Garden path made of wood - a natural eye-catcher with a lot of maintenance

The wooden garden path is one of the most beautiful options for a garden path you can choose.

Wood is a popular material for garden path design. With its natural look and feel, it fits perfectly into a natural environment. However, with a wooden garden path, a little more effort has to be planned for care and maintenance.

In this article you can read everything you need to know about:

• advantages and disadvantages
• material selection
• professional laying
• Maintenance of wooden garden paths

👍 Advantages of a wooden garden path

A path made of wood offers a number of positive properties:

• Natural look
• The grain and color of wood blends harmoniously into nature.
• The material looks lively and inviting.
• longevity
• Hardwoods in particular are very weather-resistant
• Lasts for many years
• Easy laying

👎 Disadvantages of wood for garden paths

However, wood also has some disadvantages:

• Higher price point compared to gravel or stone
• Additional costs for the substructure
• maintenance effort
• Wooden surface must be cleaned and re-treated regularly.
• Danger of slipping when wet or leftover leaves

Materials for wooden garden paths

Various types of wood can be used to create a wooden garden path . It is important that these are stable and treated and weather-resistant.

• Hardwoods - For example oak, robinia or bangkirai
• Hardwoods are very durable, but also more expensive
• Softwood spruce or larch
• Softwoods are cheaper but less weather-resistant
• Wood-plastic composites combine wood with plastic.
• Easy to care for, but different in look and feel.

Substructure and laying of the garden path made of wood

In order for your wooden garden path to remain durable and walkable for a long time, the correct preparation of the subsurface and professional installation are crucial:

1. Prepare the substrate

1. First, remove the turf and remove the top layer of soil until you come to firm ground.
2. Compact the subsoil thoroughly using a vibrating plate or a tamper. It must later be able to bear the weight of the wooden path and the users.
3. Check that the substrate is suitably drained. A gravel drainage layer can be an advantage if the soil is poorly drained.
4. The subsoil should be sufficiently solid, load-bearing and as level as possible to allow the wooden path to settle evenly.

Our tip: Get help from a local craftsman who can give you tips. The whole project stands and falls with the subsoil.

2. Lay the wood seamlessly

Lay the wooden floorboards close together so that there are no intermediate joints. These would become clogged with dirt and plants. If there are larger gaps, you can carefully fill them in with fine grit to prevent weeds from growing.

3. Fixation and compaction

Fix the wooden floorboards firmly to the substructure with screws, nails or staples so that nothing can shift.

Finally, compact the wooden surface again with a rubber mallet, a vibrating plate or a vibratory tamper. This ensures that the wooden path is firm and safe to walk on and has no wobbly spots.

More ideas for garden paths

• Garden path with gravel
• Garden path with bark mulch
• Garden path with natural stones
• Garden path with paving stones
• Garden path with concrete slabs

Optimal care for wooden garden paths

Proper care is particularly important for wooden structures. In particular, an additional protective layer of varnish or glaze increases the lifespan of the wood many times over.

Good to know: Please only use wood that has been processed accordingly in order to be able to withstand the weather.

• Regular cleaning
• Remove loose material such as leaves to prevent mold stains.
• Apply protective layers for wood
• Repaint or oil every 2 years.
• repairing damage
• Replace broken spots in time to prevent major damage.

Cost of a wooden garden path

position	Costs
hardwood floorboards	60-100 € per m2
softwood floorboards	30-60 € per m2
WPC planks	40-80 € per m2
substructure	20-40 € per m2
screws/fastening	5-10 € per m2
machines (e.g. drilling machine)	€50-150
Tools (saw, hammer, etc.)	30-80€

The most frequently asked questions about building a garden path out of wood

1. How long does a wooden garden path last?

For hardwood up to 20 years. Softwood lasts about 10 years. The prerequisite is professional installation and regular maintenance.

2. Which wood is best?

Bangkirai, oak or robinia as a hardwood variant. Douglas fir, larch as cheaper softwoods.

3. Can you lay a wooden path yourself?

This is possible with manual skills. Planning, substructure and attachment according to the instructions are important. experience recommended.

4. How to prevent slipping on wooden paths?

By treatment with special non-slip wood oils. Walk carefully when wet.

5. What is the best way to maintain a wooden path?

Annual cleaning and re-treatment of the surface. Repair damage in good time. Remove leaves etc. in winter.

Conclusion - The garden path made of wood is particularly beautiful but complex and expensive to create.

A wooden garden path gives every garden a natural flair. However, the higher price and maintenance effort should be considered. With high-quality wood and regular maintenance, a wooden path will impress with its durability and elegance.

I hope I was able to give you a good overview. I am happy to answer your questions!