How to Lay New Bricks Over an Old Existing Concrete

Clean the concrete patio surface with a long-handled scrub brush and soapy water. Rinse with water and let it dry for a day.

Combine cement with water to form a loose mixture. This should be similar in consistency to paint. In another container, make a mortar mix for the bricks. Follow the directions to get the mortar the right density. It should stick to the trowel and not fall off but should not be moldable.

Paint the entire surface with the cement paint and let it dry to the point where you can't wipe your finger across it and remove it. This paint will get down into the pores of the old concrete surface and give the new mortar a fresh coat of cement to attach to.

Spread mortar, starting in one corner of the old concrete. Use a flat-edged trowel to spread the material. Apply only a little at a time so it doesn't dry before you set the brick in place.

Set the first brick in place at the corner of the concrete surface. Press it in slightly in the mortar to set it. Repeat the process with another brick, leaving a gap between the two bricks of about 1/2 inches. Continue until you have covered the surface area where you had spread the mortar over the concrete. Check the bricks with a level periodically and adjust if needed before the mortar dries. Afterward, spread more mortar on the concrete and continue laying down bricks until you have covered the entire surface.

Fill mortar into a grouting bag and squeeze mortar between the bricks to fill in the gaps.

Scrape the top of the mortar between the bricks if it is pushed up. Use the flat edge of the trowel to remove it. Let the entire surface sit at least two days. When dry, brush the surface to remove debris.