Brick Accents 5 – Mortarless Brick Paving

Intro - Patio - Barbecue - Retaining Wall - Mortarless Paving - Screen - Sandbox - Lawn Edging and Stepping Stones - Planter - Pedestal - Steps

Brick walkways, driveways and steps have long been a feature of formal estates, and they can add the same touch of elegance to your home, thanks to easy-to-install mortarless brick paving. You can apply this type of brickwork to anything from a small mortarless brick patio to a driveway—the scope of the project is up to you.

Tools:

• Mason's String
• Hand Level
• 2' or 4' Hand Level
• Brick Chisel
• Wooden Tamper
• Wooden Screed Board
• Mason's Pointing Tool
• Trowel

 

Materials:

• Brick
• Sand
• Cement
• Gravel
• Mortar for Restraining Edges
• Roofing Felt to Fit Area

 

Have Handy:

• Shovel
• Wheelbarrow
• Garden Hose
• Garden Rake
• Broom
• Garden Hoe

A concrete foundation is best for mortarless brick installations; because no mortar is used, the base should be as level and stable as possible. Alternatively, a gravel base about 4 inches deep, under a 1 inch layer of stone screenings or graded pea gravel, may be used. A 1 inch to 2 inch sand cushion is an economical but less durable choice. If the installation is shaded and likely to be damp at times, it is a good idea to lay 15 pound roofing felt over the base before laying your brick; this will prevent the "greening" effect which occurs when algae grow. It also makes the bricklaying process easier on your knees.

Another drainage consideration is slope; make sure you have a slope of at least 1/4' per foot for good drainage.

Begin by installing a restraining edge of brick around the edges of the walkway, set in concrete or mortar. These bricks should be laid flat with the longest dimension horizontal and the face parallel to the edge. This restraining edge is necessary because mortarless bricks tend to shift at the edges. No restraining is necessary where paving can be abutted to existing curbs or structures. If moisture accumulation might be a problem, put "weep holes" of plastic tubing or nylon rope wick in the joints.


Lay out the brick according to your selected pattern. Sweep sand or a mixture of three parts sand to one part portland cement over the walkway surface when completed and wash down with the garden hose.

To create a walkway on sloping ground, use railroad ties treated with preservative. They may be laid directly on dirt. You may substitute well-staked 2x4 redwood planks for the restraining edges; it is advisable to slope the brick areas slightly to either side to allow for drainage.