Who has used the pathmaker??

Hi All, I am wondering who has used one of those plastic pathmaker forms? I am talking about the plastic form that has cut outs that look like bricks or stones, that you lay on the ground and fill with cement? I want rip my deck off and put in a patio. Has anyone ever done this or do you have pics of what you have done?? Please let me know what you have learned about this application. Thanks, Michele

Chele you are not going to believe this!! Well, you might!! The guys who came back to repoint my fireplace had them in the back of their truck and I asked about them. In the first place, they are quite expensive. I think you might need quite a few of them too because you would have to wait for the concrete to set in the form and then prise it out and start all over. It would be more prudent to have a few, mix all the concrete you need and then pour into the forms. Like I said patience is not my virtue. But the girls would have a great time helping mum do this!! Lor!! I can see it now...hahaha!! we are going to lay out a patio, starting with the shape tomorrow, if the rain holds off. Probably, we will use sea gravel and larger stone!!

It appears your beacon has sounded again! LOL Around here the forms are only about $20. I would probably want to buy two. I have a neat idea to put in a water garden around the cement porch (that is now decked over) and want to get the water garden shape in, then patio around it. I can get free flagstone right now, but have no way to get it home. I need to make some calls to see what it would cost to have it picked up and delivered. Think anyone would rent me a dump truck??? LOL And wouldn't I look funny with my baby seat and trail of kids. ROTF If I can figure out a way to get the stone home, I will do that. Otherwise I am thinking about the pathmaker thing so I can do a little at a time. I think you should just send me some of that sea stone and larger stone-but NOT C.O.D.! LOL

We bought this form at the Home and garden show in Indianapolis when they were first out.Long ago, maybe 8 years or so. We made a walkway from the utility room door to the yard barn and we like it a lot . Hope you get one and try it. Lou

You can also buy a "stamp"...in other words, you pour the concrete and then "stamp" in your pattern. This is the way commercial companies stamp concrete, but they have a machine to do it. Faster than the forms and works great!!!

Badseed - look into renting a trailer to get the stone home. Any of those rental shops should have a sturdy trailer for rent just for hauling stuff like that. I bet it would be cheap too. You might need to get a hitch put on your car but you'd always have it in the future. Then you could rent a trailer to get mulch, compost, loam or whatever you needed.

Thanks you guys. My neighbor checked into the stamping. He is a construction contractor and he said it would cost too much, but he may have been wanting to have it done. Since I have five kids, my family car is a conversion van and guess what?? It came with a hitch! I have been eyeballing and drooling over other people's 'wagons' and trailers. I may have to check that out too. I know these rocks are huge and forty five minutes away. I will do some more checking tomorrow. Thanks a bunch!

we used this. only have one, and we love our path, we talked not too long ago about doing more. It's really easy, but does take 2 people. One to mix the concrete and pour in, the other to smooth it out (okay, one person could do this, but easier with 2). I think one bag did 3 forms, but it's been 4 years, so I'm not positive. and you don't wait for it to dry before moving the mold, you fill and go.

I'll send you whatever you like Chele!! Lucky you having access to free stone though. What I wouldn't give!! tig that's interesting, fill and go!! I thought the concrete would have to more or less set first!!

tiG, what shape did you use? Do you have a picture? I guess if they are sturdy enough for paths, which they are intended for, they should be fine for a patio. I still want to check into renting a truck or something. My neighbor has a pick up and he is bringing home one rock at a time. They weigh several hundred pounds. Some he has brought home are more than two feet square and eight inches thick! He is a contractor for a company that builds 300K houses. They are digging for a new subdivision and have hit a whole sheet of it! I want them so bad!!! My house is red brick and I love stone with brick!

I'll try to get a picture in a bit.