Watching some guys making a stone road and trying to record the steps…

First get your stones ready. For this style of road you will need your flat stones, and your brick shaped stones, and sand.

Start by marking your road line with two sticks and a string. This is for any straight parts, so you may have to make shorter sections of string when going round a corner.

If you are working on a hill you may need to put in your rain gutter on one side of the road before starting. This can actually just be sat on the road surface and may not need to be dug in as the sand plus the bricks should come up level with the rain gutter in the end.

Then take a pick axe and cut a channel along the string line (the string represents the edge of the road). Your flat stones are going to go in this channel standing up on their sides. Pack the earth up on the outside of the stones to keep them in place. If you want you can cement between the stones but I don’t think this is necessary as you have earth supporting one side and sand and bricks on the other.

Next lay your sand down on the road. This needs to be about 20cm deep and the road underneath should be compacted. This road didn’t need to be compacted as it has been used by cars for many years already, so the earth is already hard. Put all you rocks down too, so you do not need to keep running back and forward for them. Better if they’re off the road but not always possible as shown here.

Next set your stones making sure not to have lines running parallel to the road, only horizontal lines from side to side. Leave gaps between the stones so that you can pour gravel in. The gravel should be small enough to easily pour in to the gaps.

Then take your gravel in a wheelbarrow and pour it on to the bricks. Spread it out well so it is filling all the space between the stones. If you look closely at the image below, the stones are already set, with the gravel between them. Dont let the spare bricks sat on th road distract you.

At the end of your road, you can carry on the flat perimeter stones to hold everything in place.This end will be partially buried when the road is finished to allow a smooth transition from old road to new

Finally, lay your bricks to the end of the road, pack up the earth to get rid of the bump between old road and new, and youre done.

 

 

 

 

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