Things You'll Need
String
Stakes
Shovel
Heavy duty landscape fabric
Grave
Tamper
Sand
Bricks
Rubber mallet
Sweeping brush
Bricks are often used to make patios or paths, but if you are laying bricks on dirt you have to make sure that the ground under them is properly prepared. If you do not, then you may find that the path that could have lasted you decades actually becomes damaged after just a short while. A badly prepared base beneath the bricks means that they cannot move, which can be dangerous for anyone walking in them. Or, the bricks can rub against each other which can result in the bricks becoming damaged.
Step 1
Knock the stakes into the ground around the area that you want to lay the bricks on. Tie string between the stakes to mark out the area. Space the stakes about 3 feet apart.
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Step 2
Dig out the area that the bricks will be laid on to a depth of around 10 inches. The surface should be flat but needs to have a slight slope on it to allow for drainage. A gradient of 1 inch every 6 feet is recommended. Remove the sting and the stakes.
Step 3
Lay landscape fabric in the dug-out area allowing the fabric to completely cover it and to come up the sides too. Landscape fabric is designed as a weed suppressant and comes in several grades. For this job you should choose a heavy duty fabric.
Step 4
Pour a 6-inch layer of gravel into the hole and tamper it down until it is level. Lay an inch of sand on top of that and tamper that down too.
Step 5
Lay the bricks on the sand and gently tap with the rubber mallet to set them in place. Make sure that the layer of bricks is level.
Step 6
Spread sand on the bricks and brush across the top of them filling in the cracks as you do. Spread enough sand to make sure that all of the cracks are filled.
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