is a simple process, but, nevertheless, it is better not to undertake it without a lack of experience. Entrust the installation to specialists - and your path will last much longer, allowing you to save on subsequent landscape works Oh. We learn from reviews about what else you might encounter when deciding to create such paths.
Maria, St. Petersburg: On the dacha plot they laid just such a path. It has been holding up for a year without any special treatment, has not lost its appearance or rotted. I admit, I settled on this option not because of the advantages and beneficial properties, I didn’t even think about them. There were several logs - and we decided to decorate our dacha. Now I understand what it was correct solution, because the path made from saw cuts not only meets all my quality requirements, but also looks very cozy against the backdrop of trees and flowers. It turned out to be a very harmonious site, and the costs were low.
Nikolay, Lipetsk: I really love working with wood, so creating original track I was even pleased: I quickly sawed the log into separate pieces, prepared the base, installed all the elements - and for six months now I can’t get enough of the result. It turned out very beautiful, harmonious and high quality, and also inexpensive. I have heard that the path can deteriorate and rot, but I have not yet noticed such shortcomings, so I will continue to watch. So far there are no complaints.
Olga, Tver: I was thinking about how to design a garden at the dacha with wooden house– and I couldn’t find anything better than saw cuts: such a path would fit perfectly into the design of my site. Since wood is a finicky material, I decided not to rely on my own strength, I called specialists who prepared the beams, treated them with protective agents, and laid them out, focusing on my ideas. Now my dacha has become even more comfortable! I plan to somehow modify the design using paint, but even so everything looks very original.
Every owner or housewife dreams of a cozy summer cottage where they can relax and enjoy nature. Therefore, it is not surprising that maximum attention is paid to landscape design. Decorate your dacha with paths made from wooden saw cuts - and you will be convinced of their beauty, strength and durability.
Paths in the garden can be made from anything. The main thing is that walking on them is comfortable and they last longer. Wood is an excellent material for building paths with your own hands.
Traditionally, paths in gardens were made from the material that was in sufficient quantity in the area and its price was considered affordable. Or from what could be prepared for free. In mountainous areas they were from natural stone, in the river valleys there was an abundance of crushed stone, and in the forest region there were trees, from which the paths were paved. Laying a path in your yard from imported marble is a sign of wastefulness or bad taste. This is as unreasonable as taking Siberian timber to the desert to lay it in sand.
Roads made of hard natural stone are the most durable, but if stone slabs are not at hand, and there are trees in the garden that have been cut down or fallen by a storm, then you need to build a path from them. Moreover, in the garden or at the dacha it will look natural, meandering among the flower beds.
A path made from saw cuts goes well with wooden ones. It is also convenient to make steps from stumps.
Advantages and disadvantages of paths made from wood cuts
As with any material, there can be arguments for and against its use. What is the advantage of cutting trunks in quality? building material for garden paths?
- Cheap and accessible. They take what is at hand, waste and old trees are suitable.
- Ease of construction. You can do it yourself.
- Maintainability. Rotten parts can be easily replaced.
- Ease of dismantling. If you need to lay a path in another place, it is easy to disassemble and move.
- Environmental friendliness. The material is harmless, its disposal is simple - old logs make excellent mulch or compost.
The main disadvantage is considered to be the fragility of the tree. It rots over time, especially in humid climates or where the water table is high.
What kind of wood should the walkways be made of?
When choosing wood, you need to consider how durable and healthy it is. How long the saw-cut path will last depends on this. It is better to give preference to hard wood varieties. Oak, for example, will last about ten years, pine - no more than seven. Old tree trunks may be rotten and eaten away by insects.
IN real life You don’t really have to choose – they take what’s at hand. And if it happens that certain saw cuts are destroyed more than others over time, then they can always be replaced with new ones.
What is really important is that blanks made from raw wood will crack, especially when drying quickly. For work, it is better to take dry logs and you should not cut them into thin rings if the path is not made for beauty, but in order to walk on it.
