A considerable part of the appearance of the courtyard in a country house is made by a path that connects all the buildings with the entrance and with each other. Most often it is a brick path. It is unlikely that anyone likes to walk through the mud, soiling clean shoes. To avoid such troubles, the paths in the yard should be paved. Laying the tracks yourself is a simple task, if you know the nuances and how to do it correctly. It is necessary to responsibly approach the preparation and installation - the main stages of work. Do-it-yourself brick paths are made after a pre-thought-out scheme for laying and selecting materials.

Preparation

In order for the laying of brick paths to proceed properly, you should make sure that you have the necessary tools:

• Shovels:
  • shovel;
  • bayonet.
• Rammer:
  • manual;
  • gasoline.
• Saw.
• Measuring tool:
  • roulette.
• Pegs and thread.
• Building level.

To facilitate the work, you can take a grinder instead of a saw, and a gasoline one instead of a manual rammer. Masonry pavement is easier to lay with automatic tools. The paths need to be level, so it's best to make sure the building level is correctly calibrated and shows correctly.

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Brick walkway layout

Bricks are laid on a layer of compacted soil and bricks.

According to the laying rules, the first layer consists of compacted soil. The thickness of the compacted pillow should be at least 3 centimeters. A leveling layer of sand (about 2 cm) is applied over the compacted pillow. A curb lock should be installed on the leveling layer, which will be held by a layer of crushed stone (15-20 centimeters). To lay a broken brick path, a thicker layer of stone will be required. After that, another layer of sand is poured over the rubble, after which bricklaying and curbing are already installed.

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What materials are needed?

In order for a brick path to be laid out in a summer cottage, first of all, you need a brick. Further, to mix the cement mortar, sifted sand and a dry cement mixture will be required. To lay one of the underlying pillows, you will need gravel or crushed stone (there is not much difference), less brick chips are used. Optionally, additional geotextiles are used.

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What materials are used?

The materials used determine the budget.

For laying crushed stone of average fraction can be used.

To lay out garden paths in the country, use any kind of brick. Sand-lime brick paths are quite popular, as this is one of the most profitable ways to make a path. Often it turns out to lay out a path from the old brick left after construction work. Cement is recommended to use cement brand "PC 400". Crushed stone or gravel is chosen in the middle fraction; brick crumbs can also be used. If it is decided to use geotextiles, then it is better to take a special one for paving slabs.

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Stages of work

Track marking

First determine the location and size of the future track. To do this, you need a tape measure and pegs with a rope. The path is planned further than 5 meters from the nearest tree, as the root system of trees can gradually destroy the structure. Do not neglect the width either: 2 adults should freely diverge on the track without leaving the surface. When marking, make sure that the rope between the pegs does not sag, otherwise the brick will lie crooked.

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Foundation preparation

Before starting laying, they dig a trench. In depth, it should be more than 25-30 centimeters. Soil should not be thrown away, it will still come in handy. After the trench is dug, it is covered with sand and rammed, and geotextiles are laid on top. Do not neglect the use of geotextiles - this canvas will help maintain the integrity of the sidewalk and increase its durability. The thickness of the rammed pillow should exceed 3 centimeters.

The next layer is filled with sand.

Next, a leveling layer of sand follows, the thickness of which should not be less than 2 centimeters. After this layer is laid, a curb lock is installed on it. Parallel to the castle, the path is covered with rubble, after which it is tightly tamped. The thickness of the layer should be more than 25-30 centimeters. Crushed stone should not have sharp edges that can damage the geotextile, due to which it will lose its properties.

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How to lay a brick?

Paving is carried out on a sand cushion, tamping tightly, but we must not forget to ensure that the masonry is even, using a level. There are several types of brick laying:

• Chaotic placement of bricks in a happy order, not paying attention to detail.
• Offset placement. Its essence boils down to the fact that the joints are placed apart. Red brick paths look more pleasant.
• Herringbone - the formation of a pattern resembling a herringbone. Under this pattern, paving stones or paving slabs are used, but with effort, it can also be made of brick.
• Network. A pattern resembling weaving is created. Looks good in the garden.
• Chess. For this type, bricks of two colors are used, and they are laid out in a checkerboard pattern. It is better to build using white bricks.

