No garden courtyard is unthinkable without paths and paths. The owners of the plots try to decorate them as beautifully and originally as possible. Paths made from wood cuts look very original and natural; they create comfort and a special atmosphere in the yard, and they can easily be made with your own hands.

Why choose paths made from saw cuts?

Paths on the site are one of the most important elements, which sets the entire design of the yard. They should be practical, comfortable and, of course, beautiful and original. The material for the paths is selected depending on the landscape design, style and preferences of the site owners.

Paths made from wood cuts are always a win-win option. In addition to their attractive appearance, they have many advantages:

1. They are original. Each resulting track pattern is unique and you will never find a second one like it.
2. Eco-friendly. Wood is a natural material that is absolutely harmless to human health. Today everyone strives for naturalness, so saw cuts are the best choice for arranging a site.
3. They do not require large financial expenses. Wooden cuts are a kind of waste that can be beautifully applied and used.
4. Easy to do. To create a track there is no need for specialized tools and skills, absolutely anyone can do it the first time.

It is also worth noting that along with the advantages, these tracks have several disadvantages: there are not many of them long term services and, in some cases, they may not suit the yard design.

Preparing to lay the path

Before you start implementing your idea of ​​​​creating a path from saw cuts, it is recommended to study the technology, master classes with step by step photos or video. This will allow you to complete each step as accurately as possible.

The first step is to purchase materials. There are two options here: budget-friendly (prepare the saw cuts yourself) and requiring financial investment (buy ready-made ones in specialized stores). If you decide to buy, then you will be offered a choice of raw ones and those that are already prepared directly for installation. They are somewhat more expensive than the first ones, but do not require additional impregnation with anti-fungal agents.

If you have chosen a more economical option and want to make cuts with my own hands, then you will need additional tools - an electric saw or chainsaw. Each element should be 11-13 cm high. To make the height the same, prepare a template on which you will mark.

Laying

If you have passed the preparation stage, then it’s time to move on to installation.

Advice. It is very important to adhere to technology to obtain a durable track.

• First step. It is necessary to prepare a trench up to 25 cm deep. The width is individual. To dig evenly, use markings: stretch the thread from peg to peg.
• It is necessary to minimize the contact of the tree with the ground; for this purpose, a layer of waterproofing is used. The material for such a layer can be dense polyethylene film or geotextiles.
• The next step is to install drainage system, which is required for high-quality water drainage and protection of wood from rotting.
• Layer – a cushion on which the cuts are laid. This is a dense layer of sand or a mixture of sand and gravel. During the process, the materials are compacted using water. The thickness of the pillow should be approximately 10 cm.
• Next, you need to carefully level the pillow. For this purpose it is used building level or a block.

• Let's start laying the cuts. They should already be ready: cut and soaked, and thoroughly dried. The installation process itself is incredibly simple: the specimen must be placed on a layer of pillow and deepened a little, tapping the cut from above. To do this, it is advisable to use a rubber hammer so as not to injure the structure of the wood. When compacting saw cuts, it is very important to ensure that they are all at the same level and their height does not “jump.”
• The final formation step. After completing the laying of the cuts, it is necessary to fill the voids between them with sand. For best results, you need to water the path several times, this will help identify places where you still need to add sand.
• Neat edges. The simplest option is to decorate with earth: sprinkle and compact. For a more durable and aesthetically pleasing result, stones or wooden blocks are used, which are laid out along the contour.

Attention! It is worth remembering that any wooden path from saw cuts, whether it is made with your own hands or by professional craftsmen, requires proper care - this is the key to its long service life and beautiful appearance.

Maintenance involves annual processing and impregnation of wood by special means(primer deep penetration). This significantly extends the life of the track.

DIY oak path: video

Improvement garden territory includes the creation of tracks. Markings for unhindered movement around the site can be different - in the form of crooked paths or solid paths designed from wood cuts.

Such paths perform not only a decorative role, but also a functional one. After all, you won’t be moving around the site, jumping from flowerbed to flowerbed - it won’t take long to damage the plants, and besides, such movement is inconvenient.

From this article you will learn how to create a garden path or path from wood cuts with your own hands - with photos and examples good options for the site.

