Brick paving is a millennium-old concept that is widely used to the present date. When it comes to paving a patio, brick pavers are one of the most popular choices as they are a great option to enhance the aesthetics and monetary value of your home. Paired with lush-green gardens and vibrant colours of flowers and fruit, you can spice up your outdoor setting with an attractive brick design that is sure to catch the eyes of your guests.

This article has everything you need to know about how to lay brick pavers, from what are the required tools and materials, what designs you can choose when paving, to what makes brick pavers one of the excellent choices the market has to offer. 

Why Use Brick Pavers 

Bricks and blocks are components of durable masonry construction, in which uniformly shaped individual units are laid in courses with mortar as the bed and binding material. They usually consist of high-mass materials with good compressive strength, formed into units that can be lifted and handled by a single worker. Materials used in masonry construction include brick, concrete and stone, or newer materials such as manufactured stone, timber crate and glass. [1]

Brick pavers are a choice of many homeowners for their rugged beauty and resilience. Not only are they easy to install, but they also serve a great value considering their inexpensive costs and life-long service. They offer a non-slip surface and an eco-friendly alternative, one that you will not regret investing in!

Tools and Materials

Before we get into the process of how to lay brick pavers, let’s first talk about the tools and materials required to carry out the task efficiently. It is important to pay attention to the quality of both of these essentials as they play an essential role in determining the durability and longevity of your finished patio design. The better you invest in them, the better value of the end product you get. 

Give below is a checklist of necessities for a paving job:

How Do You Lay Down Brick Pavers 

The next most important question is: how to lay brick pavers? Laying down pavers is neither complicated nor time-consuming, and with the right procedure you can end up having an attractive outdoor living space in no time. We have provided a step-by-step guide that you can follow to lay out the pavers for your outdoor settings.

Preparing to Lay Patio Pavers

The preparatory phase is the most critical part of every hard-landscape job. The location you choose for your brick paver patio is important. The first thing that you need to do is mark the layout. You can use furring strips, landscape flags, or a measuring tape for this. The latter will help determine the number of pavers you will eventually need for your patio.

Once your basic layout is ready, you need to dig out that particular area. How deep you dip depends on the paver height as well as the base. The trick here is to dig 6 inches beyond the actual height of the paver. This extra space will prove to come in handy later on, as it provides room for paver edging and holding down the pavers in place.

Make sure you have a rubble-free sub-base of sand. Also, if you plan to add lighting to your patio, this is the time to dig down the cables. Once the cables are dug and the area is roughly levelled, all you need to do next is dampen it and tamp down firmly using a hand tamper.

Installing the Patio Foundation

After the patio area is prepped, the next step is to install the foundation. This phase determines the quality of the patio and only a strong foundation will help you create the one-of-a-kind outdoor setting.

What your patio needs is the support of a gravel base. You need to set out 2-3 inch gravel, dampen it slightly and run a tamper over it to make the surface uniform. Continue till you have a base of 6-inches. The next thing you need to do is place two lengths of PVC pipes, which will help you correct the depth of the levelling sand. These pipes will be removed later on before you lay down the pavers.

Spread the paver sand and screed or level the sand to produce a flat surface. Once you have worked in this area, remove the pipes and fill the gaps with more sand to create a flatbed of sand all across the patio set.

Laying Patio Pavers

Start by laying out pavers along the edge of the layout. Continue setting the pavers and gradually move your way towards the middle, leaving a small gap of ¼ inches between the pavers. We recommend you level the pavers simultaneously using a rubber mallet to make sure that the tops are even. Also, make sure that the blocks are straight and that you maintain the correct slope.

Next, you need to install paver edging or restraints along the entire perimeter. This is also when you will have to cut the pavers if they don’t fit perfectly. This is done using a speed square and circular saw. Speed square helps you mark the angled cuts and once the blocks are clamped to a stable surface, cut them each with a circular saw.

Adding Polymeric Sand

Polymeric or jointing sand helps keep the pavers in place and prevent the weeds from growing between the pavers. Make sure the pavers are completely dry before you proceed with adding the sand in between the gaps. Sweep the sand into the joints and use a hand tamper to settle it in.

Then remove the excess sand thoroughly. Make sure no polymeric sand or dust from the sand is left behind as later on, it might form a permanent white haze on the surface after it comes in contact with moisture. Once you are done, allow the sand to cure for the next 24 hours.

Finishing up

Once your pavers are set, the sand is cured and the patio is ready; all that’s left to be done is to add the finishing touches. Create the perfect living and dining spaces with the right outdoor furniture and grill. Add garden beds, colourful plant pots, outdoor lighting, and garden decors such as bird feeders, wind chimes and fountains.

Patterns of Layering Brick Pavers

The versatility of bricks knows no bounds. Now that you know how to lay brick pavers, let’s talk about what different patterns you can utilise that will enhance the sophistication of your outdoor setting.

• Straight brick pattern: This design is not only an elegant choice but is also easy to install. It consists of horizontally placed bricks stacked side by side in a grid. This minimalistic motif works best on a small patio.
• Running bond pattern: This versatile and visually varied design is a classic! In this pattern, bricks are arranged end-to-end in a diagonal pattern. Full bricks are replaced with partial ones in the areas where they don’t fit.
• Herringbone pattern: This is an ancient design in which blocks are arranged in an L-shaped pattern such that the vertical end of one brick meets the horizontal end of the other. This interlocking arrangement makes it one of the strongest and most impact-resistant designs of all.
• Pinwheel pattern: This is one of the most contemporary brick designs. It is another interlocking arrangement that creates a spinning pinwheel motif. Each unit consists of four bricks that are positioned horizontally or vertically, meeting the adjacent one halfway, paired with squares that fill up the spaces left in between.
• Whorled pattern: This is a circular pattern consisting of concentric rings of vertically or horizontally arranged blocks, in an end-to-end fashion. The centre of the circle can be used as a focal point to draw attention by placing a dining table, fountain or fire pit in the middle
• Colour-coordinating pattern: This design serves as a highly attractive one, be it monochromatic or multi-coloured. When picking a colour, you can coordinate with the shades of the exteriors of your home. You can play around with complementary tones of light and dark neutrals, which will enhance the appeal of your patio.

Conclusion 

We hope this article helped you figure out how to lay brick pavers and what makes them such a great option for your patio setting. If you want your pavers to be installed by a paving specialist and looking for professional patio paving services in the UK, contact us now and get a free quote.

References 

Brickwork and blockwork https://www.yourhome.gov.au/materials/brickwork-and-blockwork