How to Lay a Brick Driveway
A brick driveway is sturdy and attractive and doing it yourself can be both enjoyable and a great way to save money. Before you consider laying your own brick driveway, however, you should also know that it's a lot of work. Though the brick is only a few inches deep, putting it in place isn't the hard part. You will need a deep, strong foundation for your driveway to be sturdy enough to withstand years of cars driving on top of it. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Shovel and pickax
- Gravel mixture
- Plate compactor
- Sand
- Paver bricks
- Edging or concrete
- Pikes
- String
- Metal spikes
Instructions
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1
Dig out the soil about 10 inches deep, creating a level space in the area where you want to put your driveway. Make sure to dig the driveway with a slight slant away from your home so water will drain properly and will not damage the foundation of the house.
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2
Put in a 6-inch-deep layer of a gravel mixture meant for packing, which should have small stones and fine stone dust. To ensure it is all packed, lay the gravel in two parts, wetting each layer with a garden house and packing it down with a plate compactor (which you can rent). Add 1 inch of sand and smooth it out by running a board over the top. Wet and pack with the plate compactor.
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3
Mark of the edges of the driveway by tying a string between pikes or laying down boards. Start laying down paver bricks from one corner and work outward. Set bricks flush and drop them straight down rather than dragging them across the sand layer to set them in place. You might want to use a cutting tool, such as a brick splitter or masonry saw, to shape bricks on the edges of the driveway.
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4
Secure the edge of the driveway by placing plastic edging material, designed for this use, along the border and fixing it in place with metal spikes or by setting the edge of bricks in concrete.
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5
Pour sand on top of the driveway. Use the plate compactor and a broom to work the sand into any cracks and sweep off the excess.
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