Preparing material for the track
Preparation of cuts
To work, you need trunk cuts. Not flat circles, but small logs. They should all be the same height. For stability, they are dug into the ground. Not only trunks are used, thick branches are also used, with cuts from which it is convenient to fill the voids between parts of large-diameter trunks.
What is the optimal height of these stumps? It depends on the thickness of the logs themselves, on the density of their laying and on the soil. Most often they measure about 20-25cm in length.
Very thick logs are cut into short logs - approximately 10-15cm in length. They are quite heavy and will lie stable even with slight deepening. If the trunks are different in diameter, then it is better to make the length longer so that individual parts of the track do not get knocked out of it during operation.
A wooden path made from trunk cuts can be wide or narrow, its elements can lie close to each other or at some distance. If the stumps are laid tightly, the spaces between the large parts are filled with cuts of smaller diameter, then the structure will be stable, even if it is not buried too deeply. It's a completely different matter if the gaps between the elements are quite large. Here you should not save money and cut the trunk into thin circles. Such a path “plays” under your feet; pieces of wood will be knocked out of their nests and crack.
Loose soil or erosion of the path by rainwater leads to its partial destruction. If you don’t want to trip over shaky stumps, make the cuts longer.
Prevention from destruction
Clearing the bark will extend the life of the tree. The bark is more susceptible to destruction; it quickly absorbs water and begins to peel off.
To protect against rotting, the cut material is soaked in hot drying oil. Reliably protects bitumen from destruction. The lower part of the cut logs is immersed in it. Working with heated materials is dangerous, you can get burned or cause a fire, so it is better to use modern methods.
In a hardware store you can buy special solutions that will provide protection from moisture, as well as from harmful insects- wood destroyers. Process according to instructions and dry well.
Marking the path and preparing the base
Track markings
The route and width of the path are determined depending on the needs and one’s own ideas about beauty. The shortest path is always in a straight line, but a path curved by an arc or a snake looks more interesting. For visual expansion space of a small courtyard, the curvilinear option is preferable.
The edges of the path are marked with pegs and a rope is pulled between them. You should definitely move some distance away and look at the future path from different angles in order to make adjustments in time.
Trench preparation
To deepen and securely fix the wooden stumps, dig a trench under the path. Its depth is 5-10 cm greater than the length of the cuts, and its width is equal to the width of the marked path. It is advisable to lay geotextiles at the bottom and tuck its edges along the walls of the trench. This is necessary for waterproofing and protection from weed roots.
Backfilling drainage
Gravel, pebbles or small crushed stone are poured on top of the geofabric for waterproofing. It gets compacted. The thickness of this layer is 3-5 cm. Sand is poured on top of this layer so that in total the two layers reach the difference between the depth of the trench and the length of the cuts. This drainage is necessary to protect the wood from moisture. Water should flow freely from the path area.
Laying the path
Installing curbs (optional step)
If the design provides for a border, then it is installed before laying the cuts. If the soil in the garden is loose and sandy, then it is advisable to install borders. They are made from wooden blocks, stones, bricks, and sheet iron.
Laying cuts
Everyone decides for themselves how to lay the saw cuts. You can arrange it so that there is a lot of space between them, you can lay it tightly, filling the gaps between large parts with stumps of smaller diameter.
Having built a house and outbuildings on suburban area, and having planted trees and flowers pleasing to the eye, we must take care of laying communication routes between them. The article contains information about wooden paths for a summer house, garden and cottage - their advantages, disadvantages and features. You will learn what kind of wood is used for paths, what other materials can be used and what kind of care is required for wooden paths.
Garden paths made from wood cuts are unusual and original
Advantages and disadvantages of using wood for paths
One of the criteria for choosing a site design is the material from which the paths will be made. Use wood for these purposes - good idea, because wooden paths look organic, are comfortable for walking, and do not require large expenses for their production.
