Installation Guide for Laying a Brick Walkway

Outline the boarders for your brick walkway using two ropes or hoses. Place the borders at least four feet apart and create angled turns rather than curves in the path to avoid cutting bricks.

Dry-lay the bricks over a section of the path in the pattern you plan to lay them in. Step back and look at the pattern from different angles to see if you like it. Try a basket weave, herringbone or other pattern if you want to experiment.

Remove the soil within the borders and dig down the walkway to a depth of eight inches with a shovel. Tamp the entire soil surface until it feels as hard and flat as possible.

Add a 4-inch layer of 3/4-inch aggregate over the expanse and smooth it evenly. Tamp the aggregate down until the rocks fit together tight. The aggregate foundation will allow underground moisture to travel through, preventing sinking and frost heave damage.

Cover the aggregate with a 2-inch layer of sand bedding or stone dust, smoothed evenly with a rake.

Secure edge restraints in the interior walls of the foundation. Drive 12-inch spikes through pre-made holes to fasten the restraints to the ground.

Set the bricks in the sand bed from one corner and work across. Follow your chosen pattern, pressing the bricks flush against each other. If your pattern is not interlocking, stagger the rows by half a brick so the joint lines don't line up.

Pad the bricks from each other by brushing stone dust over the surface with a broom once all of the bricks are set. Sweep in a downward motion to pack the dust into the crevices as much as possible.