How to light a walkway – an unexpected idea
Do you know how a woman goes shopping? I went in the evening for kefir – I returned with sausage, cake, a bottle of martini plus a package of juice as a gift. Maybe even on the way to see some jars for bulk products in a nearby store. They are something she, in principle, unnecessarily, but the drawing liked. This is exactly how I went to the supermarket today for basic necessities. Everything was strictly according to the list until I wandered into the sales department. Imagine, I go in, and there they are … Solar-powered lanterns for summer cottages! Since I am an incorrigible summer resident-shopaholic, I simply could not resist such a temptation.
And immediately mentally flew to her site. Evening descends on the ground, crickets sing songs in the jasmine bush, the delicate aroma of night violets is entangled with puffs of smoke from the barbecue. As soon as the sun sets, ball-shaped lanterns come on along the sides of the main alley. Their light is still dim, but when it gets completely dark, they will illuminate the path well. So stop! The path … This eerie path, trodden between the flower beds, will be proudly called a dacha alley? Well, no, we urgently need to plan and refine it.
How to choose a tile for a track
I jumped out of the grocery store like a bullet and rushed to the construction market. First you need to think about how to arrange the tracks on the site. In terms of area, my dacha is not large. Landscape designers advise in such cases to abandon straight alleys. After all, straight lines will simply connect the gate with the house, the gazebo with the play area. Boring! In order to visually increase the space, in a small area it is better to make ornate paths with rounded turns. For estates of solid areas, rectangular alleys that go around flower beds and lawns of regular geometric shapes are ideal. Moreover, they should not cross the central part of green spaces..
How to lay out tiles
How to lay out a tile track? There is a whole technology for laying a country path. In principle, nothing complicated, if desired, I myself can cope with such a task. First of all, you should make a markup on the ground – draw the contours of the future alley. Wooden pegs or stretched rope will do. Then carefully remove the topsoil with a shovel. The borders must be made perfectly even – remember the drawing lessons. We remove at least 10 cm of turf, sand will be poured in its place, the builders call it a sand cushion. It is carefully tamped down and paving slabs are laid on top for a summer residence. The only tool used is a mallet.
Choice of material – varieties of tiles
Summer residents have a wide selection of materials from which to make paths on the site. Most Popular:
- a natural stone,
- wood (boards or cuts),
- paving stone,
- plastic,
- concrete,
- brick,
- gravel.
Any design specialist will tell you: you need to choose the material from which the tiles for the garden are made, taking into account the general style of the site. Is your brick country house? Lay a red brick path to it. Embodying eco-design ideas? Use wood cuts against a green lawn background. Want to make an alley with patterns? Colored paving stones are best suited for this purpose..
Stone path
A versatile material is stone. It fits perfectly with any style of suburban landscape. The main requirement here is that at least one facet of the stone is even. The natural stone alley is durable, this is its most important advantage..
Wood path
Wood can be used as road tiles. Tightly laid wood cuts look very nice. You can use circles of the same diameter or trees of different thickness. Another option is boards of any shape and size. They can be painted, which will make it possible to update your summer cottage at least every season..
Paving stone path
The best option for a walkway is paving slabs that can withstand temperature extremes, high humidity and heavy loads. Its main advantage is that paving slabs for summer cottages will allow you to create beautiful patterns on your path..
But for those who like to save money, paving stones will not work. Since this material needs to be bought with a good supply. The fact is that if a defect is even slightly noticeable on a separate tile, it can no longer be used. The slightest crack will cause great damage, and this is fraught with problems.
Brick path
If you like «patterned» alleys, you can use brick as a building material. Such a tile for a path in the country is laid on a solution, unlike all other types. It is imperative to make a border on the sides of the alley, otherwise in a couple of years it will corrode.
By the way, the lanterns I have chosen, which we talked about at the very beginning (remember?), Will ideally be combined with any track. Whatever material I choose – whether it is a street tile for a summer residence or an eco-tree – they will favorably emphasize the romantic mood on my site. I bought the flashlights, but with the overhaul of the alleys I will have to wait. My dear readers, which of the options are you voting for? Maybe you are already embodying your design fantasies on your sites? Share your experience, which is better to buy a tile for a path in the country?
Country paths – 50 photos