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Laying curbs

Instead of a curb, they use bricks placed edgewise. There are also specially made curbs made of reinforced concrete or plastic. The border is guided with the help of fittings or special rings and hammered with a mallet. In the absence of a mallet, you can use a hammer by placing a bar under it. To enhance strength, the base of the curb is covered with cement mortar.

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What will our track consist of, what layers should be in it

As you can see from the first picture, the sidewalk will be sunk into the ground, there will be a layer of gravel or gravel, then sand will come and a brick will be placed on top. About everything in order.

Dig a trench

Determine the desired width of your walkway and add 5 cm. Roughly determine the location of the walkway with rope, hose or paint. Using a shovel between markings, remove the top layer of soil. Dig until you see a change in soil color (as shown). Fold the top layer of soil on a tarp so that it does not pollute the area.

Fill the trench with crushed stone, gravel

Fill with 2.5-5 cm of crushed stone or gravel (as shown in the picture). Water the gravel to wash off the dust.

Pack and refill

Tamp the layer, pouring water, then pour gravel or gravel 2.5-5 cm again, tamp. You should end up with a 10cm layer of gravel.

Add a layer of sand

Now you need to install the side guides and fill in a layer of sand. Make the same outstanding tool as in the figure and level the sand with it.

Lay brick edging

Lay the brick on edge in the trench. Drive in the bricks with a special hammer so that the surface of the bricks is level with the top of the guide (as shown in the figure). For accuracy, check the surface with a level. Lay the edging along the guides.

Fill the space with bricks

Start laying bricks. Varieties of laying bricks on the sidewalk, a large number. We offer this option. Lay should be, checking the level of the surface of the masonry. And leave small holes for sand.

Seam filling

Use a shovel to spread a thin layer of sand over the brick. Using a large broom, notice the sand in the seams between the bricks (as shown). Then you need to pour water on the surface of the bricks so that the sand is compacted. Then repeat the filling of sand between the bricks.

Let it all stand for one week and, if anything, add sand to the seams as needed. After another week, remove all inserts and guides.

If you did everything according to our instructions, you should get something like this brick path.

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Brief job description

For paving, a special brick is produced - clinker, which comes in different thicknesses, as a rule, thinner than usual, as well as different shapes and sizes. Similar results can be achieved when paving paths with concrete blocks specially designed for this purpose with the dimensions of standard bricks.

In warm areas, the brick can be laid directly on solid ground, however, to increase the durability of the track, it is better to lay the brick on a layer of sand and check the levelness with a level. And even in this case, every few years you have to dismantle the path and lay the brick again.

A more reliable way to lay bricks without mortar is to tamper with a rented vibrator. (described below) which allows you to get a paved driveway surface that can withstand even the weight of cars. Flat vibrators can only compact bricks with a thickness of more than 50 mm, and such paths or platforms must have borders of bricks laid on concrete (item 2 below). If the surface is paved by hand, then the curb can be made of bricks placed directly into the ground.

A durable surface can be obtained by laying mortar bricks on a concrete slab. The base may be old, such as an existing walkway or platform, or new, arranged in accordance with the rules for laying lightweight concrete slabs. In both cases, it is better to do this work in two stages: first, laying the bricks on the mortar, then, after the mortar layer has hardened, filling the joints with a thick mortar.

Do-it-yourself cement mortar

Four solution recipes

Lime-cement mortar			Plasticized mortar
Normal solution	Volumetric ratio		Volumetric ratio	Mortar yield per 50 kg of cement
	1 part cement 1 part slaked lime 6 parts sand		1 part cement 5-6 parts sand with plasticizer
Lasting solution	1 part cement 0.5 part slaked lime 4-4.5 parts of sand		1 part cement 3-4 parts sand with plasticizer

Solution preparation

Pour the required amount of sand into the wheelbarrow (or other container), add lime or plasticizer. With a shovel, make a small indentation, add cement to it and mix until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Make a well again, add water and stir until all lumps disappear.

Approximately half a liter of water is needed per kilogram of cement. Add water gradually until a solution with the consistency of warm oil is obtained. To check the viscosity, make a curved furrow in the solution. If its edges do not blur and the solution slides freely off the shovel, then it is ready. If the furrow blurs, the solution is too wet - add some dry materials. If the solution does not slide off the shovel, it is too dry - add water little by little.

