How to Set Driveway Brick

Set your home apart from the rest of your neighborhood with a beautiful brick driveway.

Gravel driveways require constant maintenance to eliminate weeds and grass and replace sunken or lost stones, while asphalt driveways sometimes lack personality and charm. A driveway made of brick has a rustic charm that complements a home and garage with any type of siding and enhances a front yard full of flowers and other landscaping. It is a relatively easy process to set driveway brick, although it may take a while to set the entire driveway, depending on the area that your driveway covers.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Wooden stakes
• Rubber mallet
• String or ribbon
• Spade or shovel
• Vegetation killer
• Masonry sand
• Brick pavers
• Broom

Instructions

1. Measure and stake off the width and length of the area you wish to place the driveway. Use the rubber mallet to place the wooden stakes in the ground at each corner of the driveway. Connect the stakes with a length of string or ribbon to completely outline the intended path of the driveway.

2. Shovel out the area, removing eight inches of topsoil from the entire area with either a spade or shovel. Spray vegetation killer to prevent weeds and grass from emerging through the cracks between the driveway bricks.

3. Fill the dug-out space with a five-inch layer of masonry sand. Smooth the sand down, and use water and a soil tamper to compact the sand and make a sturdy foundation for the brick driveway that resists sinking.

4. Begin placing the brick pavers into place in over the sand. Start in one corner of the sanded area and work outwards in all directions. Set the bricks a uniform distance apart, between ¼ and ½ inch, and in any pattern desired, such as a traditional staggered brick pattern or a zigzag pattern. Repeat until the entire sanded area has a brick covering.

5. Apply more masonry sand on top of the brick pavers. Sweep the sand across the entire driveway surface, filling the grooves between the bricks.

Tips & Warnings

• Instead of spraying vegetation killer, you may also line the dug-out space with plastic sheeting or weed deterring garden cloth liners.

• Replace sand on the driveway as necessary throughout the life of the driveway.

References

• The Natural Handyman: Seven Easy Steps to Installing Your Own Walkways, Driveway and Patio Without Mortar or Concrete!
• Gavin Historical Bricks: How to Install a Dry-Laid Brick/Cobblestone Driveway or Walkway

Resources

• Bob Vila: Distinctive Driveways