A brick patio serves as a great place to relax with your friends and relatives after a long day. If you are planning of constructing the patio here are tips on how to do it:
Brick patio design
The beauty of constructing your patio using bricks is that you have many designs to choose from. Some of the common designs include: basket weave, herringbone and jack on jack.
The basket brick patio design involves a set of eight bricks laid in groups of two. Each pair is set left to right adjoining another pair set at an angle perpendicular to them.
The jack on jack design on the other hand is a set of uniform columns and rows. Each paver is set end-to-end and side-by-side.
The herringbone brick pattern is characterized by abutting pavers that create a 99 degree angle. One end of one paver is used to cover the end of the other.
The patio design you go with greatly affects the overall look of your patio; therefore, you need to ensure that you choose a design that you like and proud of.
Use the right supplies
For your brick patio to last for long you need to use the right supplies. Some of the supplies that you need include:
Crushed stone or gravel: you use it to fill the deepest areas of your excavation floor. Their main role is to provide stability and ease drainage. For ideal results, install at least 4 inches of crushed stone as base layer. You should work with your patio contractor and come up with the right amount of material that you need.
Sand: sand makes up the layer below the pavers. You can also use it to fill the gaps between the pavers. The right amount of sand to use is 1-2 inches of sand. Again, work with your contractor to find the amount of sand that you need.
Landscape fabric: the fabric discourages growth of weeds. This makes your work easy as you aren’t required to remove the weeds.
Bricks: of course you need bricks. Otherwise how are you going to construct a brick patio without bricks? As rule of thumb ensure that you buy the bricks from a reputable brick store.
If you live in an area where snow and ice is common, use SW rated pavers. These bricks are designed to resist cracking and withstand severe temperature changes.
For the pavers to be professionally installed, work with a certified and experienced patio design company.