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If you’re planning to source materials from a big box store like Home Depot, the good news is that everything you need for a paver walkway is readily available there, pavers, base gravel, sand, edge restraints, and even tool rental for the equipment you don’t want to buy outright.
The process itself doesn’t change based on where you buy materials, but knowing what to look for in each product category makes the shopping trip a lot more efficient than wandering the aisles hoping to recognize what you need.
At Ridgewell Landscape and Design, we build paver walkways across the Denver area, including Broomfield, Parker, and the surrounding communities, and we get questions fairly often from homeowners planning a DIY project about what to actually buy and where. This guide walks through the full building process with an eye toward what’s typically available at a store like Home Depot, so you know what to look for once you’re there.
Home Depot carries a range of concrete pavers in various sizes, colors, and finishes, along with some brick and natural stone options depending on your local store’s inventory. Availability varies by location and season, so it’s worth calling ahead or checking online inventory before making the trip, especially if you need a specific quantity for a larger walkway.
Crushed gravel or road base material, sold in bags or in bulk depending on the store, is what your compacted base layer is built from. For anything beyond a very small project, bulk delivery is usually more practical and cost-effective than buying and hauling individual bags yourself.
Both coarse bedding sand and polymeric jointing sand are typically stocked separately, since they serve different purposes. Bedding sand creates the level surface pavers sit on, while polymeric sand fills the joints and hardens once activated with water. Don’t substitute one for the other, they’re formulated differently for their specific jobs.
Plastic or metal edge restraints, along with the spikes used to anchor them, are generally stocked near the paver section. Landscape fabric is usually found in the same general area or in the broader landscaping aisle.
A plate compactor is essential for properly compacting your base and final walkway, but it’s not a tool most homeowners need often enough to justify buying. Home Depot’s tool rental program typically offers plate compactors by the day or the half day, which is usually more than enough time for a standard residential walkway project. Our guide on choosing the right plate compactor size covers what size is appropriate for a walkway-scale project versus a larger patio or driveway.
A paver saw is another tool worth considering for rental rather than purchase if this is a one-time project, since a quality wet saw for masonry cutting represents a real investment that may not make sense for a single walkway. Hand tools like a rubber mallet, level, and shovel are generally worth owning outright, since they’re inexpensive and useful for other projects down the line.
Materials to purchase
Tools to rent
Tools to own
Before shopping, measure your intended walkway’s length and width to calculate total square footage. This determines how much of each material you need and prevents an underestimated trip that requires a return visit mid-project.
Use stakes and string, or a garden hose, to mark the exact path and width of your walkway on site.
Dig out the marked area to a depth accounting for base, sand, and paver thickness combined, generally 7 to 9 inches total for a standard walkway.
Fill the excavated area with your gravel base material in 2 inch layers, compacting each layer with your rented plate compactor before adding the next.
Roll landscape fabric over the compacted base to control weeds without blocking drainage.
Spread about 1 inch of coarse sand over the fabric, using screed rails to create a level surface for the pavers.
Place pavers following your chosen pattern, starting from a fixed edge and tapping each into position with a rubber mallet. Our guide on how to lay a paver walkway covers pattern options and technique in more depth.
Measure and cut border pieces individually to fit the remaining gaps once the main field is laid.
Secure edge restraints along both sides of the walkway, anchoring with spikes to lock the pattern in place.
Sweep polymeric sand into the joints, mist to activate, and run the plate compactor over the finished walkway one final time before returning it to the rental counter.
Since specific pricing changes regularly and varies by location, it’s worth checking current pricing online or calling ahead for your local store before finalizing a budget. As a general guide, our paver walkway cost guide breaks down typical per square foot material costs for a DIY project, which should translate reasonably well to big box store pricing, though exact numbers will vary.
Sourcing your own materials and renting equipment is a completely reasonable way to keep costs down on a straightforward, flat, relatively short walkway. That said, certain situations still tip the scales toward hiring a professional, a sloped site, a longer or curved walkway, heavy clay soil requiring extra base depth, or simply not having the time or physical ability to handle a multi-day project involving heavy material moving and compaction work.
With over 15 years of building paver walkways across the Denver area, our team at Ridgewell Landscape and Design can help with either the full installation or just a consultation if you want a second opinion before starting a DIY project. Explore our paver patio services to see the kind of work we build when the project calls for professional installation.
Yes, pavers, base gravel, sand, edge restraints, and tool rental for equipment like a plate compactor are typically all available, though specific product availability varies by location.
For a single walkway project, renting is generally more cost-effective than buying, since a plate compactor isn’t a tool most homeowners need regularly.
Bedding sand creates the level surface pavers sit on, while polymeric sand fills the joints between pavers and hardens once activated with water, helping resist weeds and joint erosion.
Budget for 5 to 10 percent extra pavers beyond your measured square footage to account for cuts, particularly around edges and borders.
For anything beyond a very small project, bulk delivery is usually more cost-effective and far less labor-intensive than buying and hauling individual bags.
The list above covers what’s needed for a standard walkway. More complex projects, like curved layouts or intricate patterns, may benefit from a wet saw for cleaner cuts.
Whether you’re sourcing everything yourself or want a professional opinion before starting, having the right materials and tools lined up from the start makes the whole project go more smoothly.
Ridgewell Landscape and Design has been building paver walkways across Denver, Broomfield, Parker, and the surrounding communities for over 15 years. If you’d like a second opinion on your DIY plan or would rather have the whole project handled for you, reach out for a free quote and consultation.
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