How to Lay Brick

Laying brick is a time consuming process, but one that most homeowners can manage themselves. Create a level surface of sand to work on, and then lay the brick in your chosen design. Fill the gaps with sand and compact the bricks to finish the job.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Sand
• Wooden forms
• Bricks
• Circular saw
• Level
• Broom
• Compactor
• Safety goggles

Instructions

1. Start laying brick on a level surface of sand. Dig down to a depth that allows you to level the dirt and add at least 2 inches of sand as a base for the bricks to rest on.

2. Set each brick into place beginning in a corner and working outward. Check each brick to ensure it is level before moving on. Use more or less sand to achieve that result.

3. Continue laying brick until all the bricks are in place and level. Cut bricks to fit in smaller places using a circular saw.

4. Sweep sand across the bricks, making sure to sweep it in every direction. Fill in all the areas in between the bricks.

5. Compress the sand using a compacter. Add more sand to the bricks and sweep again to fill new gaps revealed by the compacting process. Repeat the compacting and sweeping until the bricks are all firmly in place.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're laying brick in a large area, you may need to build forms to support the bricks from shifting out of position.