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Do you love the look of a slate finish, but can’t afford to hire a hardscaper to install it? Create your own faux slate finish on a walkway or patio and save yourself hundreds of dollars!
DIY Slate Walkway
We really wanted a slate walkway, but when we contacted a hard-scape company to give us a price, I nearly passed out when he said $1,975 dollars; for a little curved walkway paved with concrete (Not GOLD!).
How Much Concrete?
To begin with, you’ll need to determine what size area you want to create, and how much concrete you’ll need for that area. This will be dependent, of course, on the size of your walkway and the thickness of the concrete. Here’s a free Concrete calculator to figure it out to ensure you have the correct amount!
Choose Your Edging
To create the form for your walkway, you’ll need to choose an edging. If you want a straight walkway, simple boards will do. If you want a curved walkway, like the one we installed ourselves, you can use flexible lawn edging and use stakes to hold in in place.
Gather Your Materials
You’ll Need:
Bags of Sakrete (concrete) (this is going to depend entirely on how much of an area that you want/need to cover)
Sand- for leveling the area
Edging- we used flexible lawn edging to create swerving effect
Shovel
Wheelbarrow & hose (to mix your concrete in!)
Bonway Texture Pad or Roller Pad – whatever pattern you like
Bonway Release Agent – whatever Color you want
Concrete Trowel
First, you’ll need to level the area that you’re working with. We marked off our area using flexible lawn edging that we had lying around in the garage. This serves 2 purposes, it gives you a uniform thickness in your walkway (so it won’t crack & break apart later on) and it gives you the style edge that you want.
You could use 2×4’s if you want a straight edged path. Pound some wooden dowels or rebar pieces into the ground to secure the edging in place, like this:
Then add enough sand to level the area, packing it down as you go.
Once you’ve packed it down as tightly as possible, spray it with the hose to further compact it.
Next Mix your sakrete (concrete) according to the directions on the bag and pour it into your (formed) walkway.
You’ll have to move quickly to get the concrete poured evenly. Then Smooth is using a trowel so that it looks like this:
Next, you have to wait until the majority of the water on the top of the concrete has dried. Then dust it liberally with the Bonway release agent. This is what literally keeps your concrete texture pad from sticking. (Sorry, this was my job, so no picture!)
Since we were going to be doing our entire driveway using this method, we purchased the Roller. For small walkways, you can use the 24″x24″ texture pad. Lay the pad down and tamp it down with your feet, step off, line the pad up and repeat until you’ve applied the pattern to your entire walkway.
If you’re using a roller, you just do this:
This is what the texture will look like when you’re done rolling or stamping it all out:
Let it cure overnight, then sweep it thoroughly the next day. Be forewarned, the Bonway release agent contains high amounts of silica and is completely waterproof. Water will just POOL on it. So it won’t do you a bit of good to spray it down first to “keep the dust down”. It can be swept up and reused. This is the finished walk, before sealing:
Sorry about the shadows, I can’t control the morning sun!
After a few weeks, you should apply a concrete sealer, but you must wait 2-3 weeks to give the concrete plenty of time to cure. The best part about the sealer is that it gives the textured concrete a nice wet look.
Although it appears like it could be slippery, it’s absolutely a gripping no-slip texture, which is perfect for the slick winter months!
Budget101.com Budget Breakdown
Our total cost for this project came out as follows:
Concrete $106.
Stamping tool $200 (which really can be split between projects because we bought the roller so we could do our Entire Driveway, otherwise we could’ve purchased the much less expensive stamp pad)
Release agent $75
Trowel $12
Sand-free (dug it up from the backyard)
Total Cost $393 = $1,582 SAVINGS from what we were quoted (and that was the LOWEST quote we received!)
Tried this DIY tutorial? Mention @Budget101com or tag #Budget101
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i have an existing walk at my door. i would like to make it larger. do i have to remove the existing one or is there a way to incorporate into the new one.
thanks
for making an existing one larger, if you mean to make a walkway area into like a patio, i would say no, if it is to extend it to a side walk then yes, you need to place a backing or buffer piece between the existing and the new. like when they repair a side walk, there is a brown material they use around here, old concrete and new concrete wont bond together. also make sure you have enough to do the job all at once, if you have to run to the store for more, it may not bond as well.
i also think it has something to do with settling, the old section has had time to fully settle, and the new will take time, even with all the packing you do.
if you are doing a big section, think of a sidewalk, and it has the grooves every so often, that is so that if one section cracks, it doesnt take out the whole sidewalk and they can repair one section. consider adding them to you drive way as well. also use the wire to reinforce it, cars are a lot heavier than people, and the sakrete probably wont be able to hold nearly as much weight as regular concrete.
you may want to buy actual concrete for that project.
If the existing walk is untreated concrete (unsealed) than yes, you can. You’ll have to wash the existing walk with Muriatic Acid (available at lowes or Home depot) first. Spray it on liberally, covering the entire walk, leave it for a little bit and then scrub it off/ pressure wash it off. Be aware that it will likely kill any plants or flowers you have directly beside the walk if you get it on them. That’s how we did our back patio deck that had an existing 3 foot patio, we extended it to 12 feet. It works fine.
i love this idea! is the concrete hard to mix? would we need a barrel or something to mix it in?
