How to install a brick walkway? Step-by-step guide for homeowners

A brick walkway adds timeless charm, character, and functionality to any home's exterior. Whether leading to your front door, connecting garden spaces, or creating a cozy patio path, bricks offer a classic aesthetic and durable surface. While installing a brick walkway is a rewarding DIY project for many homeowners, it requires careful planning, proper technique, and attention to detail to ensure a beautiful and long-lasting result.

Why choose brick for your walkway

Bricks are a perennial favorite for walkways, and for good reason. They offer a unique blend of benefits that make them an excellent choice for your outdoor pathways.

• Timeless Aesthetic: Bricks possess a classic, warm, and inviting look that complements a wide range of architectural styles, from traditional and historic to contemporary. Their natural earth tones and textures create a charming pathway.

• Exceptional Durability: Made from fired clay, bricks are incredibly robust and can withstand heavy foot traffic, various weather conditions (including freeze-thaw cycles), and UV exposure without significant degradation.

• Longevity: When properly installed on a stable base, a brick walkway can last for decades, often outliving other paving materials.

• Easy Repair: If an individual brick cracks or becomes damaged, it can be removed and replaced without disturbing the entire walkway, making repairs straightforward and cost-effective.

• Versatile Design: Bricks can be laid in numerous patterns (herringbone, basket weave, running bond) to create unique visual interest and personalize your path.

• Low Maintenance: Once installed, brick walkways require minimal upkeep, primarily sweeping and occasional joint sand replenishment.

  
  

Tools and materials you’ll need

Before you begin, gather all the necessary tools and materials to ensure a smooth and efficient installation process.

Tools:

• Shovel: For excavation.

• Measuring Tape: For planning and layout.

• String Line and Stakes: For establishing straight lines and grades.

• Level (Long): Essential for ensuring a perfectly flat surface.

• Rubber Mallet: For tapping bricks into place.

• Plate Compactor: Crucial for compacting the sub-base and gravel layers (can often be rented).

• Wheelbarrow: For moving gravel, sand, and bricks.

• Screeding Boards (2x4s or metal rails): For leveling the sand bed.

• Garden Hose with Spray Nozzle: For compacting sand and activating polymeric sand.

• Utility Knife: For cutting landscape fabric.

• Trowel or Brick Hammer: For minor adjustments or cutting bricks (if needed).

• Hard-Bristle Broom: For sweeping in sand.

• Safety Glasses and Gloves: Always for protection.

  
  

Materials:

• Paving Bricks: Calculate the square footage of your walkway and add 5-10% for cuts and breakage. Ensure they are pavers (solid, not cored) designed for outdoor use.

• Landscape Fabric (Geotextile Fabric): To prevent weeds and separate base layers.

• Crushed Stone (Base Material): Typically 3/4-inch angular crushed stone for the primary base layer.

• Masonry Sand or Concrete Sand (Bedding Layer): Fine, sharp sand for the bedding layer under the bricks.

• Polymeric Sand: For filling the joints between bricks; hardens when wet, inhibiting weeds and insects.

• Edging Material (Optional but Recommended): Plastic, metal, or concrete edging to contain the bricks.

  
  

Step-by-step installation process

A successful brick walkway hinges on meticulous preparation and following each step carefully.

Planning and layout

1. Design Your Walkway: Determine the path's exact route, width, and any curves or turns. Sketch it out.

2. Mark the Area: Use stakes and string to clearly outline the pathway. Ensure the lines are straight (unless you desire a curve). Use spray paint to mark the ground.

3. Determine Grade and Drainage: Decide on the slope. Walkways should gently slope away from your house (at least 1/4 inch per linear foot) to ensure proper water runoff. Mark desired heights with stakes and string.

4. Calculate Materials: Measure the length and width to get the square footage.

   • Bricks: (Sq Ft x bricks per Sq Ft) + 5-10%.

   • Excavation Depth: (Brick height + 1 inch sand bed + 4-6 inches gravel base + 1 inch compacted sub-base).

   • Gravel: (Sq Ft x desired base depth in feet) ÷ 27 = cubic yards.

   • Sand: (Sq Ft x 0.083 feet (1 inch)) ÷ 27 = cubic yards.

     
     

Excavation and base preparation

1. Excavate the Trench: Dig out the marked area to the determined depth. Remove all soil, roots, and debris. Ensure the bottom of the trench follows your desired slope for drainage.

2. Compact the Sub-Base: Use a hand tamper or rented plate compactor to thoroughly compact the exposed soil at the bottom of the trench. This prevents future settling.

3. Lay Geotextile Fabric: Roll out the landscape fabric over the compacted soil, overlapping seams by at least 6-12 inches. Trim to fit the trench, leaving some excess up the sides for now.

4. Install Edging (If Using): Place your chosen edging material along the sides of the trench, securing it according to manufacturer instructions. This will hold your bricks in place.

