How to Use Bricks to Make a Slab

A slab can easily be created out of bricks.

Bricks are the foundation of many homes. There are various designs and sizes of bricks that can be used to build a slab. When you are building a brick slab, the most important thing to remember is to keep the area level to ensure the proper installation of the bricks.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• White spray paint
• Shovel
• Concrete
• Wheelbarrow
• Trowel
• Mortar

Instructions

1. Mark off the area where you will be installing the brick slab. Run a tape measure from one end to the other and paint the beginning and ending points of the area with white spray paint.

2. Dig up the area where you will be installing the brick with a shovel. Push the shovel into the ground and dig up the desired width in the ground and go 2 inches to 3 inches deep. Pour concrete into a wheelbarrow and add water. Mix the two together with a trowel until they achieve the consistency of peanut butter.

3. Pour the concrete mix into the holes you dug on the ground and run it to along the entire area until it is flush with the top of the hole. Wait two days for the concrete base to properly dry. Snap a chalk line from one end of the concrete footer to the other so the slab will remain level and even throughout.

4. Lay the first row of bricks down on the concrete and make a dry run. Leave a 1/2-inch gap between the pieces and mark the position of the bricks on the foundation with a piece of chalk. Remove the first row of bricks and mix up mortar into a wheelbarrow just like the concrete was mixed. Apply a 1-inch layer of mortar to the surface with a trowel. Spread it out evenly over the length and width of the first layer.

5. Set the first layer of bricks directly on top of the mortar. Press the bricks firmly into place. Apply a layer of mortar on top of the first row of bricks with a trowel. Spread out an even 1/8-inch thick layer from one end to the other and add a second row of bricks directly on top. Push the second row down firmly into place and repeat the process all the way to the top of your desired slab height.

6. Wipe off any excess mortar from the facing of the bricks with a trowel, if necessary. Inspect the bricks and verify they are all secure in place.

References

• Quikrete: Basic Brick Construction