Paths between beds: options, manufacturing process

The paths between the beds can decorate any garden, transforming it beyond recognition. The main thing is that they look aesthetically pleasing. But the passages in the garden bear a purely practical function - they protect plantations from weeds. To arrange country space under the power of any trucker independently. How to do it correctly?

Material selection

Whichever material the choice of the gardener falls, the paths between the beds should be comfortable, practical, durable and safe. Cost also plays an important role. What properties should have material for the country path? Factors for selecting tracks between beds:

• Resistance to damage and temporary changes;
• Tolerability of low temperatures and seasonal variations in weather;
• Comfort in care;
• durability;
• Possibility to repair if necessary;
• Load on the track;
• General design and relief of the site.

When choosing paths, do not plan them near trees and bushes. The roots of these plantations can destroy any covering. Also, undesirable paths in places where a lot of water flows.

Than to lay paths between beds? All the country roads are divided into hard and soft. Solid are wooden, concrete, brick, stone, as well as a variety of tile. Soft - this is a bulk of sand and other materials.

Rubber modules

A new and convenient material for the tracks between beds is the modules made of rubber chips. This material is made from the old autorezine, which is subjected to grinding. The material has excellent characteristics:

• A path made of such material is beautiful;
• The track is completely safe - it does not slip in damp weather;
• Easily collected without the involvement of specialists;
• Has a long service life - at least 10 years;
• Stably withstands fluctuations in temperature - extreme heat and severe frost;
• Resistant to harmful effects, not prone to fungus and mold;
• Water-permeable - rainwater quickly absorbed;
• Ecological - no allocation of hazardous substances;
• It is repairable - in case of need the necessary site changes.

Unfortunately, the material is not without its drawbacks:

1. High cost - at least 1500 rubles. For the square. meter.
2. The combustibility of rubber, which makes its use impossible in the area of contact with an open fire, for example, near the brazier.

In addition, the ease of assembly of the material may be a disadvantage for the owner, as the tile can be quickly and simply abducted by intruders.

How to lay the rubber tile yourself?

Mounting the tiles from rubber crumbs is simple and is available to every gardener. For a dacha tiles with parameters 500 х 500 mm, thickness 30-40 mm will approach.

1. Installation begins with the preparation of markings for the track.
2. Next, remove the turf and remove all the weeds. They remove the soil to a depth of 140-200 mm, the trench is compacted.
3. Then lay a small gravel on 70-100 mm. Top layer of cement and sand (70 mm). You can do and just sand. However, cement will give strength.
4. Install rubber curbs.
5. In each tile special bushings are placed. Lay the prepared modules, docking them together. It is not necessary to make a slope to drain the water, because the water will easily seep through the tiles and into the gaps.

The smaller thickness of the rubber modules is not suitable for making tracks. They are used to update old coatings, for example, from concrete.

Concrete tracks

Decoration of cottages with concrete is a very popular way of improving the country plot. This is a convenient and economical method. The concrete coating looks, of course, not very attractive, but it is not devoid of reliability and stability.

Stages of construction of a concrete path between beds (photo of this variant of a covering you can see below):

1. A string is stretched between the pegs, marking is done. The width of the walkway for pedestrians is 50 cm. It will take 70 cm for wheelbarrows. When planning a curb, its width is added.
2. Remove the top layer of earth 15 cm thick.
3. At the bottom of the geotextile.
4. Install the curbs.
5. The bottom is paved with sand, poured with water, leveled and tamped. The thickness should be 5 cm.
6. Above the sand pour rubble with a layer of 5-7 cm. Cover with reinforcing mesh. The reinforcement allows using half the concrete.
7. Pour concrete.

It is important that the concrete cover had a slight slope or was slightly convex. This is necessary for the drainage of water. The surface of the finished track should protrude 3-5 cm above the ground.

Pouring concrete

Before pouring the formwork, it is worthwhile to make sure that the separating elements are installed in it. They should be placed in 1-1.5 meters. Suitable plates of metal or plastic. After drying, they are removed.

For pouring, you can buy mobile concrete. As an option - you can make a concrete mixture with your own hands. Recipes are different:

• Cement and sand in a ratio of 1: 3, plus water;
• On one part of cement on two parts of sand and rubble, water;
• On one part of cement on three parts of sand and rubble, water.

For the elasticity, add clay.

Water is added in such a volume that the ready-made solution can drain slowly. The finished mixture fills the entire formwork to the brim. For uniformity, shovel or reinforce.

The top is leveled by a rule or board. Cover with a film, which is removed after 5 days. Also clean and formwork.

How to decorate concrete

Not everyone likes the gray, boring kind of concrete. Having developed a fantasy, the paths can be given an attractive and original appearance.

Variants of decoration of concrete paths:

1. To diversify the garden design, the tracks can be made not straight, but with smooth and beautiful bends.
2. You can add a brick to the concrete. For example, lay it around the edges.
3. When mixing concrete add special coloring pigments.
4. Apply impregnation from the liquid glass to the surface.
5. Decorate the concrete with interesting stones, pieces of tile, pressing the elements into the base.
6. A day after pouring, apply a groove imitating a tile or stones from above.

These simple techniques will help decorate the paths between the beds and add raisins to the design of the garden area.

Concrete tiles with their own hands

To get a beautiful concrete path, you can use the ready-made casting molds.

To do this, prepare the base - as well as for a conventional strip of concrete. Then proceed to create the track:

1. The base is spilled with water.
2. Forms from the inside are covered with grease.
3. Lay the forms on the sand, slightly pressing.
4. Sprinkle with water.
5. Pour the finished solution into the mold. If necessary, a pigment is added to the solution in advance, as well as a plasticizer.
6. Seal and align.
7. After 30 minutes, the mold is removed and moved to the next section.
8. Close the film, which can be removed after 5 days.

Other constructions

The paths between the beds, so that the grass does not grow, can be made from other materials. Beautiful are the brick trails. For their production, you can apply a brick, preserved after construction work. Unfortunately, the life of such tracks is not long. If there is a desire to extend it, you can buy clinker brick.

In addition to hard, gardeners also make bulk trails. Such transitions are complex in care, but they are much easier to make, and their cost is much lower.

As fillings are suitable:

• gravel;
• Crushed stone;
• Broken brick;
• Shallow tree bark.

To make a filling path between beds (it's not difficult to create such beauty as your own hands):

• Dig a trench to a depth of 20 cm;
• Compact the soil;
• Lay out the bottom with geotextile;
• Make curbs of plastic;
• Add a mixture of gravel and clay, compact;
• Pour in the sand;
• Fill up the prepared material, wetting it (except the bark);
• Surface tamper.

As economical coatings for the paths between the beds in the cottage used roofing material, a layer of sawdust, shavings, cardboard. Such mounds are temporary. But they do not allow us to grow weeds. Sawdust and bark in the fall can be collected in compost.

Some summer residents have come up with an interesting way to deal with weeds. They sow between the beds of the siderates. As soon as the plants grow, they are mowed and left on the soil for fertilization.

These are the main ways to create dacha paths between beds. It remains only to decide on the choice and start creating. Good luck!