How to Build a Flower Bed With House Bricks

Build Your Flower Bed

• 1

  Lay out your flower bed by placing stakes in the ground at 12-inch intervals in the shape you have chosen. A square or rectangular bed works best when building with house bricks. Tie twine or string along the stakes to outline the bed. The twine should be as high as you want the top of your flower bed edging.

• 2

  Dig along the twine with a spade, making sure the depth of your trench is deep enough to cover the brick when placed flat on its side. Make clean cuts along the outside of the trench using the spade. Remove sod and soil and level the bottom of the trench by scraping the soil with your spade.

• 3

  Cover the flower bed with a plastic liner or with newspaper 8 to 10 sheets thick. Overlap the liner or newspaper into the trench where you will be adding your bricks. Press the liner evenly into the trench.

• 4

  Place the bricks in the trench end-to-end on top of the liner or newspaper. Leave no spaces in between the bricks. Add about 1 inch of premixed mortar on the brick, enough to lay the second row on and have excess mortar squeeze out the sides. Lay the next row, press the bricks down and wipe away excess mortar with a trowel. Gently tamp the brick in place with the trowel if necessary. Add additional rows until your wall is as high as the twine you measured in step 1. Remove the twine and stakes.

• 5

  Fill your house brick flower bed with soil. Leave about 4 inches of space between the soil line and the top of the brick edging. Plant your bedding flowers according to the package directions and enjoy the character and charm of your new house brick flower bed.