You can mix it in a regular wheelbarrow with a shovel to “stir” and then just tip the barrel to dump it into your form. It’s not “easy” work, but it’s not overly difficult either.
On the shiny question- we did use a sealer after it set a few weeks, but it’s shiny like that due to the sprinkler system watering the lawn.
that’s really pretty! does the sealer give it the shiny finish or was it wet when you took the photo? i didn’t realize it was that easy to make a walkway!
wow this is absolutely beautiful liss! thank you! i’m going to get my husband to help me do this off our back porch.
can i do this if i have a pebble sidewalk around a pool? like just throw it on top or do i have to remove it first
I need to reseal my concrete patio. What brand sealant do you recommend and is it possible to add tint? What should I use for hairline cracks?
It makes sense that you should apply a concrete sealer a few weeks after your project is complete. My wife and I want to add a walkway to our backyard that we can plant flowers around to make our lawn look more aesthetically pleasing, but we don’t have the knowledge or tools needed to effectively create a walkway. I think it would be a good idea to find a hardscaping service that will know exactly what kind of sealers we should use on our walkway.
You could certainly call a hardscaping company and ask them which type of sealer works best, or you can just ask the Contractor Desk at your local Lowes or Home Depot. Don’t let a little hard work scare you, this job takes just one afternoon & is a pretty simple process.
We got a quote to have the area around our pool stamped and they came back with a cost of nearly $12,000! I just don’t understand it, why is stamped concrete so expensive?
We recently discovered that you can stamp over an existing concrete patio if you do a little bit of extra prep work first.
Clean the surface using a grinder with a diamond blade. Use a smooth circular until you can see just concrete.
Power wash the area with a 3,000 PSI pressure washer. This removes all excess dirt and debris.
Mix 1 part water to 8 parts Muriatic Acid in a clean bucket. The acid etches the concrete.
Mix 8 parts water to 1 part Ammonia, set it aside.
Spread the acid solution out evenly on the concrete. Once the fizzing stops, flood the area with the ammonia mixture, which neutralizes the acid and balances the pH. The affect is instant, no waiting is required.
Once again, pressure wash the area.
Prep the porch/patio for the concrete skim coat by taping off the edges of walls.
Mix up the concrete skim coat, about 7 quarts of water to a 55lb bag of thin finish. Mix well, it should be soupy, but not lumpy. Let it set 5 minutes, then stir.
Apply the skim coat, let it dry.
Then apply the finish coat of concrete that you wish to stamp.
I’m sure the “pros” want to make it sound like this is impossible as a DIY project, but I love that you proved them wrong! We did a walkway off our back patio and it came out lovely. The contractor that we initially called wanted over $3,700 to do the project. It cost us abut $900 when all was said and done and it came out beautifully.
This is a great article! As a homeowner, I’m always looking for ways to save money and this is a great way to do it. I’m definitely going to try this out! Thanks for sharing – 10/10
This is a great tutorial on how to create a textured concrete walkway! I’m always looking for new ways to improve my home, and this is a great way to add some extra curb appeal. I love the texture that this adds- it really makes the walkway stand out. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the tutorial, I didn’t realize how easy this would be to do myself. My wife and I rented a cement hopper over the weekend and we made two paths, one to the greenhouse and one to the front door of our house. They came out amazing.
Stamped concrete is a great way to add texture and interest to your outdoor space, and it can be done relatively easily and inexpensively. However, there are a few things you should know before getting started.
First, stamped concrete requires a firm base. This can be achieved by pouring a concrete slab or by installing pavers. Once you have your base in place, you will need to decide on the design of your patio or walkway. There are many different stamp patterns available, so take some time to browse through the options before making a decision.
For those who want the look of slate without the expense, DIY faux slate walkways are a great option. Stamped concrete is incredibly versatile and can be used to create a wide variety of looks, from brick to stone. The key to creating a realistic slate look is in the texture. A homemade stencil can be used to create the proper texture, or a variety of textured mats are available for purchase. Once the texture is in place, the concrete is simply colored with a slate-colored stain and sealed. The end result is a beautiful and durable walkway that will last for years to come.
For an extra touch, try adding solar lights along the edges of the walkway. 🌟💡 It not only makes the path safer to walk on at night but also adds a warm, inviting glow to your garden or yard
This DIY slate or textured walkway is such a clever and budget-friendly way to add style to your yard! 🏡🪨 The step-by-step guide makes it easy to create a beautiful, durable path that adds character to any outdoor space. 🌳🛠️
Tip: Consider planting low-growing, creeping plants like thyme or moss between the stones for a natural, lush look that also helps prevent weeds. 🌿🌸
This DIY slate or textured walkway project is such a brilliant idea! 🏡🪨 It adds a beautiful, polished look to any yard or garden, and the step-by-step guide makes it seem totally doable, even if you’re not a pro. 🌿🛠️ Plus, it’s way more affordable than hiring someone to install it. I’m excited to give this a try and add some charm to my backyard
This is exactly the kind of low-cost project I’ve been looking for—my front path is basically just sad grass and regrets right now. 😅 Pro tip: Mix in a little glow-in-the-dark sand for a subtle nighttime glow. Makes it pop without looking tacky!