Sand Vs. Mortar Brick Walkway

Advantages of Sand

• Setting bricks in sand is cheaper and cleaner than working with mortar. It also allows beginners to take as much time as they need to align each brick with joint lines in the pattern, and set it level with adjacent bricks. The sharp edges of the course sand used for the bedding help keep the bricks in place through friction, but the sand doesn’t harden to the bricks. As a result, sand-set bricks can be repaired or replaced as needed.

Advantages of Mortar

• Working with mortar is more challenging than sand, but it also offers a more permanent structure with less maintenance. Mortar provides a solid barrier against weeds and encroaching grass. In a yard with poor drainage, a solid layer of mortar over a gravel base will keep the bricks firmly in place.

Considerations with Sand

• While the process of setting bricks in sand is simpler, it requires the additional step of installing edge restraints. Edging provides a horizontal resistance that’s necessary in order to keep sand-set bricks from sliding out of place. Edging also helps block encroachment, but underground roots can still grow through the sand bed, creating maintenance issues and taking away from the walkway’s appearance.

Considerations with Mortar

• Mortar begins to harden within minutes of application. It must be spread in small amounts at a time. This time pressure can be stressful for beginners. Also, note that hardened mortar is not flexible like sand. As the ground expands and contracts with freezing temperatures, a mortared walkway is vulnerable to frost heave damage.