How to Lay Block Pavement

Remove the old walkway, driveway or deck area using a mini digger which you should be able to rent from most local hardware stores. Dig out 10 inches below the driveway as evenly as possible to allow enough room for 6 inches of crushed aggregate, 2 inches of grit sand and 2 inches of block pavement. Note: if you don't feel comfortable driving a mini digger, hire someone with experience for this part of the project. You'll still save heaps of money on the rest of the work.

Lay out a layer of landscaping fabric as flat as possible onto the topsoil. Anchor the membrane with strategically placed blocks to keep it from blowing away in the wind.

Spread type 1 crushed concrete aggregate over the entire surface of the landscaping fabric as flatly as possible using a wheelbarrow and a spade. Run a vibrating plate compactor over the entire surface until the surface is level and fully compacted with no soft spots. Add more aggregate to soft spots, if necessary.

Insert edge restraints around the entire perimeter of the area to prevent the sand and block pavement from creeping over the edge.

Set up a tight string line to keep the edge blocks in a straight line by tying it to steaks dug into the corners one edge block length away from the perimeter. Lay the edge blocks down around the perimeter of the area along the lines.

Lay a foundation of grit sand onto the entire surface using a wheelbarrow and a spade. Lay the grit sand as flat as possible and 3 inches high.

Run the vibrating plate compactor over the entire surface until the grit sand is firm without any soft areas. Add more grit sand to soft spots if necessary. Use a block around the perimeter for guidance; the block must sit roughly 1/8 inch above the edge blocks to allow for final compaction once all the blocks are laid.

Set up a few string lines 4 feet apart across the entire length of the area to act as a level for the screed rails. Insert the screed rails along the string lines using a rubber mallet to pound them into the grit sand until the entire rail is completely level. Remove the string lines.

Level the sand using a screed board a final time by running the board along the surface of the screed rails to push and pull the sand until it's completely level. Remove the screed rails, fill the space with sand and level it off by hand.

Lay all the full blocks in the pattern of your choosing, taking care to repeat the pattern exactly. Place the bricks straight down onto the sand to avoid displacing the sand and creating bumps.

Cut in rounded edges by laying the brick over top of the space between a whole block and the rounded edge where a full brick won't fit and mark the cut line with a pencil. Cut the bricks along the cut line using brick saw with a diamond blade.

Sweep off the surface of the laid blocks and run the vibrating plate compactor over the entire surface two or three times for final compaction and leveling.