But before considering specific types of wooden garden paths, it is worth assessing the pros and cons of using any wood as a building material for paths.
Pros:
Original appearance. On some types of paths, you can view a unique pattern of wood structure.
Completely environmentally friendly material
Cheapness. Many creation options involve the use of wood, which you can extract yourself or use waste from wood production.
Relative ease of creation
Space for creative and design solutions
Minuses:
Fragility. It is necessary to process the tree laid in the ground special compounds against rotting.
Untreated wood becomes slippery after rain
The need for periodic repairs
Application of wooden cuts
Perhaps the most original and catchy way is a path made from wood cuts.
Outwardly, it looks like paving stones. Only each wooden “round” differs from the neighboring one in size and pattern, which gives the entire path a unique flavor.
Scheme for creating a path from saw cuts
The types of wood from which the “rounds” are sawn can be any, but it is better to give preference to hard deciduous ones - oak, larch or beech. Coniferous cuts, despite the presence of resin in them, are looser and rot faster. There is evidence that deciduous cuts with proper processing and care can last more than 20 years. Pine will last several times less.
But the beauty of such a road surface requires careful preparation of the wood before laying and compliance with certain rules during installation. Preparation consists of processing each cut before laying and creating a pit along the entire length of the path into which the wooden cuts will be laid.
On our website you can find contacts construction companies, which offer turnkey project development and landscape work of any complexity. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.
Processing of cuts
The height of the wooden rings should not be less than 10 cm, otherwise they will crack under load. It is better to discard saw cuts with cracks.
Each cut must be cleared of bark, which is difficult to process and promotes rotting.
Top part the saw cut is treated against rotting. Economical option– waste oil or drying oil. But it is better to use special compounds, which are abundant on sale.
It is recommended to treat the lower part of the cut, which will be in the ground, with bitumen.
You can specially make the wood dark beautiful colour, having previously processed it copper sulfate.
Before laying on the path, the saw cuts undergo mandatory processing
Preparing the ground for the path
A trench for a wooden path is dug to its entire length and width, and its depth should be 10–15 cm greater than the height of the prepared cuts.
The bottom of the trench is lined with a waterproofing film, onto which a sand or gravel cushion is poured.
Curbs to protect the path from dirt
Installation of cuts
To densely fill the entire area of the path, it is necessary to prepare cuts of different diameters.
Required condition is that the surface of the installed cuts should be 2 - 3 cm above the backfill layer.
The voids between the logs can be filled with sand or gravel. A path made from saw cuts with gaps between them seeded with grass looks beautiful. But the grass will need additional care.
There are options for paths where the gaps between the cuts are filled with concrete. But the combination of wood and concrete does not look entirely natural.
In general, it is these wooden paths that give room for imagination. You can vary both the size and shape of the dies being dug in, as well as their grouping into different places paths. They can be placed evenly, in a herringbone pattern, or combined into groups, creating the illusion of islands on the road.
There are different ways to decorate paths with tree cuts
Application of boards
The first thing that comes to mind is to make garden paths from boards. A fairly simple option that does not require searching and painstaking preparation of material. But, unlike saw cuts, it is necessary to prepare a base on which the boards will be laid. You can't just lay the boards on the ground. Unsecured, they will move apart and rot quickly. The simplest base is long logs made of timber installed along the entire length of the path being constructed.
Wooden path made of boards on a slight rise
Most of the proposed options for garden plank flooring are characterized by a transverse arrangement of the boards. But it is worth considering longitudinal “deck” flooring. Yes, they don’t look as stylish, but they also have their advantages:
Possibility of using long boards without cutting them to fit the width of the path
But for the base on which the boards are stuffed, you can take short bars from waste
Such floorings are more convenient when cleaning them, especially in winter from snow
Longitudinal arrangement of boards in a garden path on a hill
Application of timber
You can lay out the entire path from thick wooden beam. The installation of such flooring will cost more in terms of material, but will last much longer. In addition, there is no need to install any base on which to attach the beams.