Advantages and disadvantages

If every little detail is thought out in the design of a personal plot, the work of the owners of the plot becomes much easier. For example, when it’s time to harvest the crops: how can you move around the site without breaking nearby crops and plantings if there are no paths?

DIY path made from wood cuts. photo

They can be designed from various materials, but it is important to take into account what raw materials it is made from country house and outbuildings, and take into account the features of the style chosen for landscape design. Guided by these points, you can begin to select materials.

Let's look at the main advantages and disadvantages country paths, designed from wood cuts.

Advantages:

• environmental friendliness;
• trees, large branches and firewood cut down during site clearing are affordable materials;
• You can make an unusual path from different types of wood. Each tree has its own unique pattern;
• Paths made from wooden saw cuts are easy to lay; special tools and specialist services are not required. The task of laying paths is not difficult to cope with on your own;
• such trails require minimal maintenance;
• After heavy rainfall, water does not accumulate on the paths, and you can walk to the garden for harvesting without puddles.

DIY garden paths made of wood, photo

The disadvantages of such tracks include their short service life. The tree is natural material, it is subject to the process of rotting, so after some time the paths will require restoration.

Wood is prone to fire, and after rains such paths slip a lot, so you need to move along them with caution. To eliminate this drawback, the surface of the paths should be treated with coarse sandpaper.

Tools and materials for work

Despite the fact that the work associated with installing paths on a personal property is considered a simple task, it will be difficult to cope with this task alone.

Path made from wood cuts, photo

Before you start work, you need to prepare Consumables. Paths can be created from simple stumps of small height, from dies, logs or end parts of logs.

So, you will need:

• tree cuts;
• level;
• drying oil and brush;
• mallet;
• spatula and bucket;
• sand and gravel;
• water;
• waterproofing material in rolls.

Having prepared everything that is required, you can begin the preparatory stage - prepare the wood, decide what your path will be like (determine the optimal shape and size.

Wood cuts for paths, photo

An important step is the choice of material to bring your idea to life.

Advice! Don't skimp and buy hardwood. For example, the service life of pine is about 7 years, oak is about 10, and the most durable hardwoods will last about 20-25 years. But if you couldn’t find the right species, you can use the wood that you have at your disposal, or the one that suits the price.

Regarding the cost of wood cuts, which are suitable material to create paths in the country, birch blanks are the cheapest - about 700 rubles. for 100 sq. m, the highest cost of cuts from hardwood– about 3700 rub.

Naturally, some sections will need to be updated in a few years, and maybe a complete rework of the path. The need for restoration work arises approximately three years from the moment the path was laid, but the period again depends on the type of cut you have chosen. But all this is not so scary, because you will already have experience in designing trails, and in the future you will be able to take into account all the nuances and make a more durable path.

What else should you consider? First of all, the dimensions of all the parts separately. The maximum height of a wooden piece can reach 20 cm, but paths made from 10-centimeter saw cuts are not a very suitable option, since they will not stay securely in the ground. Even with a slight load they will come out of line.

Garden paths made of wood, photo

It is recommended to choose cuts that are identical in width, but you need to adjust the height yourself. After completing the work, all you have to do is remove the bark from each cut. You need to get rid of it, because it does not adhere well to the tree and insects quickly appear in it; Because of this, wooden blanks rot.

Important! Inspect each of the cuts: it is important that the workpieces are solid and without damage. If at least one blank turns out to be Bad quality, then there is a high probability of damage to the entire structure. Feel sorry for the work put into this matter!

Path made of wooden saw cuts, photo

Workpiece processing

Treatment will help extend the life of tracks wooden blanks drying oil.

There is nothing difficult in this matter:

1. Heat the drying oil, and as soon as it starts to boil, remove the container from the stove.
2. All wooden surfaces should be soaked in heated drying oil - this will protect the workpiece from water and insects.
3. Allow the saw cuts to dry completely, placing them in a place protected from moisture.
4. After this, treat the area that is in the ground with bitumen. This measure will protect the wood from rotting. Thanks to this, the paths will last longer. Treatment with bitumen is optional, but recommended.

