What Are Some Patterns For Laying A Brick Patio
Your choice of pattern will be largely determined by how much space you have and how much money you want to invest. Here are the most common patterns, from the least expensive and labor-intensive to the most:
- Running bond just means bricks laid in simple rows. Concentric squares or rectangles are variations on running bond these are appealing if you have enough space to show them off. In smaller spaces, a concentric pattern can look busy.
- Basketweave is a classic pattern thats slightly more labor-intensive than running bond. It comes in many variations. To make the pattern work, youll need bricks that are twice as long as they are wide . That also reduces the number of bricks that will need to be cut.
- Herringbone is a timeless look that works well for both pathways and patios. A herringbone set at 45 degrees is somewhat more expensive because the bricks on the edges all need to be cut. Herringbone set at 90 degrees involves less cutting.
Survey The Area And Mark Patio Edges
The first step in building your brick patio is determining the exact location you want it to be. It could be detached or attached directly to the house in your backyard patio. Regardless of the location you choose, the construction process is the same.
Check the surroundings to ensure that there are no gas lines or plumbing lines crossing through the patio area where youll be paving. You dont want your patio design to ruin other vital necessities for your home or your neighbors.
Map out the spot for the patio and use lime or spray paint to mark the edges. At this point, you can mark the major points like the corners by driving the wooden stakes into the ground. Next, use the masons lines to map out the area in easily discernible layout lines.
Step 7 Set The Pavers
Beginning at an edge or in a corner, begin setting the pavers. Make sure you drop them into place rather than sliding them. All the pavers should be packed tightly and with an even surface, and you should follow a consistent pattern for the entire area. You can use a rubber mallet to help them set. Once you reach the final edges, there will probably be a few irregular spaces that need to be filled. You can either use a hammer and chisel or a circular saw to cut the bricks into the right shapes.
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How To Make A Round Patio With Square Pavers
When it comes to making a round patio using square pavers, theres actually not that much mystery to it, they work just the same as in a regular squared patio.
You can acquire a circle paver pack that is pre-designed to form a complete round patio, but if you only have squared pavers at hand the only difference is that youll have to be prepared to cut them if necessary.
Dont get me wrong, its a hard job, that involves time and some specific tools. But its not at all complicated.
We will walk you through a step-by-step on how to make a round patio, using both regular squared pavers or a circle paver pack.
Colonial With Covered Red Brick Patio
Heres a second view of this fantastic covered red brick front patio and stairs. This closeup pic clearly shows how nice a harmonious design can be. The patio pattern is herringbone with border trim doubling as a step tread. The steps fronts are also red brick as is the column base caps.
Its hard to see in this picture but the border extends to the back of the patio at the house. Carrying the border trim to the back of the patio is a nice finishing touch.
If youve got a white Colonial style home with black shutters and round white columns then youll probably want a red brick patio. The look is classic and goes together like almost nothing else. Red brick has been used on Colonials for over a hundred years. Probably since the first Colonial was built. In the old days red brick was actually used as a structural material to build the load baring walls. However todays Colonials use red brick primarily as a decorative element or patio material.
Red brick herringbone patio design with an outdoor kitchen.
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How To Build A Brick Paver Patio In Your Yard
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A brick paver patio is much more attractive than a bland concrete slab. Laying a patio made from brick pavers makes a good DIY project for your home. Heres how to go about it:
- Start by establishing a border around the patio.
- Fill the patio space with several inches of base materialsuch as crushed granite, recycled crushed concrete, or coarse sandto provide a firm foundation and aid in drainage.
- Use a straight piece of lumber as a screed board to distribute and level the base material.
- Compact the base material using either a motorized plate compactor or a hand tamp.
- Lay the pavers on the base material, making sure theyre level.
- Sweep sand or a sand polymer mix into the cracks between the pavers.
Watch this video to find out more.
Small Red Brick Patio
Heres another basket weave red brick patio thats on the small side. It includes a soldier course border trim and red brick steps. As with the previous example, the basket weave pattern works great on small sized patios.
This is an unusual design because its really just one big masonry patio using two completely different materials. If your using brick next to large flat stones then a basket weave pattern works really well. The stone pattern flows more natural and random so a structured pattern like basket weave contrasts it nicely.