Types of borders

straight line

The simplest of the borders is a straight line of bricks placed vertically with a wide edge to the surface of the masonry. If you lay the bricks with a narrow edge towards the surface, they will look more contrasting with the bricks that pave the site. However, this requires twice as many bricks.

smooth curve

Sector-shaped bricks can be purchased for the curve device, but they are expensive. A smooth curve can also be obtained from ordinary brick by laying it as shown in the figure and filling the seams with a strong mortar made according to one of the recipes above.

sawtooth curb

A row of bricks laid on edge at a 45-degree slope creates an optical illusion where the curb appears to be made up of a row of triangular bricks. To increase this illusion, remove the soil a little less depth so that the curb is above the ground level.

Attention: when laying such a row, the lower ends of the bricks must be firmly held in concrete, and the upper ends are set strictly at the same level.

wooden border

Formwork for laying concrete fits perfectly into the construction of a brick-paved site. Install it just below ground level so that the boards and stakes are not visible.

Pavement paving without mortar

1. Test laying

Measure and mark out the site as you would for a concrete slab, then calculate the required amount of bricks for paving without mortar . To estimate the final dimensions so that the soil can be removed, lay out a row of bricks along the border of the site and inside. When marking out the site, allow a gap of 100 mm beyond the outer boundaries. If you decide to pave with a simple pattern, for example, a rectangular one without dressing, you can save time by laying out only the borders, and leave the middle empty. But the side rows should be laid out completely.

2. Excavation

Remove the brick you laid out for testing and remove the soil layer 50mm deeper than the thickness of the brick. The depth is assumed to be the same everywhere, regardless of the terrain, and the walls of the recess should be as vertical as possible. Then, with a trowel, dig a trench along the borders of the paving area so that it is 100 mm wider than the bricks and deep enough to lay a layer of concrete 100 mm thick, on which the frieze bricks are laid, the upper edges of which should be flush with the rest of the bricks. Lay a 100 mm thick general purpose concrete layer in the trench and lay out a row of frieze (boundary) bricks while the concrete is ductile. They should form an even vertical wall around the site. Install a board to support the bricks on the site side and fill the trench at the outer edge two-thirds with concrete. Lay sod or soil on top and leave for three days to mature.

3. Sand cushion device

Pack the base soil, place a pad of sharp-grained sand (which is used to make concrete) and level the sand. The level of sand relative to the curb should be such that the bricks laid on it are 10 mm higher than the curb before laying them with a vibrator. If you are going to lay the brick by hand, then after laying on the sand it should be flush with the curb. When laying the site, place two parallel bars on the ground and level the sand with the help of a rule board. To level a sandy walkway base, use the Concrete Path Base Leveling Method. .

4. Laying bricks

Lay the first two bricks in the corner of the site. After that, pull the cord for even laying of the entire row. Continue laying the next rows of bricks until you reach the edge of the site - there should be a gap of 10 mm between the last row and the curb.

If tamping with a vibrator is not provided, check the level of the horizontal laying of each brick. Knock down bricks with a mallet and, if necessary, add or remove sand. Then, if there is no vibrator, go to the instructions to complete the job. (below, after 5 and 6 points).

5. Working with a vibrator

Rent a gasoline-powered flat vibrator and walk around the site two or three times to place the bricks firmly in the sand. They will drop approximately 10 mm and the surface of the site will be flush with the curb. Do not walk on bricks before ramming with a vibrator.

6. Filling the joints with sand

Sprinkle the area with a thin layer of sand and make two more passes with the vibrator to fill the seams. Work with a helper, whom you ask to put sand under the vibrator, as when tamping sand moves out from under the vibrator forward.

Completing the site paving when working without a vibrator

Filling the seams with sand

After laying and leveling all the bricks, scatter a bucket of sand with acute-angled grains on the site. Use your hand or a brush to fill the joints between the bricks with sand. (below left). After filling all the seams, carefully sweep away the remaining sand by moving the brush diagonally. (lower right) so as not to sweep the sand out of the joints. It may be necessary to fill the joints with sand twice after the sand has shrunk.