Of course, you will have to level the ground along the entire length of the path, and gravel backfilling will not be superfluous at all.
Beams laid on gravel bed
Treatment of timber against rotting is the same as for plank flooring. There are proposals to use railway sleepers for timber flooring, but this is not recommended. Sleepers are treated with creosote, which causes burns if it comes into contact with the skin. And on a hot day, the fumes from such a “path” are unlikely to be pleasant.
Video description
Interesting ideas for creating paths from wood in the video:
Application of ready-made pallets
When planning wooden paths in your dacha, you can consider using already knocked down pallets, especially if you can purchase them inexpensively. Such pallets can be found at construction sites and warehouses where various materials are stored on them.
Each pallet is a finished structure with a base on which the boardwalk is already attached. They differ only in the density of the boards. If you don’t want to bother with additional processing, then you need to choose those with minimal gaps between the boards. All that remains is to remove the uneven areas in the places where the path will pass and lay the pallets on the ground one by one.
This is the most suitable option for temporary paths to some places on a summer cottage.
Decoration of the site and approach to the pool with pallets
The purchase of pallets will also be justified for the option of installing boardwalks. The boards, already cut to size, are knocked off the pallets, and damaged ones are rejected. They are then processed protective composition and knock down the required flooring from them. Any pallets are suitable for this application.
Application of mulch
Garden paths can be created using shredded wood shavings, tree bark and other wood waste called mulch. To do this you just need to remove upper layer soil, lay a small border around the edges, and pour mulch into the prepared trench. On sandy soils, where water does not stagnate, you don’t even have to line the trench with waterproofing.
But like a temporary path or decorative path they are quite suitable.
Garden paths made of mulch
Application of garden parquet
Modern material for landscaping Decking is considered to be garden or terrace parquet. These are ready-made tile modules with a surface made of various types of wood. WPC boards are also produced - a wood-polymer composite, in the manufacture of which a mixture of wood and polymers is used. Strictly speaking, such material cannot be called wood, but outwardly it is hardly distinguishable.
Such parquet should be laid on a prepared hard surface to prevent it from sagging. Various options external design of parquet modules allows you to create real compositions when arranging paths and platforms on the site.
Video description
Creating a garden path from wood cuts in the video:
Caring for wooden paths
Any garden paths made of wood require maintenance. Wooden elements may break, the tree begins to rot over time. Therefore, approximately once a year it is necessary to carry out a preventive inspection and restoration of the damaged area.
Cleaning paths from debris and washed-up soil
Applying a new protective layer of antiseptic
Replacement of damaged or beginning to rot elements. When constructing a wooden path, it is recommended to leave some of the finished material “in reserve” so that you do not have to hastily prepare a replacement of the required size and quality.
Conclusion
Despite the instability of wood compared to other materials, when correct device wooden paths and proper care, they will please the eye for many years. But when considering options for garden wooden paths, you should take into account the features of their creation and the preparatory work when laying them. Such work requires knowledge of many nuances, and it is better to trust them to professionals.
Do you remember how in childhood, adults sang to us a song: little legs run along the path? And what a delight the tangled webs of these same paths, paths and curbs evoked in us. We have grown up. Many of the former kids acquired personal plots and summer cottages, and the intricate paths continue to attract us with their intricacy, some kind of reckless meaning and... It's just convenient and beautiful. So, it's time to make a path from a cut tree with your own hands. We will tell you about this now so that your dream comes true in full.
Path from a cut tree. Why do we choose this material?
Firstly, this is a pricing decision. The cost of sawing wood is lower than the cost paving slabs or stone paths. And, in addition, in order to make a path from a cut tree, you can use a sawn solid wood from your site, which will cost you absolutely free.
Secondly, the natural beauty of wood texture, which does not limit your imagination and makes it possible to create any options for paths in the garden without attracting additional funds and building materials.
