How to Use Mortar Between Pavers
When using pavers over a preexisting concrete surface, you'll need to set the pavers in mortar. This keeps the pavers from slipping on the concrete. Setting paving bricks in mortar also helps control weed growth between the bricks. However, the mortar preparation and laying techniques you'll need are very different than those you would use to build a brick wall. With a little attention to detail, you can build a paved walk or driveway that will stay put for years to come. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 15 gallons dry sand
- 6.38 gallons Portland cement
- 1.12 gallons of hydrated lime
- Large tub or cement mixer
- Brick pavers
- Square-notched mason's trowel
- Waterproof insulating blankets
Instructions
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Make sure the concrete subsurface is clean; wet it down before applying the mortar.
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Combine the sand, cement and lime in a large tub or cement mixer and mix thoroughly.
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Add water slowly until the mortar mixture is soft and easy to work with but not too wet. To test, drag the corner of a trowel through the mix to make a 3-inch channel; if the sides sag, but only slightly, the consistency is right.
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Using the trowel, put down a layer of mortar on the concrete subsurface to a depth of about 1 to 1 1/4 inch.
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Lay the bricks into the underbed mortar, pressing just slightly to seat the bricks in the mortar.
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Remove any mortar from brick surfaces and surrounding surfaces before it sets.
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Cover the pavers with waterproof insulating blankets. Keep the area covered for at least 48 hours to allow the mortar to fully cure.
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Tips & Warnings
You can also apply a thin coat of mortar to the concrete surface and then grout the spaces between the pavers after the thin coat has set.
The addition of hydrated lime makes the mortar more waterproof, an important characteristic in a paved surface, which must withstand more moisture than masonry walls.
Do not mix more mortar than you can work in about two hours. Mortar that has begun to stiffen will not adhere properly to bricks and subsurface, and may cause the finished paving to break.
Do not lay pavers in mortar when temperatures are below 28 degrees F; this prevents proper curing of the mortar and will weaken the finished surface.
Mortar that is too wet will take much longer to cure and may result in a more fragile bond with the subsurface.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit red arrow image by astoria from Fotolia.com