Recommendation: if you want the path to look old, you can achieve this effect by treating wooden blanks with a solution prepared on the basis copper sulfate. But keep in mind that after processing the shade of the wood will change slightly. In this situation, it is not difficult to achieve the perfect color of all cuts, due to which the path will look more harmonious in the landscape.

All processed workpieces should be dried and then taken to the next stage.

Wooden path. photo

Creating markup

It is best to draw up a diagram on a piece of paper, marking the locations of the paths, indicating their configuration, length and other parameters. If you find this difficult, just do the usual markings. Decide how many paths you want to create in your dacha.

If you are going to make just one path, you should think carefully about everything so that you can easily move around the site without bumping into obstacles in the form of beds. All buildings, including a country house, a shed, and a bathhouse, should be located at the same distance.

The optimal width of the path for summer cottage is 35 cm: in this case, one person will be able to move around it unhindered. But if there is enough space, increase this value by 15 cm. A path 50 cm wide will be more spacious and perfect for walking around the garden.

Paths at the dacha made of wood, photo

Everything has been thought out, the route has been determined - it’s time to start taking serious action. To make the markings you will need small wooden pegs. Place them at the beginning of the trail at a distance of 30 cm and at the end. Secure the pegs by driving them into the ground, and then stretch a thick thread or rope between them.

If the path is winding, then at each turn you need to drive in pegs for easier orientation and fulfillment of your plans.

Preparing the base

The materials have been prepared, the markings have been made, now you need to prepare the area for placing the pegs. One should be identical to the markings and dimensions of the future path.

Please note:

1. Path parameters - the platform should not be larger than the size of the path (only when installing sides of 5-10 cm) or smaller.
2. The depth of the marking should be equal to the length of the cuts plus 20 cm. This is enough for the path to withstand a certain load without changing the location of the parts.

Using available tools, make a trench:

1. Perform waterproofing by laying waterproofing material (thick cellophane film for creating greenhouse complexes) along the bottom of the created base.
2. It is recommended to lay the film with a minimum margin, and pour fine crushed stone on top of it.
3. Thoroughly distribute the drainage layer and make a sand cushion.
4. Check the evenness of the surface using a level.

How to arrange a garden path from transverse cuts of a trunk

At the stage of creating country paths from transverse cuts of the trunk, it is necessary to install sides that perform a protective function. But it is not mandatory measure: proceed from your idea and the material used.

Borders are formed from bricks, small stones, blocks of wood, firewood, they can also be plastic or iron. Choose the material at your discretion, but remember that the fences will be conspicuous. To make the path look harmonious, it is better to use materials of natural origin.

Paths and paths made of wood cuts, photo

Having finished with the sides, lay down the “sand” pillow. Due to this material, the height rises slightly. Add sand sequentially, and moisten it with water to compact it.

Read about how it can be used when arranging flower beds and paths in the garden: the nuances of installation, selection of sizes, and recommendations for do-it-yourself installation are described.

Read about how to arrange a beautiful ridge of perennials along the path.

Creating a path from saw cuts

Having completed preparatory work, get started important stage. In order to do everything correctly, you need to decide how the wood blanks will be installed. There are a lot of design options: by changing the position of the parts, you can create the desired pattern.

Laying options: close or at a slight distance. Gaps can be left or small crushed stone can be used to fill.

The principle of installation itself is very simple and does not need a detailed description: select one workpiece, place it on the prepared base, deepen it, apply a little force and then tap it well with a rubberized hammer.

After a certain distance, be sure to check how well you did the job of laying the wooden cuts. To do this, use a level; it can be used to level all the parts. The path should turn out to be impeccably level - of course, by level, and not by eye.

Care

It’s not enough to simply lay wood blanks to make beautiful paths. It is also necessary to provide proper care after them. In the first year, it is recommended to fill the voids between the wooden pieces. For filling, you can use fine crushed stone or sand.

A good option is to let nature fill in the cavities. In a year, the grass will turn green between the harvests.

Advice! To prevent weed growth, fill cavities fertile soil and sow lawn grass. Ornamental plants in a short time the voids will be filled, and such a path will look even more unusual.

The wood can be left untouched, aged artificially, or the stumps can be painted in variegated colors. You can do it original track: Children will surely appreciate this fun design.

