How to Lay Brick Pavers on Top of a Concrete Slab

Covering a concrete slab with new bricks or pavers is a relatively simple project that dresses up your entire landscape. In addition to the decorative value, adding a layer of bricks raises the level of the patio, which is an advantage in low-lying areas. Older patios may settle and sink below ground level, becoming shallow ponds in wet weather. An industrious homeowner can complete the project in one weekend. For the purposes of this article, the concrete slab is assumed to be 8-by-8 feet.

Measuring tape
Shovel
4 pressure-treated boards, 2-by-6-inch, 8 feet long
Drill with screwdriver bit
Deck screws, 3 1/2-inch
Stakes
Hammer
Sand
Plate compactor
Bricks
Rubber mallet
Broom

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the concrete slab. Provide the measurements to the vendor when ordering the bricks. Have the bricks and sand delivered to your driveway.
- 2
  Dig a 2-inch wide by 2-inch deep trench around the perimeter of the concrete slab. Place the 2-by-6-inch boards in the trench. Screw together at the corners.
- 3
  Pound stakes into the ground every 2 feet around the outer perimeter and flush with the tops of the boards. The stakes help hold the boards, sand and bricks in place after the patio is installed.
- 4
  Pour 1 inch of sand over the concrete slab. Tamp with a plate compactor. Sprinkle with water and tamp again to ensure an even surface.
- 5
  Lay the bricks in your selected pattern, such as a herringbone or running bond. Begin in one corner and work your way across the patio.
- 6
  Tap the bricks into place with a rubber mallet. Add and remove sand as needed to level the bricks.
- 7
  Sweep sand across the surface of the new brick patio, filling the cracks and crevices. Sprinkle with water and add more sand if necessary.

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