Pro Tip: Another way to add contrast to your patio design is with the pattern. If your using real stone next to brick then consider a brick pattern. This is one of the red brick patio ideas that we use a lot when we build patios using real stone. I also recommend including some sort of border to the brick. It helps accentuate the bricks pattern and adds some separation between the brick and stone.
Red brick and stone patio with a stone walkway, black patio furniture and a brick chimney.
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Beautiful Herringbone Red Brick Patio Ideas & Designs
Red brick patios are a timeless design thats both beautiful and extremely durable. If you use a good quality brick and install them correctly then your patio could last for over a century. The color wont fade because its baked through the brick and damage isnt a huge concern because bricks are so dense. Best of all there are lots of patterns,colors and designs to choose from.
Below is a list of some of our favorite red brick patio ideas, designs and styles including tips from the builder and lots of pics.
Beautiful red brick herringbone patio with a soldier course border, real stone walls, limestone and cement.
Brick Patio Design Ideas
Welcome to our gallery of brick patio design ideas. Weve put together a collection of backyard patios featuring brick, flagstone and pavers for ideas and inspiration. Building a brick patio in your yard can be a great way to design your own perfect backyard retreat without spending tons of time and money. Brick patios are perfect for those who want their own DIY project and are great for creating a flow from the interior to the exterior of your home.
In the picture above this patio uses square stone pavers for its floors to delineate itself from the chevron pattern brick walkway. A decorative fence with brick pillars and wood posts surround the backyard with seating around a modern firepit.
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Install The Paver Edging And Thin Sand Layer
On top of the now firm base, install the paver edging to guide you once you start installing the bricks. The edging ensures you eliminate or minimize the need to cut bricks. Use some of the bricks as test-fit bricks to guide the first and subsequent rows of bricks.
At this juncture, add a sand layer of about two inches and ensure you have a fully stable base by tamping once again to compact the sand and the layers below it some more.
The bricks will be in direct contact with the sand, so you will want the sand base to be strong enough to handle the direct brick weight and pressure.
Its important to note that one of the most significant disadvantages of brick patios is that the brick surface develops bumps soon once the concealed sand starts shifting.
Snap A Base Line And 2 Perpendicular Lines
Snapping chalk lines directly in the sand is the best way to keep your bricks running straight. For the running bond pattern, youll only need a baseline and two lines perpendicular to the baseline, offset by half the width of a brick. Mark the rough center and snap a line at right angles using this method:
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Red Brick Patio Options
Because bricks are a molded man made material, they come in a variety of shapes, colors, and styles. Each brick is unique, giving every brick patio a one of a kind look. Its a big difference when compared with other outdoor options like decks which use a lot of composite materials. Brick can be laid in a variety of patterns to create all sorts of creative designs.
Check out the beautiful red brick patio above. This isnt a look you can achieve with any other material other than bricks.
Pick Coordinating Brick Colors
When deciding on patio brick color, aim for harmony with other exterior features. For example, if your home has a rusty-red brick exterior siding, opt for light red, pale pink, or burgundy bricks for the patio to achieve a palette thats monochromatic but overpowering. If you prefer a multi-colored exterior, choose light or dark neutrals, including gray, tan, beige, sand, or dark brown, for added contrast between the patio and the home. Or introduce color variety into the patio by alternating bricks in complementary tones. For example, you might alternate red and pink bricks in a straight set patio, or use dark brown full bricks and tan brick slivers in a whorled motif.
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Brick Patio Step #: Lay The Bricks
Youll want to lay landscaping fabric in the trench giving the bricks a material that they can lie on top of. Then lay the bricks level and side by side on the material, following along the string line guide. Continue this process as you continue to add more rows in the same manner. As you lay the rows, add gravel between the fabric and the back of the wall to prevent soil from washing through the cracks in the wall.
Simple Red Brick Patio
Sometimes the simplest patio designs are the best.
Check out this very small and simple red brick back patio shown above. The bricks have all be laid in a subway pattern with cement grout and a small soldier course border. The patio is one step high so more red brick has been used to complete the riser. Another step has been built leading into the home also entirely out of red brick.
Weve talked about colors that work best with red brick throughout this article and two of my favorite are gray, white and wood. So its no surprise why this small patio is one of my favorites. The gray siding is just the right shade, I love the wood patio set and that all white arbor is just fantastic.
