Preparing the Soil for Replacing A Sidewalk - Videos

Step Two: Preparing the Soil for Replacing A Sidewalk

This video outlines part two in our four-part series on replacing a sidewalk. Find a summary of the essential tools for preparing the sidewalk bed and learn how to properly prepare the bed for the next step in the process.

For the new sidewalk to be strong and even, it's crucial to prepare the soil correctly and fill with the proper amounts of gravel and sand. Tools and materials needed are:

Pick
Shovel
Rake
Wheelbarrow
Tape rule

Correct Sidewalk Underlayments

Here's how to prepare for the wooden forms with the correct sidewalk underlayments:

Dig the whole area down to 10" below the top of the surrounding earth. This allows for 4" of gravel, 2" of sand, and 4" of poured concrete.
Remove any large stones, bits of concrete, or other large rubble you encounter.
Rake the surface fairly smooth, although smaller stones will be leveled by what's to come.

Now the soil bed is prepared for receiving gravel and sand, and for building the forms to retain the concrete.