Thirdly, environmental friendliness. Considering the mainstream of ethno-style in the region landscape design, you can follow the fashion trend without special effort and with benefit for environment and your own health.
Fourthly, laying a path in the garden from a cut tree does not require certain professional skills, abilities and a set of tools of a certain complexity.
However, there are also some “buts” that you need to know about in advance - a path made from cut wood is susceptible to rot, mold, and spoiled by insects. If you are ready for such costs, then we will begin arranging paths from cut wood with our own hands immediately. Moreover, we will tell you how to mitigate such disadvantages.
Making a path from cut wood with your own hands. Preparing the foundation.
Owners of garden and personal plots Those who have not yet managed to make a path from a cut tree, but make do with other options, often face problems of collapse or, on the contrary, bulging, uncontrolled growth of weeds and destruction of existing garden paths. These troubles do not always depend on the material from which the path on the site is made, but always on compliance with the instructions for creating a path in the garden.
First stage:
An outline of future paths should be drawn on the site plan for better visualization, so that the result of the work pleases you and does not bring discoveries in the form of inaccuracies and imperfections. Then, using pegs and a cord, we transfer the outline of the future path directly to the surface of the earth.
If there is a flat landscape, it is enough to drive in stakes every two to two and a half meters. If there are hills or uneven surfaces, or if the path you have planned is very winding, the travel of the pegs is about forty centimeters. If pegs with twine seem like a very difficult option to you, then you can mark the directions with grated chalk, sand or lime - just pour the silhouette in full width and along the entire length. The option for a path with a curb should also take into account the need for indentations.
Second phase:
We dig a trench, the depth of which should be approximately twenty-five centimeters. Such work should be carried out exclusively in dry weather so that the quality of the base and subsequently the path itself are not damaged or deformed.
When a curb is provided, we pour compacted sand along the edges and install and level it, guided by a building level.
Third stage:
We compact, compact the base of the future path and cover it with geotextiles. But you can go more budget option and use polyethylene. This step will not give weeds a single chance to encroach on your path, and will also protect the path from subsidence after rainfalls and melting snow.
Fifth stage:
At the bottom of the dug ditch we lay a layer of drainage to a height of five to eleven centimeters. It can be expanded clay, crushed stone, gravel or a mixture. And, of course, this layer must be thoroughly compacted.
Cutting down a tree. Where do we get it?
There are several options. One of them is to use wood from your site if you are planning to cut something down.
If this option does not work, we turn to specialized building materials stores, where you can purchase wood cuts of any species.
Many manufacturers already offer ready material, processed and coated with all special solutions and oils, so all you have to do is make a path from a cut of wood with your own hands. However, it should be noted that this option is the most wasteful and not everyone can afford it.
Therefore, we will dwell in detail on the most accessible option for everyone - cutting a tree with your own hands.
Making wood cuts for a walkway with your own hands
If, as we have already mentioned, you do not have the opportunity to use trees from your site, in this case, we purchase round timber.
In principle, to create a garden path from a cut tree with your own hands, an array of any type will do. But the ideal wood for such work is larch. Pine, oak, alder, hornbeam and even acacia will also fully justify themselves and will serve faithfully for a long time. Here it is worth clarifying that larch and oak, for all their reliability, are quite difficult for self-made I slept.
Dry wood is another nuance that is worth focusing on. Wet wood deforms the cuts quickly enough, causing the path to warp, crack and eventually become unusable.
After you have purchased a cut tree, prepare the tools: sandpaper for sanding, tape measure, chainsaw, marking pencils, approximate templates. We can proceed to the next stage of creating garden paths from cut wood.
- We clean the trunk from twigs and branches.
- Sand with a scraper, coarse sandpaper or planer. (ready-made cuts can also be sanded).
