What can be more relaxing than walking bare feet amidst nature’s glory?
I’ve spent hours in my garden, lost in thoughts, while the scenic beauty helped calm me down. However, walking on pathways bare feet may end up hurting your feet because of the sharp edges of rough stones and rocks.
To avoid this, it’s important to choose a type of gravel that’s smooth, allowing you to create a comfortable surface to walk on. Not sure where to begin your search? Don’t worry; I’ve got your back!
Howdy, it’s your friendly lawn care expert, Stacy Smith. And I’m back with another useful guide to help you out. Today, I’ll be reviewing the 3 best gravel to walk on bare feet. You’ll also find a buyer’s guide and an FAQ section at the end of this article that will enable you to make an informed decision.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
Top Gravel To Walk On Bare Foot
1. Skullis River Rocks & Pebbles
These rocks and pebbles from the Skullis Store are one of my top recommendations, primarily because of their beautiful polished finish achieved by natural tumbling. Furthermore, the bag comes with only the highest-quality decorative pebbles hand-picked by professionals who know their job.
Product Highlights
1. Style & Finish
These hand-gathered stones have undergone natural tumbling, a smoothening process, to achieve a beautiful polished finish. Apart from being lightly polished, the 5-pound pebble set comes in a variety of colors and pattern combinations. However, natural shades, such as brown, red, black, grey, and white, dominate the mixed ensemble.
2. Indoor & Outdoor Use
The set of mixed color stones, featuring a smooth, polished finish, shine under the sun when spread on pathways and garden grounds. They can also be used to add style, texture, and depth to water features, fountains, and ponds. As a result, the pebbles help enhance the overall decor of your outdoor space while providing a comfortable surface to walk on bare feet.
What’s more, you may consider investing in an additional bag of river rocks to serve as a unique decorative accent indoors. They can be placed in vases, candle holders, dishes, planters, aquariums, and terrariums to make your home aesthetically appealing.
3. Easy To Spread
This 5-pound bag of decorative rocks is easy to handle. All you have to do is directly pour the pebbles from the bag and spread them evenly on the ground or pathway. The stones are large, ranging from 1 to 2 inches, so they cover most of the area with ease.
However, you may also pair them with other gravel types to add contrast and fill in gaps. But the best part is that you won’t require any professional help for this task.
What’s There To Like About It?
In my opinion, the highlight of this mixed pebble set is its smooth and polished finish that glistens under sunlight. I used the stones to cover the pathway connecting my home and garden and was more than happy with the outcome.
My modern outdoor space looked terrific with the contemporary touch of the gravel that comes in neutral and natural shades. The red, black, brown, and white colors with varying patterns will make your garden stand out without taking away from its natural beauty.
What’s more, it didn’t take much time to spread the decorative rocks across the pathway as I just had to pour them from the bag. Just make sure you have the required equipment to spread them evenly.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
To be honest, I didn’t really come across anything that I didn’t like. The gravel set includes the highest-quality decorative pebbles suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. However, the 5-pound bag didn’t come with as many rocks as I had expected. You might have to buy additional bags to cover a large area, which drives up the overall cost.
Pros and Cons of Skullis River Rocks & Pebbles
Pros
Cons
- SIZE: About 1"-2",Weight: About 5 pounds.
- HAND-GATHERED STONES WITH BEAUTIFUL POLISHED FINISH achieved by natural tumbling. We hand-pick only the highest quality decorative pebbles.
- This pebbles set are natural lightly polished for smooth effect, comes in a variety of natural colors and patterns combination of the popular natural color and shades such as brown, white, black, red, grey.
2. Midwest Hearth Natural Mixed Pebbles
Next up, I have another set of polished pebbles from Midwest Hearth, a leading manufacturer of premium quality components and accessories for fireplaces, stoves, fire pits, and more. The decorative stones come in assorted colors and earthy tones to provide the perfect landscaping for your outdoor space.
Product Highlights
1. Small Gravel Size
The set of mixed pebbles are available in 2-pound, 5-pound, and 10-pound bags. You can choose any variant, depending on your requirements. But in order to make the right choice, I strongly suggest measuring your pathway or the area you wish to cover.
Coming to the size of the decorative stones, the bags contain small pebbles with an average size of 3/8 inches, making them perfect for small applications and projects. Apart from being one of the best gravel types to walk on, the set can be used for potted plants, succulents and cactus containers, flower arrangements, and fairy gardens.
2. Polished Surface
Each bag comes with pebbles of varying shapes and colors. But what makes these decorative stones stand out is their pure paraffin wax coating, which gives them a polished finish and enhances their color and shine.
You’ll notice the pebbles glistening under direct sunlight, making your pathway aesthetically appealing with their earthy and neutral tones. Furthermore, you can mix and match the gravel with other types and styles to add texture and contrast to your outdoor space.