Mortar paving

1. Arranging a curb around an existing concrete slab

When bricking an existing slab, check its condition and levelness. If you want to make a new concrete pad, make it with general purpose concrete without formwork, as described above. If the site is at ground level, there is no need to make a curb, but if its level is above ground level, you need to hide it with a beta and protect the bricks of the extreme rows from moisture and wear.

Make a groove along the perimeter of the slab approximately two brick thicknesses wide and deep enough so that the brick placed on the end is flush with the surface of the finished site. (When calculating, add 10 mm mortar layer thickness to the brick thickness.) Rinse the curb bricks thoroughly and set them in the groove with a 10 mm gap (use your index finger or a piece of wood of the appropriate thickness to set the gap). Press the curb bricks against the concrete slab by filling the groove with concrete and compacting it. At the same time, check the height of the bricks above the concrete platform with a level and a ruler; it, as already mentioned, should be equal to the thickness of the brick plus a layer of mortar 10 mm thick.

2. Preparation for laying bricks

Lay the bricks dry to check the width and length of the site, leaving gaps between them of 10 mm. If necessary, you can slightly reduce or increase the gap in order to fit an integer number of bricks in each row. When laying on the mortar, you can leave one of the test rows for the sample.

Prepare a strong solution (according to one of the recipes above) in batches of 0.02 cu. m for laying 2 sq. m of brick with a mortar layer thickness of 10 mm. If the total paving area is less than 4 sq. m, you can prepare a solution for the whole job at once. In other cases, cook no more than 0.02 cubic meters. m. This amount is enough for you for about an hour of work, after which the solution will begin to set. Level the mortar and make grooves in it with a notched trowel or the end of a trowel.

3. Brick laying

Wet the bricks and lay them along the cord on the mortar with a smooth surface upwards. Lay a full row and only after that start laying the next one. Press the brick into the mortar with your hand and slightly upset it with the handle of the trowel. Level check the horizontal position when laying each brick.

4. Filling the joints with mortar

A day later, and preferably two or three days after laying the bricks on the mortar, prepare a hard mortar to fill the gaps between the bricks. The mortar must be drier than the mortar normally used for masonry. Mix 1 part cement with 3 parts sand and add just a little water. A ball of such a solution should break easily.

Wet the bricks and fill the gaps between the bricks with hard mortar. For work, you can use cutting or jointing, which you need to tightly push the solution. Fill the joints with mortar so that they are slightly overfilled. Use a trowel to remove excess mortar, being careful not to leave it on the surface. Expand the seams, deepening them by 1-2 mm, so that rainwater can drain through the resulting grooves. For deepening, you can use a stiff brush. Wipe off all traces of mortar with a damp sponge and spray the area with a spray hose. Leave to soak for a day or two.

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What to make tracks

The pavement can be solid or loose. To create a hard coating, the following materials are used:

• Concrete. Concrete walkways are not just ordinary gray tape. In addition, there are dyes and you can decorate it if you wish. There are also molds for pouring immediately on the spot. It turns out homemade paving slabs. Another option is to pour small concrete slabs of the right size on your own, then put them on the bedding. See photos for design examples.
• Flagstone. This is a natural stone that has been sawn into plates. It is laid on a prepared base (more on this later), the gaps are filled with backfill. It turns out beautifully, reliably, non-slip. No wonder landscape designers love flagstone stone paths so much.
• Brick. Ordinary ceramic brick is a beautiful material, but not for paths. It absorbs moisture, if then it freezes wet, it is torn apart. If you are going to make a path out of broken bricks, then you can walk along it more or less normally only for a couple of years. Then you have to redo it. The resulting cracks will need to be covered with coarse sand or fine gravel. A clinker brick will serve much longer on the track, but this option cannot be called low-cost: the cost of one piece is from several tens of rubles.
• Tree. Such a seemingly unsuitable material, but with proper processing, it can last a long time. Moreover, many do-it-yourself wood tracks can be classified as low-cost. For example, they came up with the idea of ​​using stumps and saw cuts of trees as borders or coverings. They also make flooring from well-finished boards - terraced is better, but if not, it will also work from the old floor.
• Plastic. There are tiles for garden paths made of plastic - polyethylene or polypropylene. It has a square shape and a system of locks, which is attached to one another. It can be laid directly on top of the lawn or previously trodden in the country or on the paths. This option is fast and cheap. It can definitely be called "With little cost." It is better, of course, to make a filling of crushed stone and sand according to the rules, and lay plastic elements on top. It's a little longer and more expensive. There is also an immodest, but very beautiful version of plastic tiles for paths. There is also a "garden parquet". These are slabs or boards made of wood-polymer composite - WPC (they are in the photo, they look exactly like parquet). This material appeared relatively recently. It looks and feels like wood, but in fact it is a mixture of wood flour and polymer. These are very beautiful coatings, but their cost is by no means modest. Although not fabulous.
• Pebble. These are rounded natural stones that can be found on the banks of rivers or lakes. Flatter pebbles are more suitable for making tracks. There are different shades of gray, black, white, sometimes you can find burgundy. From these stones, laid close to each other, mosaic paths of amazing beauty are obtained. But this is an occupation for the assiduous and stubborn. Those who lack patience can find large flat boulders or large pebbles and lay them in the sand. It's not as luxurious, but no less reliable. You can also do with granite or other similar stones. It is important that at least one face is relatively flat. You put this flat part up, and bury the rest. The work is not easy, but it will be possible not only to walk along the path, but also to ride.
• Handy materials. Country paths are made from old tires and bottles.