Features of care:

• Set aside one day every year to prevent the condition of garden paths - use an iron scraper to clean round timber;
• after cleaning, cover the workpieces with drying oil or paint;
• inspect the wooden blanks: if there are cracks on them, this indicates a rotting process, the damaged parts will have to be replaced.

Video

In this video you will learn how to make beautiful path in the garden or on a plot of cut logs with your own hands:

Garden paths made from wooden blanks are a simple and affordable option registration summer cottages. Such paths look original, and it is quite possible to create them on your own. Improve your garden plot with presentable paths made from wood cuts.

Photo gallery

Below we have made a small selection of photos with options and ideas for garden paths made from sawn wood and logs, which you can arrange with your own hands:

Even in ancient times, where people appeared, roads appeared. Well-trodden roads, paths and paths have always been landmarks that prevented people from getting lost.

They will definitely lead you to a place where there will be people and help. IN modern world they have not lost their functional significance, but also acquired new features, such as decorativeness and ease of movement.

A large number of materials allows you to create a comfortable coating that will please the eye and fit perfectly into landscape design plot.

Today we will look at garden paths made of wood, a variety of designs, as well as the opportunity to make it yourself.

What types of paths can be made from wood?

The most popular wooden path, which you have probably seen in some magazine or on the Internet, is a structure made from saw cuts. Some will say that this is a hackneyed option, boring, but they want something new and unusual. However, someone who has not tried to study this option in more detail may think so.

A path made from wood cuts can be a real work of art. Size of cuts, their location, wood color, inclusion additional materials etc. determine what the path will look like. Let's look at some types.

If you have elements of the same size at your disposal, then placing them close to each other, you will get an even, monochromatic coating. The order of their laying can be random or in ordered rows.

It is worth noting that the larger the saw cut in diameter, the more free space appears between the parts, which can be filled with decorative filling, gravel, sowing a lawn, etc.

Spills may be different sizes and shapes, which will give the path a different texture and dynamics.

The use of gravel, which fills the space between the cuts, and stones laid along the path, will create another interesting option.

Using saw cuts large diameter, laid in a line, straight or winding, you will get a cute wooden path. It can be intermittent if the elements are placed at some distance from each other. And if you trim the cuts a little, you will get a continuous line.

In addition to saw cuts, wooden planks are also suitable. This can be a continuous flooring that forms a path. The boards can be laid transversely or longitudinally.

By trimming the edges, the path can become winding, with picturesque smooth bends. The same effect can be achieved without trimming, through a special arrangement of the boards.

You can lay out patterns from wood that resemble parquet.

You can also use the option when the boards are at some distance from each other, and free space covered with pebbles, gravel and other fills.

We hope that now the wooden path has become more attractive to you. And if you decide to use this material in your garden, then you should take into account some features that we will consider below.

How to make a path in your country house out of wood with your own hands?

Everyone knows that the worst enemy for wood is dampness, temperature changes, and others. natural factors. During construction wooden houses, we definitely take them into account, and if we take into account the fact that the tree will be located on the ground, then the decay processes here are even more intense. First, let's look at how to make a path from wood cuts.

You can buy ready-made round pieces and boards in a specialized store. They may already have been treated against fungus, rot, and pests. A cheaper option is to purchase logs and cut them crosswise using a chainsaw with a thickness of about 10-15 cm. In this case, the wood sections must be treated independently with a special antiseptic composition or a 10% solution of copper sulfate.

After completely dry you can start next stage works The side that will be adjacent to the ground must be covered with bitumen. It is melted in any metal container (bucket, basin) and the lower cut is carefully dipped in it and left to dry.

Now let's start setting up the path using pegs and rope.. Filming vegetable soil, dig a trench about 30 cm deep and cover it with geotextiles. Pour a layer of crushed stone (10 cm), then sand, compacting it with water. We lay the saw cuts on this sandy cushion, and fill the free space with earth, where you can sow a lawn, gravel, etc.

Larch and oak wood have the greatest durability (8-15 years), while aspen and pine are slightly less durable. During operation, damaged elements must be replaced, so it is advisable to prepare cuts with a reserve.