3. Eco-Friendly
You can rest assured of the quality of these earthy pebbles, featuring a pure paraffin coating. But that’s not all; they are 100% natural with no additional fillers, oils, or dyes, so you can use them safely around pets and kids.
What’s more, the natural elements of the stones make them ideal for aquariums and terrariums. They not only enhance the aesthetic appeal but also help in creating the perfect underwater environment for fishes and other marine life to thrive in.
What’s There To Like About It?
Straight off the bat, I was impressed with the shape and size of these natural stones. They are gently tumbled and come in varying styles and patterns, each with an average size of ⅜ inches, which makes them perfect for small projects. Apart from that, I liked the paraffin wax coating of the gravel, giving the pebbles a polished finish.
I was also able to pair them with other types of gravel, and doing this changed the entire dynamic of my garden walkway. Another interesting fact that will definitely impress you is that the pebbles are 100% natural with no added fillers and chemicals. Even the paraffin wax used for its finishing is pure and safe for use around children.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
I consider this pebble set from Midwest Hearth to be a great buy owing to its exceptional quality. But it’s a bit overpriced compared to some of the other options available in local stores and markets.
I’d also like to highlight that homeowners and gardeners may find these stones a bit too small in size. However, this is subjective; I have no complaints in regard to this.
Pros and Cons of Midwest Hearth Natural Mixed Pebbles
Pros
Cons
- MULTIPLE USES: Fairy gardens, flower arrangements, succulent containers, and potted plants
- SMALL GRAVEL SIZE: 3/8" average size is perfect for small applications
- POLISHED SURFACE: Pebbles are polished and coated in pure paraffin wax to enhance color and shine
3. Exotic Wood Bean Pebbles
Exotic, a leading manufacturer of decorative gravel in the US, comes forward with the largest assortments of polished and unpolished pebbles in varying sizes. That’s why I decided to introduce you to the wood bean pebbles from the brand; one of the best types of unpolished gravel available for landscaping.
Product Highlights
1. Pebble Size & Coverage Area
These bean pebbles have been crushed and screened into the approximate size of 1/5 inches. Furthermore, they come in 20-pound bags to cover an area of 1.2 square feet at a 2-inch depth. All you have to do is pour the decorative pebbles from the bag and spread them uniformly across the pathway or walkway.
Just make sure you measure the area prior to buying the bag of gravel to ensure there’s a sufficient amount to cover the entire ground.
2. Natural Finish
The crushed pebbles come in a variety of colors, including white, jade, and black. But my personal favorite would have to be the stones that come with a wooden finish. You can choose any of the variants as per your preference and requirement.
Each pebble is properly sized and washed without any coating, so they don’t really shine like the other options on the list. However, the dull and natural finish is what makes them stand out from the rest.
They manage to change the entire dynamic of your outdoor space when used to create pathways or cover the grounds.
3. Multiple Applications
No doubt, the set of unpolished pebbles help in creating a smooth and even base to walk on bare feet. But you’ll also be pleased to know that they have many other applications.
The pebbles can be used in landscaping, water features, flower arrangements, and even inside potted plants. They also help add texture to your garden accents, making them look spectacular amidst the greenery.
What’s more, the decorative stones are 100% safe with no added chemicals or fillers. So, you can easily use them to create the perfect underwater environment for fishes in aquariums.
What’s There To Like About It?
First things first, the Exotic Bean Pebbles are great alternatives to mulch and can be used indoors and outdoors. Their applications are diverse, ranging from landscaping to walkways. But what I loved the most about these decorative stones is their unpolished and washed finish.
They may not glisten under the sun; however, the dull tone and style are bound to enhance the overall decor of your space. That’s not all; the pebbles are perfectly sized to create a smooth walking surface when spread on the pathway. You can also use them to accentuate your fire pit and fill gaps.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
If you seek my opinion, I love these pebbles, especially because of their dull finish, but many homeowners and gardeners out there might prefer polished gravel. In that case, these stones may not be an ideal fit. Other than that, the amount of stones provided in the bag can be an issue if you have a large area to cover.
Pros and Cons of Exotic Wood Bean Pebbles
Pros
Cons
- NATURAL FINISH: Crushed small pebbles are washed and sized with no coating applied
- MANY APPLICATIONS: Perfect for Landscaping, flower arrangement, potted plants and water features
- PEBBLE SIZE: Bean Pebbles are approximately 1/5 inch (4-6mm) in size
Buyers Guide
There you have it; my top 3 recommendations when it comes to choosing the best gravel for pathways and garden grounds. But before you go ahead and make a purchase, I’d like to highlight a few crucial points that need your attention.
On that note, I’ve carefully created this buyer’s guide, explaining every feature and factor that should be considered when selecting decorative stones and pebbles to walk on bare feet. Read on to find out.
