Installing a Brick or Paver Walkway

The use of Bricks or Pavers to create a walkway orat most home improvement stores. The strips should
patio complements a home in a way that isbe anchored down with 12" galvinized nails. You should
unmatched. It adds a level of quality and elegance to asink these nails into the ground and through the strips
home entrance that can not be achieved with eitherevery foot.
concrete or asphalt. Brick and Pavers also come inOnce this is done, you can then begin to lay the bricks
many different colors and shapes allowing for uniquepavers. There are many patterns you can lay. I
color schemes and patterns to be achieved. In addition,particularly like the Herring Bone pattern. The key to
installing a Brick or Paver walkway does notlaying the bricks/pavers is to ensure that they interlock
necessarily require a pro. With some basic knowledgewith each other. Always stagger adjacent rows of
and a relatively simple walkway plan, a homeowner isbricks by 1/2 of a brick to interlock them. This will again
capable of undertaking such a project.help maintain the integrity of the walkway.
The key to installing a Brick or Paver Walkway is toInevitably bricks/pavers will need to be cut or split
first properly prepare the area where the brickswhen building the walkway. Unless you want to buy or
pavers are to be installed. The area should be dug outrent an expensive wetsaw, I would suggest purchasing
at least a foot down, removing all topsoil and clay soil.a simple brick/paver splitter. It is basically a chisel with a
In addition, string lines should be strung on each side ofwide end that is the width of the bricks/pavers. To
the walkway. The string lines indicate the finishedactually cut/split the brick/paver, lay it in a bed of sand
height of the walkway.and place the chisel at a 75 degree angle over the
Once the area has been dug down, 3/4" gravel stonespot where you want to break the brick. Then using a
should be laid in and tamped down tightly. Then 2" ofhammer strike the butt end of the chisel firmly. You
sand, or stone dust should be spread over the gravel.may need to do this a couple of times. You may also
Again the sand/stone dust should be tamped down.want to flip the brick/paver over and strike the other
Stone dust is preferred. The height between theside of the brick using the hammer and chisle. Within
tamped down sand and the stringline should equal theone or two strikes the brick/paver should break
thickness of the brick or paver.cleanly. If your walkway has curves you will need to
Now that you have a stable base, place a 1" pipe orbuy/rent a wetsaw.
ledger board the length of the walkway on either sideAfter installing the bricks, build up the outside edges
of the walkway. Then using a flatedge, e.g. a 2"x4"with additional sand, and then shovel in the topsoil and
board, slide it over the two lengths of the pipe/ledgerpack down firmly.
board. In doing this you will create a level surface areaFinally, spread stone dust over the new walkway and
to lay the bricks/pavers.sweep into the cracks. Repeat this process a couple
Now place on the level sand/stone dust strips ofof times to ensure the cracks are fully filled. This will
plastic brick borders. Install a run on both sides of thecomplete the interlocking of the bricks and help to
prepared area. These strips will act as your walkwayeliminate any weed growth. Just add grass seed to
border and help to maintain the integrity and shape ofthe outside edges and you should have a beautiful
the walkway. You can get these plastic strip bordersentrance to your home within a couple of weeks.