Gravel Garden Path Renovation With Nonwoven Geotextile (Part One) - March 2025

A couple days ago, I posted the details of some of my 2025 priority projects in the garden including my initial (#1) project:  renovating the gravel path on the side of our house.  In that post, I walked through my learning journey about geotextiles and their differences - non-woven vs. woven.  And, how they have different drainage and separation impacts.  After poking around, I ended up landing on the use of a nonwoven geotextile under the gravel will stop the 'sinking gravel' that has occurred over the years.  

I found this roll of nonwoven geotextile that is four-feet-wide by 100-feet long.  It is listed as "8 ounce" weight and in-hand it feels substantial.  

The gravel path on the side of our house is laid down with bluestone chips, so this project isn't straight-forward.  If this was a net-new path, the job would be easier:  lay down the fabric then pour on the bluestone chips.  But in this case, I had to find a way to sort-of "pull back" the gravel, lay down the fabric, then pile the gravel *back on top* of the fabric.  I did this in about three-to-four-foot lengths at a time.  

Below are a few photos showing that process. I started at the gate and worked towards the front of the house.  

The fabric will serve as a separation barrier and (hopefully) keep the gravel from sinking into the ground.  

I kept moving forward, a section-at-a-time, pulling the gravel, laying down the fabric and replacing the gravel on top.  Below is a section of the path that (the darker part) has most of the bluestone chips pulled back.  I laid down fabric on top.  Then, pulled the gravel back. 

I was able to complete the full "straight" section of the path.  Below, you can see the line that shows the edge of the fabric.  I pulled away the gravel in the curved section and will lay down fabric in the coming days.  

I labeled this post "Part One" because there is more work to be done.  In addition to finishing up this curved section (above) that meets the driveway, I have to do the rest of the path back from the gate to the boardwalk.  

With one-hundred feet of fabric, I'm planning on being able to complete the full path and lay down enough to complete the gravel portion of the MVP on the pizza oven ground landing.   I'm planning on an eight by eight square - which requires 16' of fabric.  Whatever is left, I'll go back to the firepit area and lay down the balance.