There are also paved paths: these are gravel or crushed stone. Their peculiarity is that with a small layer of 2-3 cm and with sufficient compaction, it is convenient to walk on them. If the layer is slightly larger, unevenness is formed when walking, and such walking is tiring. Therefore, as you have seen in many photographs, gravel and crushed stone are used as backfill, in which rigid elements from other materials are laid. When done correctly, this is convenient: gravel conducts water well and puddles do not form. Those who do not like the gray color can be advised to paint it: many designers do this when organizing rockeries.

Read about the secrets of site planning here.

How to make garden paths with your own hands

It is not enough to know what you can make garden paths with your own hands. You also need to know how to make them correctly so that it serves more than one season or two. The laying of different materials may vary slightly, but there are several rules and actions that are repeated in any technology.

First rule: when laying or forming a track cover, it is made with a slight slope. If the material allows, a slope of several centimeters is made on both sides of the center. If, for example, a concrete path is poured, then the slope is formed in one direction - from the house, if it is nearby. The slope is made towards the lower part of the site if the path is located on a slope.

Second rule: under any covering preparation of the basis is required. If you lay stones (for example) directly in clay or loam, it will certainly be useful - it will definitely be more convenient to walk, but after some time the stones will “silt up”. Simply trample into the clay. With a backfill, this will take much more time. And if you make another drainage cushion and a side, water drainage will be even more efficient, and everything will look even more beautiful.

Third rule: the level of coverage of the track should be a couple of centimeters higher than the adjacent area. Then the water will quickly drain, it will be more convenient to clean, and cleaning will be required less often: the washed-out earth will not flow either during rains or during watering the flower beds, which are often done along the paths.

Read about how to make beautiful beds here.

Step-by-step instruction

When making garden paths with your own hands, start with markings. In theory, the dimensions and shape should be marked on the site plan, and the markup should take place according to the project. But more often than not, everything is done on the spot. To see the future path more clearly, its contours can first be covered with white sand or something similar. If the shape suits you, you can drive in the pegs and pull the twine between them, but you can also work on backfilling.

• Sod is removed between two marks. The depth of the ditch should be about 15-25 cm.
• A border is dug along the edge, if provided.
• The bottom of the ditch is leveled, removing roots, stones, eliminating significant pits or mounds. The bottom is rammed (rammer in the photo below).
• Pour a layer of crushed stone of large or medium fraction. To save the budget, you can fill up broken bricks, other large construction waste. If there is a vibrating plate - great, if not, take something similar to the tool in the photo (you can make it from a large log, to which you nail a handle across the cut). With this tool you level the bottom. If you filled up the garbage, you need to sprinkle a little rubble on top and compact it again.
• Lay a layer of geotextile on top. Its edges rise flush with the sides or even slightly higher. This layer should not be skipped. It does not allow sand to mix, which is usually poured on top of rubble, prevents the roots of plants from germinating, which destroy the path. A very useful thing.
• Sand is poured onto the geotextile. Its layer should be such that the laid coating is slightly higher than the general level on the site. Sand is first spread with a shovel, then, evenly distributing, leveled with a rake. Then they ram and level. To level the sand level, you can use a rule (a construction tool that is often used when pouring a concrete floor) or simply take a large ruler, a building level, a flat rail. Sometimes you have to pour, ram, level several times. It is desirable to achieve a perfect surface.
• Stone, pebbles, flagstone, paving stones, bricks, etc. are laid in the sand. They are put in the right place, then they knock with a rubber mallet: they drive them deep into the sand.

