Laying a brick paving for patios, paths, driveways
Step 1 - Lay the foundation
Choose pavers suitable for your job:
- 50mm pavers should only be used for light traffic areas
- 100mm pavers should be used for heavy traffic areas such as driveways
Choose the paver pattern to be used:
- Herringbone - suitable for heavy traffic areas when pavers laid at 45° angles
- Stretcherbond - suitable for patios, courtyards or pathways
- Basketweave - for patios, courtyards or pathways
Mark the work area using string wrapped tightly around pegs or stakes. (The work area should be 150mm wider than the finished area to allow a clear space to work in.) Dig the foundation area, and compact using a plate compactor or rammer, to a depth that is between 80mm and 100mm deep. Also ensure there is a one-way slope of 30mm per metre for water runoff, this can be checked using a spirit level.
Step 2 - Prepare the base
The base course should be made up of granular material with hard durable particles such as small scoria. Evenly fill the foundation with the base course to compact uniformly so that the base course does not go beyond 100mm. If the texture of the finished base course enables bedding sand to drain through, seal the base course with a fine layer of shingle. Check the finished base with a spirit level again ensuring there is a one-way slope of 30mm per metre for water runoff.
Lay the edge restraints to stop the pavers from moving. The pavers at the edge of the marked area should be angled at 45° and able to be flushed flat once the rest of the pavers are in place - this means that the majority of the side pavers will be below the ground. These 45° pavers are held by concrete.
Lay and compact a 30mm bed of damp, well-graded sand within the edge restraints.
Step 3 - Lay the pavers
Start on a high straight edge and lay the pavers in accordance with the pattern chosen. Leave a 3mm gap between each paver. If the chosen pattern requires pavers to be cut, hire a concrete saw or paving splitter, or for small jobs use a bolster chisel. Once one metre of pavers has been laid, place a large thin board over the pavers and tap the board firmly with a rubber mallet to secure the pavers. Please note that some pavers can be fragile and it may be best to lay an old piece of carpet between the pavers and the board. If you are paving a large area you may want to hire a plate compactor.
Continue laying the next metre of pavers and repeat the process until the area is completed.
Step 4 - Finish the pavers
Pour Cemix Drimix Pavetight Sand into the gaps and then sweep over the pavers so that the sand settles between the joints. Vibrate or tap the area again so that the sand settles.
Brush the pavers clean and then hose the path down lightly so that the sand consolidates in the joints.