This simple design is one of my favorite red brick patio ideas and design in the article. With a good design it doesnt take much size to build something really great. The trend these days always seams to be go big but thats not always the answer. A small space can feel cozier and more relaxing.
Subway style backyard red brick patio with brick walls and a limestone cap. Brick stairs with limestone steps. Black patio furniture.
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Building A Brick Patio
- Written by Mike Johnson on Sep 01, 2009To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience.Reviewed by
Creating a simple brick patio is not difficult and can be done in a single afternoon. These steps will show you how to build a simple 10×10-foot loose-laid brick patio with brick edging without having to use mortar.
Step 1 – Dig the Patio
Measure the 10-foot by 10-foot area for your patio and stake it out placing a stake one foot past the length and width you’ve determined. Place a stake at each corner. Check to make sure the area is square.
Stretch one end of the mason’s cord from one corner to the other. Repeat with another piece of mason’s cord to make a cross as you tie them to the stakes.
Begin digging out the patio to a depth of seven inches. Make your patio slope slightly at about 1/4-inch per each foot lengthwise of the patio for water run-off. Always check your depth often as you’re digging so you can adjust quickly if you need to.
Lay the landscaping fabric in the bottom of hole.
Cover the top of the landscaping fabric with four inches of gravel. Use the rake to spread the gravel out until it is even then tamp it down.
Step 2 – Install the Edging
There are many things you can use to edge the patio but for this we will use brick edging.
Strike the bricks with the rubber mallet to adjust their depth if needed.
How To Build A Raised Brick Patio
Written by Batchelder and Collins on July 6, 2020. Posted in Brick, Featured, Pavers.
As youre spending more time with your family at home, you may be eager to make the most of your backyard and build a brick patio.
The challenge for many homeowners comes when they realize that they have to raise it up from the surrounding land. Yes, a raised brick patio does add an extra step but its as simple as adding a retaining wall. You may be surprised to hear that this is something completely within the capabilities of someone with average DIY skills and the strength to maintain a backyard. Read on to see just how easy it is to get this project off the ground .
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Tips For Building A Brick Patio
If you need to cut some bricks to fit your layout, you can use a hammer and masonry chisel or a circular saw with a masonry blade. But if you have a lot of cuts to make, it’s worth it to rent a brick splitter or a masonry wet saw for half a day. These tools make much faster, cleaner cuts than a hammer or handheld saw. The best blade to use for saw cuts is a diamond blade. Alternatively, you can use an abrasive blade, but it may wear down quickly and won’t cut as cleanly.
Lock The Bricks With Sand
Spread sand over the bricks, then sweep across the patio surface with a push broom to work the sand into the cracks. Sweep in multiple directions to reach all cracks, adding sand as you go until the cracks are filled. Gently spray the patio with a garden hose to settle the sand in the cracks. Spread and sweep more sand into the cracks, and spray again, until the cracks are completely filled and the sand is settled.
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Red Brick Patio With Herringbone Pattern
Heres another example of a beautiful red brick backyard patio with a herringbone pattern. In this design a thick borders been built out of 4 courses of brick. A border is a great way of framing the patio area. In the case of something this wide you can actually create a completely unique design for this area separate from the patio.
In this design 2 soldier courses contain 2 courses of brick run parallel. As you can see, even though the patio has a herringbone design you can still be creative with the border. Its a part of the patio but still its own element so its nice to do something different. The contrast between your border and patio helps both elements stand out.
Covered front porch, steps, columns, walkway and foundation all built with matching red brick.
White Brick Home With A Red Brick Patio
Painting a brick home white is a trend thats been steadily gaining in popularity for the past ten or so years. In fact people are actually building new red brick homes just so they cant paint them all white. And its a permanent thing that cant ever be undone. The look is beautiful though, you get the texture and dimension of brick siding with the clean beauty of white. And its brighter than using white brick because the grout lines are all painted white too. So whats the best patio material for a painted white brick house? Red brick.
A red brick patio with a white brick home is such a fantastic design choice. Red and white go great together and you get all that matching texture. Its also a nice contrast in style because painted brick is considered more of a modern trend while red brick typically leans more traditional.
Red brick patio balcony laid subway style with gray siding and a black metal railing. Matching black metal patio furniture.
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