How to Add Bricks to a Driveway

Edging adds contrast and structure to a driveway.

One way to change the look of an existing driveway is to add a border of bricks. Bricks bring earthy color and texture to pavement and can unify a driveway with other features in the yard. Installing brick edging is a straightforward do-it-yourself project that takes basic tools and a few days to finish if the driveway is long.

Things You'll Need

• Rope
• Measuring tape
• Shovel
• Tarp
• Wheelbarrow
• Tamper or 4-by-4-inch board
• Gravel
• Sand
• Board
• Bricks
• Mallet
• Polymeric sand
• Stiff hand brush
• Garden hose

Instructions

1. Line both sides of the driveway with rope, spaced far enough from the edge to lay the bricks parallel or perpendicular to the driveway. Measure this distance with a measuring tape so it’s consistent on both sides.

2. Unearth grass and 6 inches of topsoil from the outlined areas, using the shovel. Dump the soil on a tarp or in a wheelbarrow and use it to build up low-lying areas.

3. Tamp down the remaining soil with a hand tamper or the end of a 4-by-4.

4. Spread gravel over the dirt and tamp it down until the remaining expanse is about 3 inches deep. The gravel helps prevent weeds from spreading beneath the driveway and improves drainage around the sides.

5. Pour 1 inch of bedding sand over the rocks and level it out with a flat board.

6. Start at the side of the driveway near the street and place the first brick flush against the edge of the driveway. Butt the next brick against the exposed side of the first brick and the driveway. Tap the bricks with a mallet until they are even. Continue setting the bricks until both sides are complete.

7. Fill the space between the ends of the bricks and the lawn with gravel. Tamp down the gravel.

8. Brush polymeric paving sand in the joints between each brick and the driveway, using a stiff hand brush. Sprinkle the edging with a garden hose to moisten the sand so it hardens into place.

References

• Landscape Design Advice: Driveway Edging in the Design

Resources

• Home Depot: Edging