If the path is made of boards that are laid as a continuous sheet, then the method of its construction is slightly different. It is advisable to make it slightly raised (about 10). Such air gap will allow the wood to dry out faster after rain, and the lack of contact with the soil will have a positive effect on the durability of the flooring.

The tree also needs to be treated against rot and pests. We take the path out into the open, remove the plant soil, dig a trough about 20 cm deep, cover it with geotextiles and fill it with 10 cm of gravel or crushed stone. Then we make supports from boards along the edges and in the center and nail our boards onto them.

In order to lay a path in the garden made of wood, you will need to spend your time and effort on it, but it is worth it. It will fit perfectly into the design of your summer cottage, and by using your imagination and ingenuity, you will get something original and beautiful. Moreover, creating it does not require any special knowledge, the main thing is to set a goal and you will succeed!

Having built a house and utility rooms on suburban area, and having planted trees and flowers pleasing to the eye, we must take care of laying communication routes between them. The article contains information about wooden paths for a summer house, garden and cottage - their advantages, disadvantages and features. You will learn what kind of wood is used for paths, what other materials can be used and what kind of care is required for wooden paths.

Garden paths made from wood cuts are unusual and original

Advantages and disadvantages of using wood for paths

One of the criteria for choosing a site design is the material from which the paths will be made. Use wood for these purposes - good idea, because wooden paths look organic, are comfortable for walking, and do not require large expenses for their production.

But before you consider specific types wooden garden paths, it is worth assessing the pros and cons of using any wood as a building material for paths.

Pros:

Original appearance. On some types of paths, you can view a unique pattern of wood structure.

Completely environmentally friendly material

Cheapness. Many creation options involve the use of wood, which you can extract yourself or use waste from wood production.

Relative ease of creation

Space for creative and design solutions

Minuses:

Fragility. It is necessary to treat the wood placed in the ground with special compounds against rotting.

Untreated wood becomes slippery after rain

The need for periodic repairs

Application of wooden cuts

Perhaps the most original and catchy way is a path made from wood cuts.

Outwardly, it looks like paving stones. Only each wooden “round” differs from the neighboring one in size and pattern, which gives the entire path a unique flavor.

Scheme for creating a path from saw cuts

The types of wood from which the “rounds” are sawn can be any, but it is better to give preference to hard deciduous ones - oak, larch or beech. Coniferous cuts, despite the presence of resin in them, are looser and rot faster. There is evidence that deciduous cuts with proper processing and care can last more than 20 years. Pine will last several times less.

But the beauty of this road surface requires careful preparation of the wood before laying and compliance with certain rules when laying. Preparation consists of processing each cut before laying and creating a pit along the entire length of the path into which the wooden cuts will be laid.

On our website you can find contacts construction companies, which offer turnkey project development and landscape work of any complexity. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.

Processing of cuts

The height of the wooden rings should not be less than 10 cm, otherwise they will crack under load. It is better to discard saw cuts with cracks.

Each cut must be cleared of bark, which is difficult to process and promotes rotting.

The upper part of the cut is treated against rotting. Economical option– waste oil or drying oil. But it is better to use special compounds, which are abundant on sale.

It is recommended to treat the lower part of the cut, which will be in the ground, with bitumen.

You can specially make the wood dark beautiful colour, having previously treated it with copper sulfate.

Before laying on the path, the saw cuts undergo mandatory processing

Preparing the ground for the path

A trench for a wooden path is dug to its entire length and width, and its depth should be 10–15 cm greater than the height of the prepared cuts.

The bottom of the trench is lined with a waterproofing film, onto which a sand or gravel cushion is poured.

Curbs to protect the path from dirt

Installation of cuts

To densely fill the entire area of ​​the path, it is necessary to prepare cuts of different diameters.

Required condition is that the surface of the installed cuts should be 2 - 3 cm above the backfill layer.

The voids between the logs can be filled with sand or gravel. A path made from saw cuts with gaps between them seeded with grass looks beautiful. But the grass will need additional care.

There are options for paths where the gaps between the cuts are filled with concrete. But the combination of wood and concrete does not look entirely natural.

In general, it is these wooden paths that give room for imagination. You can vary both the size and shape of the dies being dug in, as well as their grouping in different places along the path. They can be placed evenly, in a herringbone pattern, or combined into groups, creating the illusion of islands on the road.

