How To Install a Pea Stone Walkway | Ask This Old House

In this video, This Old House mason Mark McCullough helps a homeowner connect their driveway to their front walk, matching materials and style for a timeless look.

Mark McCullough takes us on a house call to help a homeowner extend her front walkway to her driveway. After Mark sources some matching materials, the two work together to branch off the existing walkway, creating an additional path leading to the driveway. They lay cobblestones, spread pea gravel, and lay large bluestone pavers to complete the look.

Walkways that stretch from the front door to the sidewalk are great. But to make them truly functional and keep folks from walking across the front yard, they need to connect to the driveway as well. Mason Mark McCullough helps a homeowner take an existing walkway consisting of centuries-old cobblestones and connect it to her driveway using carefully-sourced materials. Here’s how it’s done.

Difficulty: ⅖
Cost: Roughly $30 per linear foot
Time: A weekend

Where to find it?
Mark extends a pea stone walkway to make a connection between an existing walkway and
driveway.


Laying Cobblestone Edging and Pea Stone:
1. Place the first cobblestone into the mortar.
2. Tap it down with a rubber mallet to set it into the mortar, then add or remove mortar as needed so the top of the stone is level.
3. Add the next four cobblestones, using the string line as a level. Tap the side of the cobblestones with the rubber mallet not worrying about the gaps between each stone. (They will be filled with pea stone)
4. When the first five cobblestones are laid, lay a level across them, and adjust the stones to achieve level edging.
5. Install the rest of the cobblestones to the opposite end of the trench; check for level after placing every five cobblestones.
6. Spread out roughly 3 inches of pea stone over the landscaping fabric.
7. Mark suggests using a rake to smooth over any dips in the gravel.
8. After the gravel is poured and leveled, Mark suggests using a hand tamper to help compress the gravel down tighter.
9. Last step is to drop the bluestone into the pea stone.

Materials:

Tools:

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How To Install a Pea Stone Walkway | Ask This Old House

[KGMT]

This homeowner seems much more competent and relaxed than the others tend to be. It looks great!

[Kevscancave]

I was skeptical … 👍👀👍but that “Diamond Pattern “ looks good with the house style

[michaelbaumgardner]

Great Job, and that young Lady was a great helper.

[StoneE]

Now you need to get Jen out there and replace the lawn with some more drought tolerant grasses.

[sbffsbrarbrr]

Cute home and the added path looks nice.
The only thing I would have done differently is widen/curve out the path at the driveway. It would then better match to opposite end at the circle.

[BobbieJeanM]

I’ve always thought of that type of stone as “tumbled rock” and “pea stone” as 1/4 to 1/2 that size. Also usually white to very light gray not the multicolored stone here. It’s a beautiful walkway and I think the stone used here will be easier to walk on than what I’m used to.

[kfelix]

@05:07 that look was like " This is some serious work"

[jasonthatcher]

how does this sort of walkway hold up under snow shoveling in the winter?

[BrandonTran]

Wow, looks superb and also that house is stunning! Classic

[artpro]

Amazing result! And I learned both how to layout a new pathway and I would definitely hire somebody to do all that! 🤣

[arth.]

Mark,

You make it look so easy. Thanks guy's 👍

[digginz]

do not use peastone if you have to shovel snow off it.

[sathivv]

Really great camera work in this episode

[slavrenz]

Should've done a bevel or another half-circle at the driveway connection.

[patrickm]

what did he put underneath the pavers ?

[MegaThepow]

I really need something like this along my property line for walking and getting water to the back of my yard too but not sure how to tackle of this. I need help!!! 😫😫😫

[armandomorgado]

The things I have learned from you guys, thanks ❤

[AStanton]

Did she invent the Neeru Jacket from the sixties?

[Toby-oqcg]

I used 1/4 minus. Much easier to walk on then the round stones

[TheHolyMongolEmpire]

That’s an absolutely beautiful second empire house. What a gem. That guy is full of crap saying the stones are 300 years old. That house was built probably around 1875 or so. But whatever.