How to Construct a Concrete Walkway

Trace the direction of your path by installing wooden stakes every 6 inches along the direction you want the path to follow. Drive these stakes so that they penetrate the ground by at least 2 inches to hold firm.

Attach 6-inch pieces of hardboard flexible siding to the stakes with 1 ¼ inch drywall screws to hold them firmly in place. This material will bend around the curves you need to shape, and so make an ideal layout material for the walkway.

Trace the area around your siding form with marking paint. Excavate the entire area within the lines of marking paint to a depth of 6 inches. Dig out the area with a sod cutter, shovel or spade, or any combination of these to remove all topsoil, sod, tree roots and other debris.

Run a level between the two sides of the trench you excavated to ensure that it is at the exact same height on both sides. If necessary, use a hammer or rubber mallet to tap down high areas. The form must be exactly level of you will have concrete spilling over one side.

Run a plate compactor or hand tamper over the excavated area to compact and flatten the soil. This creates a firm and level base for your concrete construction.

Spread a 4-inch layer of gravel into the excavated area. As the gravel begins to push outwards on the form pieces, pack topsoil against the outsides of the forms to balance out the weight. The forms must stand straight to support the new concrete.

Line the trench with wire mesh to create a support and holding pattern for the new concrete. Cut the mesh with bolt cutters, and trim it back so there is at least 3 inches between the forms and the edges of the mesh. Push the mesh firmly into the trench; you do not need to fasten it down.

Pour concrete into your trench, starting at one end. Smooth the concrete over the area with a steel rake. Fill the area about ½ to ¾ inch above the forms. Pour one whole section of concrete, generally as much as you can pour from one wheelbarrow, and then stop pouring to perform the next step.

Level the concrete in the first section you poured. Rest a screed board on top of the forms and gently pull it back and forth across the surface to smooth off and cut away any excess concrete from the top. Push the excess into the next small area. Fill in any gaps left by the screed board with the excess concrete.

Push a bull float in the opposite direction you ran the screed to create a leveler, smoother surface that will make finishing later easier. Once this is complete, pour the next section of your walkway, screed and float. Continue this process until the walkway is completely poured.

Move back to the first section of the pour. Run a magnesium float by hand with sweeping motions across the surface of the concrete to smooth down any small, rough areas. Round the edges down over the forms with a concrete edging tool and sweeping motions. Continue until you have floated and edge the entire walkway.

Measure the full length of your walkway and divide it into sections 5 to 6 feet wide. For example, if you walkway is 18 feet long, you will have three sections each 6 feet long.

Measure 5 to 6 feet (whatever size you determined in the last step) from the end of the sidewalk and run a straightedge across the sidewalk. Run a concrete groover along the straightedge to create a small cut joint in the concrete. This joint will allow for the slight expansion and contraction of the concrete as it dries, preventing cracks. Repeat until you have grooved all sections necessary.