There are different ways to decorate paths with tree cuts

Application of boards

The first thing that comes to mind is to make garden paths from boards. A fairly simple option that does not require searching and painstaking preparation of material. But, unlike saw cuts, it is necessary to prepare a base on which the boards will be laid. You can't just lay the boards on the ground. Unsecured, they will move apart and rot quickly. The simplest base is long logs made of timber installed along the entire length of the path being constructed.

Wooden path made of boards on a slight rise

Most of the proposed options for garden plank flooring are characterized by a transverse arrangement of the boards. But it is worth considering longitudinal “deck” flooring. Yes, they don’t look as stylish, but they also have their advantages:

Possibility of using long boards without cutting them to fit the width of the path

But for the base on which the boards are stuffed, you can take short bars from waste

Such floorings are more convenient when cleaning them, especially in winter from snow

Longitudinal arrangement of boards in a garden path on a hill

Application of timber

You can lay out the entire path from thick wooden beam. The installation of such flooring will cost more in terms of material, but it will last much longer. In addition, there is no need to install any base on which to attach the beams.

Of course, you will have to level the ground along the entire length of the path, and gravel bed will not be superfluous at all.

Beams laid on gravel bed

Treatment of timber against rotting is the same as for plank flooring. There are proposals to use railway sleepers for timber flooring, but this is not recommended. Sleepers are treated with creosote, which causes burns if it comes into contact with the skin. And on a hot day, the fumes from such a “path” are unlikely to be pleasant.

Video description

Interesting ideas for creating paths from wood in the video:

Application of ready-made pallets

When planning wooden paths in your dacha, you can consider using already knocked down pallets, especially if you can purchase them inexpensively. Such pallets can be found at construction sites and warehouses where various materials are stored on them.

Each pallet is finished design with a base on which the boardwalk is already fixed. They differ only in the density of the boards. If you don’t want to bother with additional processing, then you need to choose those with minimal gaps between the boards. All that remains is to remove the uneven areas in the places where the path will pass and lay the pallets on the ground one by one.

This is the most suitable option for temporary paths to some places on a summer cottage.

Decoration of the site and approach to the pool with pallets

The purchase of pallets will also be justified for the option of installing boardwalks. The boards, already cut to size, are knocked off the pallets, and damaged ones are rejected. They are then processed protective composition and knock down the required flooring from them. Any pallets are suitable for this application.

Application of mulch

Garden paths can be created using shredded wood shavings, tree bark and other wood waste called mulch. To do this you just need to remove upper layer soil, lay a small border around the edges, and pour mulch into the prepared trench. On sandy soils where water does not stagnate, you don’t even have to line the trench with waterproofing.

But as a temporary path or decorative path, they are quite suitable.

Garden paths made of mulch

Application of garden parquet

Decking – garden or terrace parquet – is considered a modern material for landscaping. These are ready-made tile modules with a surface made of various types of wood. WPC boards are also produced - a wood-polymer composite, in the manufacture of which a mixture of wood and polymers is used. Strictly speaking, such material cannot be called wood, but outwardly it is hardly distinguishable.

Such parquet should be laid on a prepared hard surface to prevent it from bending. Various options external design parquet modules allow you to create real compositions when arranging paths and platforms on the site.

Video description

Creating a garden path from wood cuts in the video:

Caring for wooden paths

Any garden paths made of wood require maintenance. Wooden elements can break, and the wood begins to rot over time. Therefore, approximately once a year it is necessary to carry out a preventive inspection and restoration of the damaged area.

Cleaning paths from debris and washed-up soil

Applying a new protective layer of antiseptic

Replacement of damaged or beginning to rot elements. When constructing a wooden path, it is recommended to leave part finished material“in reserve” so that you don’t have to hastily prepare a replacement of the required size and quality.

Conclusion

Despite the instability of wood compared to other materials, when correct device wooden paths and proper care, they will delight the eye for many years. But when considering options for garden wooden paths, you should take into account the features of their creation and the preparatory work when laying them. Such work requires knowledge of many nuances, and it is better to trust them to professionals.

