A sidewalk is a path on the outside of a building, usually stepping down to the road level. You can make a good looking and affordable one with bricks. You will need to take into account how much space you want, what height you need and what type of bricks you want and budget for.
Building a sidewalk with bricks can be a great way to add curb appeal to your home and increase its value. There are several ways you can do this, but before you start on building anything, check with your local planning department to ensure that the area you want to pave is allowed in your community and meets all relevant regulations.
Building a sidewalk with bricks is a job that only an experienced mason can do properly. If you are planning on building one, it’s best to hire someone who has experience building these structures. This will ensure that the structure is built soundly and lasts as long as possible.
Sidewalks guide people from point A to point B and keep them off your lawn. They’re generally a good thing to have, especially if you get parcels delivered or live in a neighborhood with lots of foot traffic.
If you don’t like the look of concrete sidewalks, consider building your own with bricks instead. It’ll take some planning and elbow grease, but building a brick sidewalk can be done in one weekend by most DIYers.
We’ll show you how to plan the layout of your sidewalk, then how to build it using standard clay bricks and mortar.
Clear the area of dirt and grass.
- Use a shovel to remove grass and dirt.
- Use a rake to remove grass and dirt.
- Use a leaf blower to remove grass and dirt.
- Use a weed whacker to remove grass and dirt.
- Cut cardboard with scissors if you want it to look nice and neat (and if you have any at hand). Don’t worry too much about making exact squares; it doesn’t matter how precise your measurements are as long as they’re in the same relative place each time, so feel free to eyeball things! If you do have something more accurate than scissors on hand—like an X-Acto knife or box cutter—you can use that instead of regular scissors (but be careful!). Or, if all else fails there’s always duct tape…
Use bricks with a chamfer or unfinished edge.
When it comes to laying bricks, a chamfered edge is the way to go. This type of brick is easier to walk on and maintain than other types of bricks. It also has a finished edge so there’s no chance you will accidentally get cut while working with your footings or foundation. These features make it more cost effective than other types, but they do come at an additional cost that may not be worth the investment if you aren’t planning on spending much time in your sidewalk area.
Use pieces of cardboard to create a uniform look.
Next, use pieces of cardboard to create a uniform look.
To do this, first cut out the template and lay it on the bricks. Make sure that you are level and straight as you go through this process to ensure that each section is exactly the same width. Then, draw where you want each brick to go with pencil marks so that you know where they will be placed when they are laid down in layers. After all of your layers are made up and laid out properly in their correct positions, use a mallet (or hammer) to tap each brick gently into place if they aren’t fitting correctly
Start laying the path from one end or the other.
Before you begin, make sure that you have your materials together and are prepared to place the bricks in order. If you’re using a tape measure, it should be laid out on the ground so that it is easy to read and use as you lay down each brick. You’ll want to make sure that everything is level and straight before making any marks on the sidewalk with chalk or paint.
Once all of this has been done, start laying the path from one end or the other by taping off an area where the path will go with masking tape stretched tightly across from one side of your pathway to another at its widest point (this will help protect against accidents when installing).
Break up longer sections with curves.
- Break up longer sections with curves.
- Use a level to make sure your bricks are straight. If a section has a curve, you’ll need to cut the bricks at an angle so they will fit into place properly. To do this, lay down a straight line of bricks and use the brick chisel to cut off pieces of brick at an appropriate angle for that section of sidewalk. You can also use the manual grinder to grind off pieces if needed (since it’s much faster than using the chisel). The angled cuts are very visible from afar so you want them to be even and smooth looking.
- Tap in each piece carefully using either a rubber mallet or regular hammer depending on how big/fragile it is (a rubber mallet is good for delicate work).
Lay each brick at a slight angle for stability.
The bricklayer will carefully lay each brick at a slight angle for stability. Each brick should be laid on its side, with the narrow edge of the brick facing up and the wider edge of the brick facing down. This will cause each row of bricks to form a diagonal pattern, and as you proceed from one row to another, your sidewalk will gradually shift from vertical to horizontal.
The goal is to create a stable surface that resists sinking into wet soil or shifting underfoot. Brick sidewalks are commonly built on top of compacted dirt or sand rather than directly into clay soils because they provide better drainage over time while still remaining rigid enough for walking purposes.
Tap each brick into place with a rubber mallet.
Once the bond is formed, you can tap each brick into place with a rubber mallet. If you don’t have a rubber mallet, use a hammer. Be careful not to hit the bricks too hard you don’t want to break them.
Finish the project by tamping down the bricks and sweeping away excess sand.
Once you’ve placed your bricks all the way around, it’s time to tamp down the sand and sweep away excess sand. You can use a rubber mallet or a broom to tap the bricks into place, then sweep away excess sand with a broom. If you have any gaps between your brickwork, fill in these spaces with more mortar mix before tamping down the bricks. This will hold them firmly in place as they dry overnight.
After letting it dry overnight and rinsing off any excess mortar mix with a garden hose (or running water over it), mow the grass around your new sidewalk so that it doesn’t grow too long and hide part of your new project from view.
Building your own sidewalk is not so hard.
Building your own sidewalk is not so hard! You can do it yourself and save a lot of money. If you’re interested in learning about building, or getting some exercise, or just getting out of the house and doing something new, this is a great project for you.
Final words
Building a sidewalk is a simple and fun project for any homeowner who wants to add character and value to their property. In just one weekend, you can have a new sidewalk that will last for years.
