Best Product for Overlaying a Pea Gravel Walkway

I have three ideas for you. The first is called Chattahoochee. It is an epoxy that is poured over small orange or rust colored pebbles to form walkways It was common in South Florida, but has fallen out of favor lately. It should still be available from Lowe's, or Home Depot.

The second is a two part clear marine epoxy.

The third is a roof covering that is used to seal roofing materials. I have seen this applied over the older gravel roofs. The bad news is that it comes in white black, or silver. The white applied over the pea gravel at a level that does not completely cover it might be workable. I believe that one version of this is called Cool-Coat. The likable part of this is the price. I think it is latex derived. Good luck.

Check here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_U2eqmfCYA

...for installation of epoxy chattahoochee. I'm told the Cool-Coat is hard if not impossible to find these days.

Hello Dis-Knee

The surface of pea-gravel is extremely smooth.

Here we have tried to make paths of your description, by:

1. Embedment in cement plaster
2. Epoxy Resin
3. Polyurethane coatings
4. Other methods.

Because the attractiveness of the pea-gravel surface is lessened by epoxy resin or polyurethane coatings, we found the best method was (1) above.

Sadly, there is no long-term solution, as footwear applies high localized torque to random pea-gravel particles, which have a turning moment that damages the underside bond to the concrete plaster, and after a short time, the pathway looks awful.

Better to accept that if you do want the lovely look of a pea-gravel path, you are going to have to get out the rake quite often.

Just a thought, if crushed limestone aggregate was allowable instead of pea-gravel, as the limestone aggregate is walked on, the particles after a time, 'weld' together, and cease any relative movement.

Trust that assists you.

Kind Regards....

GO to www.mountaingrout.com

Call them and talk to Bill

Their product called finestone is what you need.

I remember a DIY program where they set bricks down in the desired pattern, tapping them securely into place with a mallet. They they took sand and sprinkled it onto the bricks dry. A push broom was then used to brush the sand into the grooves until all the spaces between the bricks were filled.

Those of my neighbors who used this method had great results. One innovative guy substituted ordinary Portland cement for the sand and when the brooming was done, sprayed water on the cement hardening the mix and making the walkway more permanent.

If you were to put down a layer of Portland cement, then add a layer of your stones on top of that and then roll it some to push the stones down, before adding water, might that work?

L. J.

Try a product called Poly-pavement (google it); used for sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots.

This Old House had a product once, where they sprayed an asphaltic compound then rolled gravel into it. It looked like loose gravel, but was bonded in place by the asphalt under it.

I so wonder, however, what will happen when it needs maintenance. Still, should be good for walkways.

Sodium Silicates or water glass is dissolved glass that sets up clear. The product is low cost and non haz.

The link have enclosed is to the PQ Company, for more information.

Mike

http://www.pqcorp.com/literature/sodiumsilicates.pdf