5. Add and Compact Gravel Base: Spread your crushed stone evenly over the landscape fabric. Use your long level to check for consistent thickness and slope. Wet the gravel slightly and then use the plate compactor to compact it thoroughly. Aim for 4-6 inches of compacted base.

6. Add and Level Sand Bed: Spread a uniform 1-inch layer of masonry/concrete sand over the compacted gravel. Use two screeding boards (2x4s) as rails, set to the desired height, and a third board to "screed" or drag across the rails, creating a perfectly smooth and level sand bed. Remove the rails and fill in the voids. Avoid walking on the screeded sand bed.

   
   

Laying the bricks

1. Start Laying: Begin laying your bricks from one corner, typically against a house foundation or an installed edge restraint. Work your way outward.

2. Choose Your Pattern:

   • Running Bond: Simple and common, lays bricks in offset rows.

   • Herringbone: Very strong and popular for walkways, with bricks laid at 45-degree or 90-degree angles to each other.

   • Basket Weave: Creates a checkerboard effect.

3. Maintain Consistent Gaps: Place bricks snugly together, but leave a small gap (e.g., 1/8 inch) for the joint sand. Use spacers if necessary for perfect uniformity.

4. Tap into Place: Gently tap each brick with a rubber mallet to seat it firmly into the sand bed and ensure it's level with adjacent bricks.

5. Check Level Frequently: Use your long level often to check the overall flatness and slope of the walkway as you go.

6. Cut Bricks (If Needed): Use a brick hammer or wet saw to cut bricks for edges or curves.

   
   

Sanding and sealing

1. Sweep in Polymeric Sand: Once all bricks are laid, sweep polymeric sand generously over the entire surface, ensuring it fills all the joints. Use a stiff broom to work the sand deeply into the gaps.

2. Vibrate and Resweep: Use the plate compactor (with a protective mat) over the laid bricks. This vibrates the sand deeper into the joints. Sweep more polymeric sand into any joints that are no longer full. Repeat until joints are completely filled.

3. Activate Polymeric Sand: Carefully mist the entire surface with a fine spray of water from a garden hose. Do not blast it with water, as this will wash the sand out of the joints. The water activates the polymers, causing the sand to harden and lock the bricks in place. Follow manufacturer's instructions for drying time.

4. Optional Sealing: Once the polymeric sand has cured (usually 24-48 hours), you can apply a breathable paver sealer. This will enhance the brick's color, provide extra protection against stains, and further deter weed growth.

   
   

Common mistakes to avoid

Even experienced DIYers can make errors. Be aware of these common pitfalls to ensure your walkway lasts.

• Insufficient Base Preparation: This is the most critical mistake. Not compacting the sub-base and gravel layers enough will lead to settling, shifting, and uneven bricks over time.

• Improper Drainage: Failing to establish a slight slope away from structures will cause water to pool, potentially leading to erosion, ice hazards, and premature wear.

• Skipping Geotextile Fabric: Without the fabric, gravel can mix with soil, and weeds can easily grow through the joints.

• Using the Wrong Sand: Regular play sand or masonry mortar sand won't compact or interlock properly. You need coarse, sharp bedding sand and specifically polymeric sand for the joints.

• Laying Bricks Directly on Soil: This is a recipe for disaster, leading to immediate unevenness, sinking, and extensive weed growth.

• Uneven Sand Bed: If the bedding sand isn't perfectly screeded, your bricks will be uneven.

• Poor Compaction of Bricks: Not tapping bricks firmly into the sand bed or skipping the final compaction step can result in loose bricks.

• Washing Away Polymeric Sand: Using too much water or a strong spray during the activation step can flush the sand out of the joints, preventing proper hardening.

  
  

When to call a professional

While a DIY brick walkway is achievable for many, certain situations or project complexities warrant calling a professional masonry contractor.

• Large or Complex Projects: If your walkway is very long, wide, involves intricate curves, multiple levels, or connects to other existing masonry, the expertise of a professional is invaluable.

• Steep Grades or Significant Drainage Issues: Correctly managing water runoff on sloped terrain requires advanced planning and earthmoving skills.

• Heavy Traffic Areas: Driveway-adjacent walkways or paths that will see extremely heavy use benefit from a professional-grade base and installation to ensure maximum durability.

• Underlying Soil Problems: If your property has unstable soil conditions (e.g., highly expansive clay, very loose fill dirt), a professional can implement proper compaction techniques or soil stabilization methods.

• Desire for Intricate Designs: Achieving complex patterns, precise inlays, or custom cuts often requires specialized tools and the artistic eye of an experienced mason.

• Time Constraints: If you lack the time, physical strength, or patience for a multi-day, labor-intensive project.

• Guaranteed Results: Professionals offer warranties on their work, providing peace of mind that your investment is protected.

  
  

For homeowners who want the timeless beauty of a brick walkway without the DIY challenges, or for projects requiring expert precision and a lasting finish, Liberty Mason Work is ready to help. Our experienced masons ensure your brick walkway is installed correctly, beautifully, and built to stand the test of time.