Big Projects for 2025: Take a Bold Step!

Spring is most definitely in the air, with the Met Office predicting that some areas of the UK could be warmer than Corfu by the end of this week! It's time to start sprucing up your garden for the coming season. While that could mean simply doing a bit of tidying up, you could get more ambitious and start adding some amazing new landscaping features.

An excellent way to add visual interest to your garden, not to mention practical value, is to install stepping stones. They make a great alternative to a standard garden path and the installation process is much easier than you might imagine. Greengates Builders Merchant has everything you need to achieve professional results and all at the best price in town (or out of it for that matter!).   

Here's our easy guide to creating a beautiful stepping stone installation in your garden. 
You will need:

• Stepping Stones
• Spade
• Building Sand 
• Spirit Level
• Rubber Mallet
• Creativity! 

Your Step By Step Guide:

• The first step (pun intended!) is to select your stepping stones; here at Greengates we stock stones from the leading Bradstone collection. You can choose traditional round stones in Brown or Cream colour options or, for a more rustic look, the Stonewood style. Don't be afraid to mix things up for a unique look!
• Now it's time for some expe­rim­en­ta­tion. Lay the stepping stones out in your garden, aiming to create a harmonious and balanced look that also meets your practical requirements. However you choose to lay out your stones, make sure that the distance between each stone is comfortable enough to allow you to step from one to another without straining.
• When you have tweaked the layout to perfection, use a spade with a straight, sharp blade to remove the grass from around each stone.
• After this step, lift each stone in turn and remove the turf from underneath it. 
• The next step is to dig out some of the topsoil underneath where each stone will be placed. Remove around 5cm more than the depth of the stone.
• Now it's time to add sand to the hole you have dug, which will help to support the stone as well as improving drainage. Compact the sand thoroughly and make sure the surface is level.
• Place the stones into the prepared holes and use the level (we recommend the OX Pro Torpedo Level) to make sure the stone is flat.
• Using a rubber mallet, give the stone a few hard whacks to secure it in place.
• We know you'll be eager to try out your finished stepping stone path but don't be too hasty! It's best to wait for at least 24 hours before walking on the stones, giving them chance to settle into their new home. 

We'd love to see your new path or any other projects you have completed using our building materials, landscaping products and tools so please feel free to send us your photographs!