Pine Hall Brick - Do It Yourself

Enhance Outdoor Living Areas, Walkways, and Driveways
Paving Brick
Preparing a Location
Edging and Screening
Laying the Brick
Cutting Brick
Sweeping Sand
A Small Investment For Years of Outdoor Enjoyment

Click Here for Drawing - Pavers over Existing Concrete

Enhance Outdoor Living Areas, Walkways, and Driveways
Paving brick is an easy and affordable way to add a practical touch of elegance to any outdoor living area. It's so affordable that most do-it-yourselfers will find that a brick patio is less expensive than a wooden deck.

With Pine Hall Paving Brick and your imagination, you can enhance the beauty and value of any home. It's uses are practically endless. Patios, terraces, walkways, driveways, garden borders, and stepping stones can be beautifully created out of paving brick. And brick's non-skid surface makes it the perfect product for use around pools and other wet areas. In fact, Pine Hall paving brick can provide the crowning touch to any outdoor landscape.
- Back to top -
Paving Brick
Paving brick differs from the brick used on house walls in that they are solid, without holes. They come in two basic types: 4" x 8" pavers for sand based applications and modular pavers (3 5/8" x 7 5/8") for mortared applications. Due to lower costs, sand based installations are more popular. However, mortared installations provide a special look all their own. Both types of installations are extremely durable and will last for decades. Pavers come in two thicknesses: 2 1/4" & 1 3/8 ". Thickness required depends on height limitations (if any) and traffic/load flow.

Advances in clay brick technology have produced new pavers, specifically designed for sand installations, that are as elegant as mortared pavers. Beveled edge or relieved edge pavers highlight the pattern while eliminating edge chippage. Pine Hall makes three series of pavers called English Edge® , Rumbled® and Old Series .
- Back to top -

Preparing a Location
To prepare a new site, it's best to remove enough soil to allow for 3 to 4 inches of packed crusher-run gravel(8" for a driveway) plus 1/2" to 1" of concrete sand (not masonry sand) and the thickness of the paver.(Gravel may not be required for small or low traffic areas but it helps to keep your paved area level for years. When in doubt, consult a landscape professional.) Figure on sloping the finished surface about 1/4" per foot for proper drainage. This is accomplished by sloping the sub soil. Allow the excavated area to stand through several rains to compact the soil or compact it with a vibrating plate compactor (available through equipment rental shops). Add the gravel next and compact it in the same manner as the sub soil. Note: the gravel should extend 6" beyond the area to be paved.

Preparing a Location

- Back to top -

Edging and Screening
Edging is necessary to hold mortarless brick in place. The edging can be a brick stood on edge, a pre-made plastic or metal edging, or troweled concrete with backfill. It can be added before or after laying the bricks. It may be easier to do it after laying the bricks if you have chosen a pattern or area shape that requires a lot of cutting. The bedding sand or screenings should be screeded level to a uniform height of approx. 1" using a board and several long pipes. Pipes are placed on the ground at intervals smaller than the board length and then, the sand is placed all around. The board, resting on the pipes, is dragged across the surface to provide a uniform thickness. The pipes are removed and the voids are filled with sand.

Edging and Screening

- Back to top -
Laying the Brick
After choosing the pattern, start laying the brick from any convenient corner. If your paved area is adjacent to a solid structure or house, start from the structure. Use perpendicular string lines to keep the pattern on line. Just snugly butt the brick to each other leaving a small gap between the pavers of 1/16" to 1/8".
- Back to top -

Cutting Brick
It's best to choose a pattern and dimensions where cutting can be avoided as much as possible. Brick can be rough cut using a broad blade chisel and a hammer. For finer cuts, a brick splitter or a power saw with a masonry blade can be rented from a local equipment rental store.

Cutting Brick

- Back to top -
Sweeping Sand
Scatter dry concrete sand over the entire area and sweep it into the small cracks between the bricks. The sand holds the bricks tightly into place creating "interlock." This may take several applications and a good bit of sweeping since the sand will slowly settle into the joints, but your project is ready to use after the first thorough sweeping. With relieved edge pavers, a vibrating plate can be used to speed up the process and get a tighter fit.
- Back to top -
A Small Investment For Years of Outdoor Enjoyment
Installing a brick patio or walkway takes only a small amount of time and a small investment in materials. Yet the value added to your home, plus the enjoyment you derive from your new outdoor living area will be with you for many years. Re-discover your outdoors. Stop by soon to see the complete line of Pine Hall Pavers.
- Back to top -