Problem: High traffic has worn a path in your yard.
Solution: You can add a paved walkway to your yard using brick pavers.
Equipment list: Measuring tape
Drill
Hand-held sledgehammer
String
Safety glasses
Wheelbarrow
Bricks
Gravel
Sand
Shovel
Rake
Tamp bar
Broom
Work gloves
Wet-cut saw (optional)
* Dry-fit bricks together to determine width; establish sub-base at same width to avoid need for cutting bricks.
- Dry-fit a row of bricks at the beginning of your walkway and measure the width of the row. Use that measurement to lay out an area for the walkway. Make the walkway as straight as possible so you won't have to cut any bricks.
- Dig an 8" sub-base in the general area of the walkway.
- Drive stakes at the corners of the walkway and stretch a string between them to mark the edges. Finish digging any areas that are still inside the string marker.
- Place guide boards along the string line and secure them with stakes.
- Pour a 4" layer of gravel to form the sub-base. Spread the gravel evenly with a rake and tamp it firmly.
* You may want to rent a power tamp if your walkway is very large.
* Purchase gravel and sand from a concrete supplier
- Cover the gravel with landscape fabric to prevent weeds from growing, and allow the fabric to extend past the gravel to ensure good coverage.
- Add sand to the area and smooth it with a rake. Use a 2"X4" board to make the sand as level as possible (a process known as screeding). Then tamp the sand until it is firm.
* Brick pavers come in a variety of colors, and you can lay them out in several patterns.
* If you have to cut any bricks, you'll probably want to use a wet-cut saw, which speeds up the cutting process.
- Lay the bricks in the sand bed using the edge board as a guide. As you add bricks, butt them tightly against one another and don't leave voids. Use a straight edge to be sure the surface is flush. If a brick appears to be too high, place the straight edge on top of it and tap it with a hand sledgehammer until it is flush with the other bricks.
- After all the bricks have been placed, use a broom to spread sand over the walkway. Work the sand into the cracks to help keep the bricks from shifting.
- Finally, remove the guide boards and back-fill the area with soil.
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