Brick Driveway – Pros & Cons

Brick driveway pros and cons

Thanks to the variety of brick paving offerings, the most difficult task will be to choose the texture, model, size and color that best suits your driveway and sidewalk, emphasizing the architecture of your home. Remember that brickwork for the driveway is different from bricks, which are used in the construction of a brick house and paving tiles are laid according to a different scheme.

The main advantages of bricks for the driveway are:

• durability and strength;
• very low water absorption;
• high frost resistance;
• absolute environmental friendliness, as in the manufacture of bricks do not use dyes.

Advantages of brick for driveway:

• Safety. The roughness of the brick texture allows them to resist slipping better than other materials.
• Immediate use. After the installation of bricks, flooring, access roads and sidewalks can be used without delay.
• Quick and easy installation.
• The strength that is maintained over time.
• Wide range of shapes and designs.
• Simple repair. Brick easily removed and replaced.
• Easy maintenance.
• Flexibility. A brick is less susceptible to cracks and tears, unlike concrete, which is characteristic of soil movement and weather conditions.
  Preservation of color over time. A brick does not fade over time.

Paving the driveway made of bricks

If you are only planning a construction of driveway, and are currently exploring options, you should know what you can do with a brick. The question of a scheme for laying clinker. Bricks of the same size may look different, depending on the model and thickness of the brick. The color and size of the brick also matter. You will need to consider combining each of these aspects to create a nice pattern that will emphasize the appearance of your home and yard. Remember that the brick and concrete paving stone will not fade over time, so choose the color you want. It will not change with the age of the brick.

Correctly prepared base of the driveway is a prerequisite for the quality and durability of the coating. A driveway requires the most serious preparation. The depth of its base is about 1,64 ft. First, a layer of sand-gravel mixture (up to 0,98 ft), sometimes additionally reinforced with 8% cement, then goes about 1 ft of smoothing layer, on top of it – reinforced concrete. This is followed by a 0,164 ft layer of sand and gravel mixture, on which the tiles are laid.

When performing construction work should adhere to the exact technology of their implementation. The power of sites for various purposes is carried out simultaneously with the paving of paths and using a similar material or harmonious with it.

Stages of building a brick driveway

Using improvised means, you can lay out the track yourself with minimal expense. All works are performed according to instructions in several stages:

• First, you need to plan the size of the track, its design, color scheme and layout. If there is no heavy traffic on it, you can make the width of the roadbed no more than 3 ft. The distance from the garden trees should be more than 2 ft. Otherwise, the growing roots of plants can destroy the path. It is better to think over the routes in advance, before the delivery of fertile soil to the cottage plot. This may reduce the amount of work.
• Mark out the contours of the trail with special stakes, on which the cord is stretched. It is recommended to observe the accuracy of the markings.
• Remove the soil layer with a shovel in the area between the contours. The thickness of the depression depends on the method of laying the building material and the height of the layer of sand and gravel substrate.
• In the created ditch is poured gravel for drainage. It is leveled and rammed. The top is covered with driveway fabric, through which moisture can easily seep down, and weeds will not be able to penetrate outside.
• Edge installation. Blocks are set up to fix small stones, so that they do not spill over to the sides of the mechanical impact and the influence of precipitation. The kerb slab is made of ordinary concrete, stone, brick, and temporary wooden bars.
• On geotextile poured cement-sand mixture or pure sand. Rule level the surface of the layer and simultaneously rammed.
• Place a finishing coat.

What do I need for laying brick paving?

In terms of what you’ll need, there are two main things to think about – tools and materials.

Tools Needed:

• Flat Shovel.
• Wheelbarrow.
• String Line.
• Wooden Stakes.
• Spray Paint.
• Garden Hose with Fine Spray Nozzle.
• Push Broom.
• Plate Compactor or Base Tamper.
• Base Rake (or Hard Garden Rake).
• Masonry Saw.
• Level at least 4 feet long.
• Wood screed strip a 2″ x 4″ at least 4 feet long.
• Trowel.
• 2 Lengths of 1″ Conduit Tubing.

Materials Needed:

• Brick Pavers.
• Polymeric Sand.
• Driveway Fabric.
• Concrete (or other edge restraint).