Build a brick path

Why use bricks on your path?

A brick path is ideal if you're looking to create a meandering path through your garden or to create a welcoming path leading to your front door. An advantage to using bricks as opposed to other materials is their durablilty.

What to do

Time needed

1 day

You will need

• shovel
• spade
• wheelbarrow
• wooden stakes
• spirit level
• lump hammer
• gloves
• goggles
• string line
• rubber mallet
• large cement trowel
• small cement trowel
• cement mixer
• whacker plate
• watering can or bucket
• soft brush
• you can hire equipment such as the cement mixer and plate compactor
• hardcore - Grade 1 MOT Stone
• building sand
• cement
• edging stone - 110mmx110mm Tegula block
• clay cobble sets (Ashbourne Red Multi)
• silver sand

Step by step

• Start by digging out to a depth of 15-20cm for this path. This is to allow space for a layer of hardcore and brick edging.
• Knock in the stakes around the circumference. The top of the stakes will be the height of the top of the path. It is crucial to get these levels correct, so always check with a spirit level.
• Add a layer of hardcore to a depth of between 5-7.5cm and compact using a plate compactor.
• Next start to mix the cement and remember to wear your goggles and gloves. Start by adding water, followed by one part cement to four parts sand. Add water until required smooth texture.
• Lay the inner edging on roughly 5cm of cement and tap down to the top of the pegs.
• To ensure the perimeter is correct each time, take a line out from the centre of the circle and mark the inner edge with tape. Use this to check the distance is correct each time.
• Check the level regularly with a spirit level.
• Haunch (haunching is when you apply the cement on the side of the bricks) the edging in with cement and allow to set dry. Allow a minimum of 24 hours for it to set properly.
• Infill with fine building sand and compact firmly with your feet and screen off the excess sand.
• Start to place the brick setts into the sand and butt them up next to each other. Using a length of straight wood tap down until level with the outer bricks. You can also lay the bricks in a straight line but this path was set randomly as a style choice.
• To finish off the brick sett path, pour generous heaps of the dried sand along the length of the path.
• Using the soft brush, start working the sand into the open joints between the setts, brushing in different directions across the path until the sand level reaches the same level as the setts.
• The sand tends to disappear and you will need to keep adding until all the joints are filled and stable.