Years ago I thought it would be a good idea to have a sidewalk from the house to the driveway near the garage, about 70 ft. Deciding it would be best to this only once, I dug down 14 inches, tamped it, put down crusher run gravel, tamp, pea gravel, tamp, then dust.
The soil is clay so water runs over it well, not really soaking in unless a lot of rain comes down. Over the years the center section of the walk has sunk down, the outside edges are slightly turned up higher as is the soil and grass next to each side of the sidewalk.
My son's outlaws are replacing the bricks around their pool and Ian offered to take them because the Dad was going to have to pay to have them thrown out. They're $4/brick new, CList them for $0.50 and you win!
Looking at 8 - 9 pallets of 280 bricks on each pallet of 6x4x2 grayish blocks. Due to his generous offer I am thinking about taking on this project.
Traveling to the airport three miles away every weekend, I see a house being remodeled; when they did the front sidewalk, a cement sidewalk was put down first, brick cemented? on top. Huh. Well that makes sense!
Any thoughts, suggestions or ideas are greatly appreciated. I swear this is the last time I'm doing this.
Dan
How old is your walk? I would just remove re level and reset. Good to go for another how ever long they were installed for. Maybe more as not the settling is done.
As for filling in the gaps between the bricks I would use a sand that's designed for this. It is a high quality sand mixed with a water activated cement. Just pour on top, sweep into the cracks, sweep off the excess, and them wet it down.
It sounds like you have a gravel walk now and are thinking about making it brick? Go for it, if you have the time and patience. Putting concrete down first is one way to do it but they sure didn't do that back in the day. A good stone bed followed by level sand and then the bricks and the polymeric sand and you're set. You could salvage your existing stone if you're really cheap and have tons of time available.
And please fill us in on the process for raising a brick walk, mine has sunk lower than Atlantis.
jimbbski said:
As for filling in the gaps between the bricks I would use a sand that's designed for this. It is a high quality sand mixed with a water activated cement. Just pour on top, sweep into the cracks, sweep off the excess, and them wet it down.
Polymeric sand. I have it in my front brick walk, it works pretty well. It firms up, holds the bricks in place, and helps prevent weeds. However it does eventually wear out and need replenishing every few year.
As for the original question - the basics are dig out your base, put in crushed stone and compact it, put in borders (they make them from metal and vinyl, pick your favorite), put a layer of sand on top of that, and lay the pavers in the sand and compact them. Then finally use the polymeric sand.
There are any number of instructions online, I know both the This Old House and Hometime TV shows have both done good videos on the topic.
SVreX
MegaDork
9/19/17 5:39 p.m.
Hang on...
Bricks don't cost $4/brick new. More like $.50 or less.
I see used brick often for more like $.10 ea
Fancy pavers? Maybe.
If you are looking to CL these and make money, it's unlikely it's gonna happen.
If you just like them and want to save a few bucks for your own projects, no problem.