Wooden paths are quite popular as paving in country and house areas. The paths made of charming logs are not only convenient and pleasant to walk on. Having a high decorative quality and unique texture, they organically fit into the green landscape with sunny lawns and shady corners, with flower beds and cozy gazebos.

Advantages of wooden paths

Interest in arranging paths from saw cuts is due to such attractive factors as:

• availability of material;
• lower cost compared to installation stone coverings(from paving slabs, clinker bricks and stone);
• ease of installation, does not require special skills and theoretical training, as well as applications special equipment and complex instruments;
• environmental friendliness and health safety.

There are also disadvantages such as the vulnerability of wood to insects and the formation of fungus/mold. This can significantly reduce the service life of the logs.

But with appropriate processing of wood and correct installation the path can serve and delight with its appearance for up to 25 years.

Wooden paths in landscape design styles

Wooden design elements always look very natural among the surrounding greenery. For summer residents and homeowners, for example, the Russian estate style is living on the land in our traditional sense. Of course, with modern conveniences and various devices, but with an eye to the age-old foundations of our ancestors.

A characteristic feature of the Russian garden style is the presence of ordinary fruit trees and at least a small garden. And details from the bygone past give a flavor dear to the Russian heart:

• clay pots and wicker baskets;
• a cart wheel, a decorative well and a birdhouse on a tree;
• wooden fence or wattle fence.

And a wonderful addition to such nostalgic beauty are paths made from wood cuts.

Such paths look organically in similar rustic style country, and in permissive small areas eco-style paths, with its almost primitive untouched green plantings.

Modern landscape fashion is quite democratic and allows both a mixture of styles and the presence of different style islands in one area.

For example, the entrance front area may be in a regular landscape style, the backyard is in French, and the area of ​​flower beds and lawns is in the style of a country or Russian estate, with paths made of wooden saw cuts.

Wooden paths organically coexist not only with wooden benches, gazebos and pergolas, but also with metal landscape elements, especially with forged parts small buildings. And also with wooden and ceramic sculptures, with hedges and vertical gardening.

Options for paving wooden blocks on the trail, depending on their diameter and the owner’s ideas, can be different. Such as:

• linear rows of slices of equal diameter;
• staggered;
• with wide cuts fitting tightly together, with segments cut off for joining.

And yet, the most picturesque paths are those made from randomly arranged cuts. different diameters- such free alternation harmoniously emphasizes the natural style.

With any chosen scheme, the hemp can be placed either staggered, at a certain distance, or close to each other.

The choice of paths from wood cuts, in addition to aesthetic wishes, is also supported by the possibility of making them yourself : This is both the self-realization of the owner, and the opportunity to subsequently admire the result of his own labor, and, of course, basic savings on the costs of landscaping the site. Moreover, such savings can approach a full hundred percent.

Where to get material for paths

Wood cuts, simply cut or already treated with special agents (from rotting), can be found ready-made for sale, but their cost is unlikely to allow this option to be considered economical. Prices for the thinnest and smallest saw cuts - from 50 rubles/piece. More massive 20-centimeter logs - within 400 rubles / piece. and higher. Such a purchase is acceptable only with a sufficient budget.

Billets from purchased round timber, sawn yourself, will cost much less.

And for absolutely nothing you can get saw cuts from a tree felled on the site or from lumber remaining after the construction of buildings. The paths made from saw cuts look interesting rectangular section located almost close to each other. Remains from log home construction (with square logs) or old wooden sleepers can be a great help.

For wooden paths, the ideal material in terms of strength and durability is larch and oak wood. Elm, beech, hornbeam, and acacia wood also performs well in use. But these rocks have a hard structure and are more difficult to cut. The knots are especially twisted, but they have the most picturesque cut pattern.

Such logs will surely last up to 15, or even up to 25 years. Pine and aspen are somewhat inferior in durability to the above-mentioned species, but they also serve well as paths.

Any selected tree must be dried before processing so that when laid in the ground it does not warp or crack. The design of paths made from saw cuts is also good because it can easily replace failed (damaged or destroyed over time) individual stumps. To do this, you can stock up on the appropriate lumps for future use and then, when replacing them, do not waste time processing them.

