How to Lay a Brick Paver Path Over A Concrete Sidewalk

One of the more simpler DIY projects you can do in your backyard is a simple brick paver path.  Sometimes its just a new project, other times it might be to actually make your life easier getting to your shed or fire pit.

How to lay a brick paver path

Many patios and sidewalks are made of poured concrete, that is usually stamped with a Patton.  You don’t have to have something that looks worn and dirty – and doesn’t need to be power washed each spring.

By laying a brick paver path directly over the old surface, you can save yourself time and effort, as well a cobbled paver look on a pathway can really make a yard looking amazing.

“There are a number of advantages to doing it this way,” says Laura Schwind, a registered landscape architect for Pine Hall Brick, the largest supplier of clay pavers in the United States.

“The biggest is that the base is already there, and you instantly improve the appearance of your property without having to dig up your old concrete and haul it away.”

How to choose the right pavers

With concrete that’s smooth and even, start by choosing the type of clay paver and a pattern.

Keep in mind that there are “thinner” pavers (1 3/8-inch) for these applications, and that some patterns, like herringbone, will require more cuts than others.

Laying a soldier course

Next, lay a “soldier course”.  Which means laying a line of bricks perpendicular to the edge of the concrete.  This will form the outside frame of your project.

The secret is to use four dots of masonry adhesive on each brick ( We recommend Loctite PL 500 Landscape Block and Paver VOC Construction Adhesive 10-Ounce Cartridge ), each about the size of a penny, which allows rainwater to pass underneath.

On the inside of the soldier course.  Cut pieces of roofing felt to put a single layer inside the frame covering the concrete.  Make sure you don’t overlap the felt edges.

Then lay a second layer of felt perpendicular over the top of the first layer.

Starting at one corner, begin laying the brick in place, leaving a 1/8-inch gap between the pavers for sand. Finish by sweeping concrete sand between the joints until they are full.

“It’s time and effort,” says Schwind. “But it’s worth it. When you’re done, you’ll have the beginnings of a new outdoor room where you’ll want to spend some time relaxing.”

Tags: brick paver path, Laying a paver path