Building a Brick Patio
Posted By Houston Decorator on January 10, 2011
When building a brick patio, plan on a weekend at least, maybe to include a Friday or a Monday to finish the project once you have started. Use a simple design, something easy.
Measure first-rectangular plans are easier than say a curved patio. Measure the two diagonals, make sure you have a good rectangle; the two sides should be equal. You will need a depth of 8″. Dig out any grass or dirt and then with a level check your depth. The slope of the patio should be away from the house so water will drain away from the patio and the house.
Check your brick pattern by laying out a test pattern. Make sure of all your measurements and assure that there is 2″ around the all the edges of the patio. The extra 2″ are for edging. If you framed your area with 2×4′s this will be easier. You should lay the brick on it’s end right next to each other and tap them in place with a rubber mallet. You will be using the rubber mallet on all the brick in your patio. This should give you the frame for your rectangular patio. Remove your test bricks, but leave in your frame bricks.
Pour in crushed limestone 4″ deep and tamp it down. Use some landscape fabric over the surface to keep out any grass and weeds from growing between your brick. Next add 2″ of sand, use a long 2×4 to smooth out the sand over the surface of the patio. This is called “screeding” the sand. You will want the sand to be level and 2″ below the top of the edging bricks. Use any extra sand that you removed by your “screeding” to level out low areas. Tamp down the sand making sure it is a level surface to begin laying on your brick.
Make sure you are using “paving brick” for your project. The 4×8 bricks are about 2′ thick. All these directions are based on using paving brick.
As far as the design for the patio is concerned, basket weave is the easiest to orchestrate. It is easy and elegant and no cutting of bricks is required and this will save you a lot of frustration not having to cut the brick.
Use a mason’s line to keep your rows even. It will serve as your guide. Go row by row using the guide.
After all the brick is laid, spread additional sand on top and use a broom to brush the sand into all the cracks around the brick, spray lightly with the water hose and if you see areas without sand, repeat spreading sand until all the cracks around the bricks are filled. Periodically you may need to spread some sand between the brick as the weather will cause it to erode away.
Just as a note, along the way of laying this patio, don’t step into the patio area, or kneel on the sand or bricks as you need level areas, use a sheet of plywood on top of the sand or bricks.
Enjoy your beautiful patio.
Lawrence Reaves writes for Empire Patio Covers, a leading provider of outdoor furniture covers and accessories such as outdoor chair covers and fire pit covers. Empire Patio Covers can be found online at: EmpirePatioCovers.com or at their blog http://EmpirePatioCovers-Blog.com.
Comments
Leave a Reply