Brick Paving
All comments regarding laying brick paving are the same as laying block paving with regard to sub-bases, bases and laying patterns, although some brick types are manufactured to be installed on edge i.e. 100mm deep.
Most importantly, all brick paving must be carried out using Class A bricks that are suitable for ‘in-ground’ use, which precludes house building types of brick. They are usually ‘hard- fired’ or subjected to greater temperatures during the manufacturing process. Many are almost akin to engineering bricks, and are extremely dense. All clay pavers should comply with British Standard BS EN 1342. As with all landscaping works, care should be taken to protect your eyes. When laying brick paving, this is even more important, due to the likelihood of ‘spalling’ or tiny chips of hard clay causing a health hazard as they knock against each other during handling.
Brick paving, in general terms, should be laid over a bed of bedding mortar, with a bed depth of 15 – 20mm. Some are designed to be laid ‘butt jointed’ i.e. neighbour on neighbour (hence the need for safety glasses) or with specific joints, between 10mm and 15mm to allow for a pointing mix or brush-in grout compound to be added following laying operations.
As with all paving materials, draw the bricks from two or more packs to avoid colour variations due to batching when laying.
Depending on the style of brick, project design and intended use, brick paving should not require post sealing.
To ensure the proper continuity of pattern when using clay pavers, it is important to consider the dimensional tolerances of the units. It is recommended to leave a gap of 3-5mm between each paver during installation. These gaps allow for any slight variations in size and shape among the bricks.
In addition, perpendicular stringlines should be set up every 1.5m. these lines serve as a guide to ensure the bricks are laid in a straight and consistent manner, whilst maintaining the desired pattern and alignment. They help to create a visually pleasing and unified appearance across the entire paved surface. By adhering to these guidelines, the installation of clay pavers can be carried out with precision, resulting in a well-executed project.
This simple brick path feature, constructed using reclaimed pavers sawn to remove broken sections, linked three separate pathways into one garden highway. By Alan Sargent.
