Patio building plan

A base of sand over gravel will support brick, as well as concrete pavers and stones. The sand beneath supports the brick, but you'll sprinkle more sand in between when finished.

First, cut out the size of the patio you want.

Just start with a brick in the corner and continue to lay full bricks for the rest of the course. Alternate the courses and fill them with sand to help lock them in place.

Start running bricks from one corner, 1/8 inch apart. Use a rubber mallet to knock the bricks in place. Use a level to see if the bricks are straight and uniform. If a brick is too high, remove some sand and re-fit it. Then use the sand to fill in any gaps.

Start the second row with a half brick. To cut a brick, mark it with a brick chisel and then score it. Place it on another brick and hit it with a sledgehammer. It should now be broken. Finish the row will full bricks and alternate the pattern, making sure that if you lay half of a brick in one row, the next is a full brick.

As you lay the bricks, check with the level of unevenness. When all the bricks have been laid, pour soft sand in the cracks. Brush the patio with sand until all the cracks are filled and spray with the hose. This will guarantee that the sand is packed.

You can rent a machine that is called a power tamper that will make sure the bricks are firmly in place. Just run it over the bricks.

The gravel under the bricks provides drainage. You can also make this a permanent fixture by laying mortar in the hole and then adding the bricks to the height of the hole you dug. Then go back and using a trowel, add more mortar in the cracks.