Round cut of a tree

Tools for work

To lay ready-made cuts, it is enough to have a shovel and a mallet (wooden or rubber hammer). But to make cuts yourself, you will also need:

• electric/chainsaw;
• tape measure/ruler and pencil/crayon - for marking;
• scraper or peeler - for removing bark (or less productive in this matter, a sharp knife or shovel)

Self-production of saw cuts

For the manufacture of wooden elements tracks you will need:

1. Clear the cut trunk of branches.
2. Sand it from the bark with a prepared tool. This work can be done with already cut individual logs (whichever is more convenient for you).
3. Mark equal sections of 10-20 cm on the log with chalk or a pencil, depending on the thickness of the trunk (the thicker the log, the longer the length of the cut).
4. Unravel the log along the marks.

Impregnation of cut pieces is carried out in two stages.

Stage 1. Treatment with insect and fungal protection.

For this, various compositions are used:

• special primers deep impregnation containing wood antiseptics - apply according to the instructions on the package;
• heated to almost boiling, spent machine oil or drying oil - apply with a brush;
• 10-20% solution of copper sulfate - dip for 2 days and then dry in the shade.

The influence of impregnating compositions on the color of the cut:

• Copper sulfate causes wood to darken and gives it the appearance of old wood. This technique is specifically used in landscape design.
• Drying oil allows you to preserve the natural shade of wood.
• To give the wood a pleasant red-brown tint, you can soak the workpieces with an ancient taiga composition - a strong decoction of larch bark (which also has excellent antiseptic properties).

Stage 2. Waterproofing the bottom of the cuts

On the part of the dried saw cuts that will be buried in the ground, it is necessary to apply a thorough layer of waterproofing. This may be one of the bitumen-based compositions:

• Bitumen melted in a metal container. Be careful when heating the material!!! The temperature of liquid bitumen is above 200°C.
• A piece of bitumen dissolved in gasoline over several days to form a liquid mass.
• Kuzbasslak is a bitumen varnish, usually dissolved in white spirit.

The application of bituminous compounds can be done by brushing or partially dipping the stumps to the desired level.

Layout and preparation of the base

While the harvested logs are being dried after the next treatment, and the weather is dry, you can start planning the area for the path and preparing its base:

1. Marking the boundaries of the path is done using pegs and a cord stretched across them. To break straight lines, it is enough to drive pegs every 2-3 meters, and in curved areas, the frequency of pegs depends on the degree of curvature and is no more than 0.5 meters. Markings can also be applied with chalk, lime or sand.
2. If there are borders, you should immediately add the appropriate indent width.
3. Soil is selected from the marked area to a depth of 20-30 cm, depending on the height of the cuts and taking into account the thickness of the drainage base. ( Decorative surface logs should be level with the ground or slightly higher). Check the trench bottom marks with a ruler or a specially prepared template.
4. Now we lay the drainage bed. Geotextiles should be laid at the bottom of the trench (PET film can be used), then a layer of crushed stone 10 cm high should be laid. On top is sand, which is moistened layer by layer with water and thoroughly compacted with a homemade tamper or vibrating plate.

The base for laying the cuts is ready.

Now the prepared cuts can be laid on the drainage pad at the planned distance from each other:

1. First, use a level to check the evenness of the sand.
2. Press the logs one by one into the sand at the intended location, adjusting the horizontal cut by carefully tapping the mallet.
3. Now check with a level that the upper cuts are in the same plane.
4. If curbs are provided, they can be saw cuts protruding in height or edging made of stone or coarse gravel.
5. Fill in the gaps bulk material- sand, tyrsa or small stone mixed with earth.
6. You can also sow lawn grass there.

Now walking on wooden blocks among the surrounding garden and flower beds is a real pleasure!

Care

But in order to prolong this pleasure as long as possible, such trails require periodic maintenance:

• annual cleaning of the dies with a metal scraper and treatment with a protective primer (or coating with varnish/linseed oil);
• cleaning the grooves/grooves located along the edges and serving to drain stagnant water from the path;
• removal of weeds that destroy the structure of the base of paths with their roots;
• sweeping snow into winter period and timely removal of the ice crust on the coating to prevent a thick layer of ice (do not use reagents or salt).

With proper construction and proper care, a saw-cut path will last for many years. cozy decoration your site.