- Using a template, we mark the tree evenly. Approximately twenty centimeters. Experts do not recommend saving and making cuts less than fifteen centimeters. The path will not be durable or stable.
- We cut down a tree.
Processing the cut for the path
This section can be skipped for those who bought a ready-made and already processed saw cut.
And the rest proceed to the next stage of arranging a path in the garden with their own hands.
To protect your product from mold, mildew and harmful insects, we treat the saw cut with special solutions. These can be ordinary antiseptics, impregnations (necessarily with deep penetration). You can make the solution yourself. To do this, you need copper sulfate and water in a ratio of two to eight, which must sit for at least two days. A word of caution here is that copper sulfate gives the wood a darker hue. If you don’t like the aged effect, this option is not suitable for you. If you are satisfied, then the soaked saw cuts should lie for two days in the shade after treatment to dry completely.
Another option for a solution that you can prepare yourself is from drying oil. We bring it to an almost full boil and process the cuts, letting them dry, as in the version with copper sulfate.
We have one more in stock - old-fashioned way. It is quite labor-intensive, but quite effective - brew larch bark, which is famous for its antiseptic properties, and saturate wooden cuts, at the same time giving them a beautiful reddish tint.
But that’s not all in preparing the blanks to make a path from wood cuts. The lower part of the wooden templates must be covered with a waterproofing layer. And this work is not easy. To do this, melt the bitumen and dip the saw cuts into it. You should immediately know that the boiling point of bitumen is two hundred degrees, which in itself is not safe and such an operation must be carried out in compliance with all fire safety standards.
Making a path from wood cuts with your own hands. Photo.
Here we come to the last but most pleasant stage our work in the marathon: how to create a garden path from a cut tree with your own hands.
So that you don’t worry about the final look of the cut track, we present options in the photo that will not only dispel your fears and doubts, but also give you options for designing the laying pattern.
- Let's start paving.
- We place each part in its rightful place, pressing it into the sand bed, leveling it by lightly tapping it with a wooden hammer with a rubber striker.
- Do not forget to control the evenness of the cuts to create one level.
- We get rid of voids between the cuts using sand or decorative crushed stone.
- We decorate the garden path with your favorite plants or moss.
Caring for a garden path made from cut wood
Periodically remove dirt using a metal brush or scraper, followed by treating the cuts with an antiseptic or drying oil.
Immediately remove weeds that have powerful destructive power.
Monitor the level of the path after rainfall or melting snow to prevent erosion of the base coating. To do this, you can dig moisture-wicking channels or grooves on the sides.
IN winter period Be sure to clear the snow and prevent the formation of ice.
Under no circumstances should you use aggressive chemical solutions and salt to combat frost if you do not want the wood to be destroyed.
A garden path made from cut wood, made by yourself, is not only a decoration for your site, but also a reason for pride. And maybe someday a photo of your path will also please the eye of a novice master.
When the main construction work garden plot, accompanied by excavation work and the use of various equipment, are completed, then it’s time to improve the surrounding landscape. First of all, you need to organize the space of the site and make moving around it convenient and pleasant. For this purpose, garden paths are laid. However, not everyone has the opportunity to entrust this to specialists and purchase modern building materials. There is always a way out; armed with knowledge and desire, you can make do with your own resources and available materials. Paths made from old tree cuts look very good and stylish, and this option is not very expensive. Even if you buy wooden cuts, it will still be inexpensive, and if you have your own trees that can be used for this, then this is simply an ideal option.
In order to make it convenient to use the paths in the garden plot in the future and not have to redo or move them, you need to think through everything in advance, plan it and sketch it on a diagram of the plot.
First of all, think over the main routes for moving around the site. These may lead to various buildings or areas of the direction, or maybe the path will simply be intended for leisurely walks.
The next thing to consider when planning paths is the look they will give to the site. Straight and angled paths give the site an organized, more orderly and strict appearance (for this, borders made of wood, brick or stone are used). Paths made with smooth curves, winding and of different widths will create a feeling of naturalness and naturalness.
