Everyone loves to have a beautiful home. We spend a lot of time and money giving the interiors of our homes a welcoming appeal, but sometimes tend to ignore the role that our outdoors play in setting the overall effect for the house that people are about to enter. After all, the outdoor is the first impression that anyone has of the house, and as the old adage goes, first impressions do tend to be the last impressions. If you're wondering about how you can give your front or backyard a face lift without spending a huge fortune, decomposed granite is the answer to your query. This article on Buzzle will tell you what exactly it is, and also give you instructions on how to install it. What is Decomposed Granite Decomposed granite, is not actually granite that has decomposed. In fact, it is a result of the mere breaking of a granite stone. When the granite breaks down, it forms a lot of tiny pieces. These tiny pieces develop a reddish tinge and have a very gravel like appearance. Right from the look to even the feel and texture. So, we can say that decomposed granite is nothing but reddish gravel. If you're lucky, you'll get decomposed granite which has tiny spots that gleam in the sunlight, and make your pathway look like it is studded with little diamonds. Decomposed granite has two main uses. It can be used as a covering material (which we'll be explaining to you in the section below), and can also be used as mulch for plants. Because of the high content of minerals in the gravel, plants tend to absorb them and flourish when mulched with decomposed granite. How to Install Decomposed Granite Step # 1: First, measure the length and breadth of your walkway. Once you have your measurements, the next step is to step out and purchase the decomposed granite. Any leading home improvement store should supply it. You can give the measurements of your walkway to the sales person, and he'll give you an idea of how much gravel you'll need. *Tip: It's a good idea to buy some extra gravel and keep with you, for future use. Step # 2: Once you have enough decomposed granite, it's time to get down to business. Get your gardening gloves out and make sure you pull out all the plants, grass and weeds that have encroached upon your intended walkway. You'll need to use a spade to pull out the stubborn ones, but make sure you do this. If they're not plucked out from their roots, there are chances that they'll regrow and mess up the place. Step # 3: After you've picked out all the vegetation, lay a cover that is made of weed blocking fabric over the area. This cover should consist of at least 3 to 4 layers. The more the better actually. Once you've laid them down, you need to drill them into the ground using spikes and a hammer. Step # 4: After you've laid down the fabric, your walkway is ready for the decomposed granite. Open the packs and simply spread the gravel out onto the fabric until you cannot see any empty spots. Make sure the entire area is covered, because decomposed granite has a tendency to spread a lot. Step # 5: After you have spread the granite out, you'll want to form a barrier of sorts to keep the decomposed granite from washing away in the rain or getting blown away by the wind. So, you can simply place larger rocks along the borders of the walkway to prevent the gravel from escaping. You can also have bricks lined up to form a border. Step # 6: You can lightly drizzle some water on the granite to help it set better. After that, just leave it be and let nature do the rest. It will set on its own and give you a brilliant walkway, ready to be used in a couple of hours! You can make use of decomposed granite in a lot of simple landscaping ideas to enhance the exterior of your home. If you feel that the effect is reducing, remember those extra bags of granite that you bought? Just sprinkle some of it on the already existing path, and it's as good as new!