Garden: How To Install Japanese Stepping Stones?
Japanese stepping stones made their way to the West with the trend of Japanese gardens. This type of path has been used for centuries in Japan to cross grassy areas, zen gardens, and bodies of water. We are going to explain how to lay Japanese stepping stones on your lawn.
Why use stepping stones?
Japanese stepping stones, used in the traditional Japanese garden for centuries, have the dual advantage of being practical and aesthetic.
In Japanese gardens, these natural stone paths are elements of a precise staging, inviting a slow, contemplative, and meditative journey. These slabs, laid at regular intervals, are also an integral part of the Zen garden composed of sand, gravel, and stones.
In the West, they are primarily used to cross lawns and grassy areas of the garden. These slabs help to mark a path and prevent the grass or flowers of a blooming meadow from being trampled.
What type of stepping stones should you choose?
In a traditional Japanese garden, stepping stones are always made from natural materials, such as slate, stone, or wood. These slabs are also characterized by their foot-sized shape.
In the West, you can find this type of slabs in both natural and artificial materials. Depending on the style of your garden and your personal preferences, you can choose from granite, natural stone, or slate, as well as resin, molded concrete, and reconstituted stone.
Beyond the material, you will also have to choose the color of your stepping stones from various neutral shades. These garden features typically come in hues of off-white, sand, gray, and black.
How to choose the location of stepping stones?
Before proceeding with the actual installation, you must precisely determine the location of the stepping stones in your garden.
The trick to getting a preview of the path you are going to create, on a lawn for example, is to use a rope or a garden hose. These tools will help you visualize the future pathway and choose a trajectory, whether straight or more winding.
Regardless of the chosen route, remember that the distance to maintain between two stepping stones is typically 50 to 60 cm. Do an initial dry run to test the placement of the slabs and adjust if necessary.
Before moving on to the installation step, you need to decide on the placement of each step so that they blend into the layout of your garden and facilitate the walk for future strollers.
4- How to lay stepping stones?
Once the stepping stones are placed as desired, outline their shape using a flat spade, then remove the stone and dig following the outline.
Dig a hole with a depth equivalent to the thickness of the stone plus 2 cm. Remove any stones and roots and level the bottom of the hole.
Line the bottom with sand about 2 cm thick. You can also add a layer of drainage felt between the sand and the slab. The use of geotextile fabric can slow down the growth of weeds that might spoil the look and destabilize the slabs.
Position the slab level with your lawn and steady it by gently tapping on it with a mallet. All that remains is to fill the edges of the hole with topsoil and lawn repair grass.
Note: The main difficulty in installation lies in the weight of the slabs. However, it should be noted that the heavier the decorative steps are, the more durable they become. Their weight ensures they stay firmly in place over time.
5- How to maintain Japanese stepping stones?
The maintenance of Japanese stepping stones depends on the chosen material. If you have opted for wood, be aware that you will need to maintain the steps every two or three years by applying a greying product and an anti-fungal treatment.
Stone slabs can simply be cleaned with a hard brush and soapy water. Opt for a natural soap such as Aleppo soap, black soap, or genuine Marseille soap.
Caution: Do not use a high-pressure cleaner to maintain these slabs! This device may damage certain materials and cause your installation to shift.