Next, you should take into account the topography of the garden plot. The path will facilitate the flow of water along it during rain or melting snow towards the slope. Therefore, this situation must be taken into account and it is better to direct excess moisture to trees or bushes than to the foundation of a building or to a children's sandbox.
And finally, the width of the track. It is selected mainly based on functionality and expediency. If, for example, a large number of people are planned to be on the site at the same time, then the path should allow two people to separate along it (about 90 cm). If the area is small or there is a limited amount of building material, then wide paths may be superfluous and you can get by with a width of 50-60 cm.
As a result of the entire planning process, a plan for the location of paths on the site should appear. It is a large-scale plan of the site with marked marks with high and low levels of relief, buildings and other elements (trees, shrubs, beds, etc.). A scale diagram of the path network is drawn on this plan. It is worth considering that the bends of the paths on the plan diagram in reality do not look as clearly on the earth's surface as in the figure.
What is needed for work
It’s better to prepare everything you need for work in advance than to be distracted later and waste time and energy searching for, and maybe even purchasing, everything you need.
It is necessary to prepare the following before starting work:
- prepared saw cuts or logs for their production in sufficient quantities;
- twine (or its replacement) and pegs;
- tape measure and building level;
- a regular hammer and for wood (mallet);
- shovel (bayonet and shovel);
- manual tamper (a piece of timber or log 150×150 mm, 0.7-1.5 m long and with handles on the sides);
- paint brush, brush;
- electric saw or chainsaw and wood saw;
- geotextiles or roofing felt or dense polyethylene;
- antifungal agent or drying oil;
- if necessary, “age” the saw cuts - copper sulfate;
- bitumen mixture;
- sand, gravel, medium-fraction crushed stone or river pebbles;
- if necessary, material for borders.
Material for garden paths made from wooden saw cuts
Material selection
Both hard and soft wood are used as materials for wooden walkways. Oak, aspen and alder, as well as cedar and pine, are suitable. However, larch is recognized as the best material. In any case, the main thing is to properly prepare and lay the cuts, then such a path will serve you for at least ten years. The thickness of the log has no special significance On the contrary, cuts of different diameters will allow you to lay them more closely together and even create a certain pattern.
Preparation of material
The saw cuts are dies or blocks with a height of 8 to 15 cm, depending on how deep they are supposed to be to increase reliability in operation.
Using an electric or chainsaw, the log is cut crosswise. When sawing logs, it is important that the cut is smooth, without bevels, otherwise the surface of the path will be under different planes and it will be uncomfortable to walk on it. In addition, laying beveled cuts will also require additional effort and material to align them. It is also necessary to maintain the same height of the dies, for which you can use a template prepared in advance or use a tape measure to make cuts with a regular hacksaw.
The resulting pieces are treated with an antifungal agent or drying oil, which will protect the wood from rot and insects, and also increase its durability. To give the saw cuts an “aged” look, they can be treated with copper sulfate, then they will darken and acquire the appropriate texture.
At the next stage, the saw cuts are dried until the antiseptic is completely dry. Then Bottom part The dies are treated with a bitumen mixture and again everything is dried until completely dry.
Wooden saw cuts for sidewalk paths can be purchased ready-made, either processed or simply raw.
Now you can begin preparing the trench for the path and laying the cuts.
Marking and preparing a trench for a garden path
Marking the trench
Marking a path made from wooden saw cuts is somewhat different from the similar procedure for other materials used. Since the tree cuts are oval in shape, they will not fit into the rectilinear markings of the side borders of the path. However, marking is necessary not to maintain the edge boundary, but to maintain general direction, in addition, the marking also specifies the approximate width for each individual section.
As for marking paths made of any other material, twine with pegs is mainly used for marking paths from tree cuts. Alternatively, you can use a watering hose of sufficient length. The pegs are driven around the perimeter to the width of the path and in the intended direction, and then a string is stretched between them.