1. Gravel Type
While choosing a gravel type, it’s important to decide on its use before making the purchase. For walking bare feet, you’ll need to select pebbles with smooth surfaces. Make sure they don’t come with rough and sharp edges that may hurt your feet; instead, they should be able to form a comfortable walking surface.
Some of the popular gravel types that will serve this purpose well are pea gravel, river rock, and crushed granite. Let’s get to know more about them.
(a) Pea Gravel
As the name suggests, pea gravel is slightly rounded and about the size of peas. It comes in a variety of colors and serves as a long-lasting solution for your walkway or pathway. The only downside to using these small decorative stones is that they don’t stay in place. You might find them on your lawn or garden bed, making maintenance more time-consuming.
(b) River Rocks
The best part about river rocks is that they come in various sizes, ranging from 1-inch to several inches. You can use different sizes for a more natural feel and look. Furthermore, they are smooth and manage to create a rustic and comfortable path for you to walk on.
Coming to costs, river rocks are available in different price ranges and are ideally sold by the ton or the pound.
(c) Crushed Granite
Crushed granite is basically solid granite stones that have been carefully picked, crushed (not too finely), and screened to achieve uniform sizes. They work well in contemporary landscapes, and you can look forward to using them in flower beds, potted plants, or any water feature to accentuate your outdoor space.
The best part is that this gravel type is affordable, and it comes in a wide range of colors and styles. So, you can make a choice, depending on the overall decor of the garden area or indoor space.
(d) Mexican Beach Pebbles
Nothing beats Mexican Beach Pebbles in terms of style and looks. They are beautifully shaped and are available in a wide range of colors ranging from black to blue. What’s more, the surface of these stones is smooth, making them perfect ground covers.
They are also water-resistant, saving you from the hassles and worries of damage caused by water. As such, you can depend on them to create walkways around water features, river beds, and ponds.
2. Tone and Color
Another crucial factor that requires attention during the selection process is the tone and color of the gravel. To help you decide on the color, look around your outdoor or indoor space. Also, make sure you opt for a variant that best complements the elements around your garden landscape.
I prefer warm tones and earthy colors like brown, red, black, and white as they add warmth to my garden, while accentuating the beauty of the blooming flowers and the greenery around. On the other hand, cool tones help provide contrast, making pale flowers and bright leaves stand out.
3. Drainage Capability
If you’re planning to invest in gravel for your walkway, pathway, or garden ground, check whether or not it has a decent drainage capability. After all, you wouldn’t want the area to flood during heavy rainfall.
Also, never opt for a type that compacts easily. Pea gravel, crushed granite, and river rocks are perfect for the job.
4. Budget
Like any other product, it’s important to opt for gravel that’s well under your budget. But that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality. Choose decorative pebbles and stones that come with exceptional quality at an affordable price.
5. Safe To Use
It’s better to ensure that the decorative rocks and stones you plan on buying are 100% natural with no chemicals, fillers, and dyes. This will allow you to use them even in aquariums and terrariums to create an ideal environment for marine life to dwell in. Furthermore, you’ll be able to use them around pets and children without worrying about their safety.
Gravel To Walk On Bare Feet FAQs
I’ll now be answering some of the most frequently asked questions related to the topic to clear any lingering queries and concerns. So, let’s get started.
Walking on pea gravel is more comfortable and bearable than walking on larger rocks having rough and jagged edges that may stab your feet. The stones are popularly used for walkways and pathways as they provide a softer surface to walk on compared to larger types of gravel.
It’s better not to use decomposed granite for creating pathways and walkways. This is because the rocks are relatively sharp with rough edges; as such, they might stick to your feet and end up hurting you.
If you ask me, pea gravel is the most popular material for walkways as it’s inexpensive and comes in a variety of colors and sizes. What’s more, the rounded pebbles are smooth with no rough and sharp edges, making it comfortable for both you and your pets to walk on.
While spreading gravel to create the perfect walkway or pathway, try and achieve a minimum thickness of 4 to 6 inches. You won’t be facing any problem if the depth of the layer is more provided that the gravel is compacted well.
The gravel should be raked up to your walkway and compacted down till flat. Once that’s done, wet the layer with a hose. This will allow the rocks to shift while the dirt accepts them again.
Ideally, gravel that is 1/4-inch in size helps in providing the most comfortable walking surface. So, it’s evident that you should always go for smaller pebbles and stones for creating walkways.
My Final Recommendation
That brings me to the end of this informative and review-based guide. But before signing off, I’d like to highlight my favorite picks.Â
The Skullis River Rocks & Pebbles stand out from the rest, especially because of their smooth and polished finish. On the other hand, the Midwest Hearth Natural Mixed Pebbles not only serve as the best gravel for pathways but also work well for small projects and water features.
That’s all from my end. However, you can always reach out to me and share your valuable insight on the topic. I’m also available to address any of your queries and concerns related to lawn care.
Till next time!