Brick Vs. Granite Walkways

Mortared Brick Walkway

• If the brick walkway is mortared and laid on a bed of concrete, there will be few problems with weeds coming up between the bricks, and the pathway will last a very long time. However, these pathways are an impervious surface; they do not allow water to drain but instead encourage water to run over their surface, gouging out nearby soil and lending to erosion problems. The soil beneath and near impervious surfaces tends to heat up and cool down quickly, compounding excessive temperature problems for nearby plants.

Unmortared Brick Walkway

• Brick walkways can also be made with sand or decomposed granite between the joints instead of mortar. The joints can either be maintained to discourage plant growth by using weed killers or pulling weeds, or the joints may be planted with tough, low-water plants that can withstand foot traffic. The look is more informal, and the pathway helps maintain a milder microclimate. The joints allow water to percolate through, preventing erosion from surface runoff around the walkway.

Granite Walkway

• Granite walkways are an inexpensive option for a garden pathway. However, weeds can take hold, and the granite can wash away during rains if the surface of the walkway is not fairly level. For this reason, build the walkway so that it is level or has minimal slope. Dividing sections of walkway with different elevations with one or more steps ensures an even grade. Water can percolate down through the granite, reducing runoff problems and allowing moisture to reach underground roots from nearby trees and shrubs.

Considerations

• Crushed or decomposed granite and brick are complementary walkway materials: they work well together. Bricks laid over sand or granite with granite in the joints between bricks is quite colorful, especially when the pink or beige tones of the granite are offset by the color of the brick, such as black, blue, or gray bricks. Bricks come in a wide range of prices, quality, color and texture but tend to be more expensive for a walkway than granite alone.