After marking, it is advisable to walk along the proposed path and evaluate the ease of use of it. If something seems inconvenient or non-functional, then it is better to fix it at the markup stage than after any other stage.
Trench preparation
You can proceed to the stage of digging a trench already at a time when the prepared saw cuts dry out after treatment with both an antiseptic and a bitumen mixture.
The trench for the garden path is dug to the depth of the height of the die plus the height of the waterproofing and drainage layer. Depending on the height of the dies, this is 20-35 cm. Earth-moving work is described in more detail in the article. The width of the trench should correspond to the width of the future path.
The bottom of the trench, along the entire length of the path, must be at the same level, otherwise additional material consumption will be required or the surface of the path will be uneven. If the terrain of the site has large differences in height, then you need to create a base for the cuts from soil or sand with a smooth transition or step.
After digging the trench, before you begin laying the cuts, you need the following:
- Carefully lay geotextiles or roofing felt (polyethylene) at the bottom of the trench as a base;
- fill and level drainage layer 10-15 cm from prepared gravel, crushed stone or river pebbles;
- spill the drainage layer with a small amount of water and compact it with a hand tamper, periodically taking measurements with a building level;
- pour and level a layer of sand 10 cm thick as a cushion on which the saw cuts will be laid;
- moisten and compact the layer of sand using a manual tamper, taking periodic measurements using a building level;
- lay borders along the edges, if they were planned.
Laying the surface of a path made of wooden saw cuts
Laying cuts
After preparing the trench and all the necessary layers to ensure the longevity of the path, the equally important and labor-intensive stage of laying the cuts begins.
You can first lay out large and then smaller diameter dies, you can immediately lay out patterns planned in advance, this is at your discretion. The main thing is to do the following:
- place the dies as close to each other as possible;
- Having laid the die, align it with adjacent cuts in the same plane;
- use a mallet or rubber hammer and building level.
Filling gaps between cuts
Since the cuts are round in shape, there are always gaps between them. It will be inconvenient to walk along such a path, and the sawed wood will wobble in its shallow nests. Therefore, all gaps must be filled and aligned in a common plane with wooden dies.
To fill the gaps, both materials left over from the drainage and cushion are used, as well as others. For example, for greater durability, the space between the saw cuts can be filled with concrete. So as not to spoil the natural look wooden path(since concrete is not natural material) filling can be done half the height of the die, and topped with pebbles, sand or soil. However, if there is no need for increased strength and there is a limitation on funds, then it is better to fill it with the remaining sand. To do this, sand is poured in small portions, moistened and compacted.
The gaps can also be filled with soil and laid river pebbles or plant moss or other plants used for decorative soil cover.
Design of the path along the edges
If curbs were not planned or laid out, then you can simply sprinkle the path with soil along both edges and compact it tightly. You can lay out the edges decorative stone or, just like in the gaps, plant moss. In general, this stage is creative and everything is limited only by your imagination.
Maintenance of paths made from wooden saw cuts
Do-it-yourself garden paths from wooden saw cuts require some effort in maintaining them in operational condition and careful attention to them.
To extend the life of paths made from wooden saw cuts, follow these tips:
- Bulk material in paths spreads over time on the soles of shoes and when cleaning the surface, so once every few years it is necessary to fill the resulting depressions and compact them using the technology described above;
- if in winter you clear snow on the path, then do it carefully and not all the way to the tree;
- if somewhere the wood begins to deteriorate (rots, is attacked by insects) or it has darkened and lost its attractive appearance, then this die must be replaced or sanded special nozzle on a drill (followed by treatment with an antiseptic);
- it is necessary to promptly and carefully remove sprouting grass or other sprouts between the cuts and their roots, otherwise they will squeeze the dies out of their places;
- sweep debris from the surface of the path more often so that it does not become clogged free spaces and did not spoil the appearance.