Cobble path design

[KAMIKAZEE DIY]

Part one of my garden renovation with sleepers a success, in the end I didnt add any accelerator or frost proofer etc to concrete mix and youngster next door didn't sabotage it.

Part two starts this weekend, need to dig out part of lawn from where new gate will go upto front door (garden on natural slope away from house so that solves lot problems) and I'm going to replace with a cobble path.

Path will only get foot traffic (postman) but is there a recommended width for a path like this? I was going to do it 1 metre wide but when I put tape measure on floor think 1.2m looks better.

Has anyone made similar path 1m and they (or customer) wished they made it wider?

I've got enough cobbles for path but the less I use leaves more leftover for other bits in garden.

Thinking of laying path on 100mm hardcore base, then 50 mm bedding laying strong mortar mix.

Thanks for any help

[seanandruby]

If i remember back i think it was a minimum of 600 for a garden path and 900 from road threshold to front door ??? You can make it as wide as a runway if you choose to, the choice is yours :;): Need to take into consideration future uses ie: wheel chair usage.

[Tony McC]

Do you really means cobbles, because if you do, your postman probably won't thank you, regardless of how wide you make the path!

[KAMIKAZEE DIY]

Checked up on your definitions and setts is probably a more accurate description.

They're a variety of shapes and sizes from 75mm cube(ish) to over 150x100x100 approx. will set aside biggest setts to make border/edge laid opposite way to path.

Been told by my better half path is to be same width as gate (3foot) -makes sense.

Don't know what type of stone they are. They're a bit grotty just now (reclaimed) but if you clean them they're a grey to black colour with a bit of sparkle in right light, any suggestions?

Cheers

[Tony McC]

They sound like they're granites, diorites or basalts.

Sort them into gauge sizes, so you have courses where all the setts are the same width. This will save you from messing about looking for the right size when you have your bedding in place and help you cover the ground that bit faster.

Let us know how you get on.....

[KAMIKAZEE DIY]

Thanks for the input and advice tony.

I've already used some setts. I made retaining wall from vertical sleepers that stand next to pavement. Trench was dug out and side next to pavement has been finished with setts, other side has had earth launched back in.

Pavement is Tarmac and I'd read you don't often get Tarmac to match for colour so didn't put B & Q stuff on top of haunching. Thought sleepers with trench topped up with concrete would look crap next to black pavement so I bedded setts on top of the concrete haunching and they're level to Tarmac pavement.

Went with traditional pointing method 3/1 sand-cement (moist mix)used a 1/2 inch pointing trowel as spacing guide between setts and packed pointing mix down with 1/4 pointing trowel and seemed to work well.

It's a little bit different and maybe not regular way to do it but I was quite pleased with end result.

Will get photos to you - is it easiest to email them to you?


Cheers

[Tony McC]

Yeah, just email 'em to me - tony at pavingexpert