Mistakes to Avoid When Laying a Brick Walkway

A brick walkway can improve both the look and function of the exterior space of your home. Not only will it provide you with a solid, level and relatively clean space to walk on, but it will also create a visual point of interest in your landscaping. While laying a brick walkway can be a challenge, it is a project that you can handle on your own. However, you need to make sure you don't make the most common mistakes.

Mistake #1 - Not Pre-planning the Project

One of the biggest mistakes that you can make when laying a brick walkway is not planning the project out before you begin. You need to make sure you know what shape the walkway will have, how wide it will be, where it will need to curve and what materials you will use for your walkway. You also need to plan ahead for working around undergrounds pipes and cables.

Mistake #2 - Eyeballing Instead of Measuring

Another very common mistake that people make when laying a brick walkway is not using the proper measuring and layout tools for this project. Instead they excavate the project site using nothing more than their eyes. This can be a huge mistake that can cost you time and money, particularly if you are working around underground obstacles or near structures. You need to layout your walkway before you start to dig. You also need to make sure you use measuring tape or a ruler to manage the depth and width of your project.

Mistake #3 - Not Thinking About Drainage

Drainage is an issue that a lot of do-it-yourselfers don't think about when laying a brick walkway. When you are setting your bricks you need to think about where moisture and water is going to go. If your brick walkway is near a structure you need to think about channeling water flow away from that structure.

Mistake #4 - Not Preparing a Good Foundation

If you want your brick walkway to last and be safe you need to prepare a solid foundation. This foundation will begin several inches below the top surface of the finished brick walkway. It will begin with a compacted layer of dirt, followed by a compacted layer of gravel and finally a soft layer of leveling sand. If you fail to prepare a good foundation your brick walkway is likely to be uneven and it will be susceptible to settling variations and distortions.