Along a beautiful path, you can place a flower garden or flower bed. How to do them, read here.

Beautiful do-it-yourself pebble path

If with flagstone, paving stones, brick, everything is more or less clear - everyone has already seen more than once how this is done, then it is not clear how to lay pebbles in patterns.

Below is a photo report on the process of making a pebble track. The main techniques are visible on it: lines are applied to the leveled sand, along which pebbles will be laid out. If these are arcs, they are made with a thread and two sticks / nails.

Picking up stones, they are laid out on the edge close to each other, slightly sunk into the sand.

A board is laid on a folded pattern, a rubber mallet is taken and they knock on the board, hammering the pebbles into the sand. So the whole drawing is deepened, making sure that the edges of the pebbles are at the same height.

They take a mixture of sand and cement (sand 2 parts, cement 1 part) and fill in the gaps, leveling the layer with a brush.

A fragment of a pebble path is carefully poured with water so that the backfill does not blur. Wait a few hours until the cement sets a little, then remove the excess with a soft brush.

It is important not to miss the moment: the mortar should not get dirty, but also become a stone. If you pick it with your finger, it should crumble. It's time to clean up the excess.

Read about how to grow a green hedge in the article "Fence hedge: how to grow and form"

Path of wooden stumps and gravel: video

Old logs or trees can be turned into a beautiful walkway. They are sawn into logs of the required length, the front saw cut is polished, all wood is first treated with a bioprotection composition (it can be soaked with used oil). After drying, they are dipped in Kuzbass varnish and dried again. Then the front parts of the stumps are covered with paint of the desired color - which will protrude outward. Once again dried and only then put in the sand.

The process is detailed in the video. Here it is explained step by step how to make garden paths from stumps or logs with your own hands.

Making your own concrete driveway

The process is generally similar to the one described at the beginning. There are some differences that we'll talk about.

After the trench is dug and the bottom is leveled, formwork is installed along it on both sides. These are boards from 25 mm thick (thicker is possible, thinner is undesirable, you can use plywood 16-18 mm thick, chipboard). Their height is the height of the track. If you are molding a slope, the boards should be set taking it into account - one side is slightly higher, the other is slightly lower.

To make formwork, pegs are driven into the ground in increments of no more than 60 cm. Boards are nailed to them. It is better to smear the inner surface of the formwork with working off or other oil: so that it can be easily removed. Further, crushed stone is poured onto the bottom and rammed. But it is necessary to ram carefully: if you walk along the bottom, no traces should be visible.

Further, in order for the path not to crack, a metal reinforcing mesh is laid on the rubble. The thickness of the bar is 4-6 mm, the step is 5-10 cm. It is sold in pieces, they must be connected to each other with steel wire.

Then, to compensate for the expansion in the winter, you need to put wooden planks 1.5-2 cm thick. They are placed across the path, set so that the height of the planks is flush with the formwork boards. Compensation strips are set at least every 2 meters. More often you can, less often you can't. Why do it more often? For beauty. Squares look better than long rectangles.

A concrete mortar of a grade not lower than M-250 is poured into the finished frame (read about grades of concrete and its preparation here). For him, take 1 part of cement, 3 parts of sand, 4 - crushed stone. Everything is mixed into a solution of medium fluidity (thick sour cream) and poured into the formwork. When pouring, make sure that there are no air bubbles left. To remove them, the solution is pierced with a pin, slightly shaking it - bayonet. Ideally, if there is a surface vibator for concrete - it quickly compacts the solution, creating a perfectly flat surface. If it is not there, you will have to level with the rule, using the edges of the formwork as beacons.

A few hours later, after the concrete has set, the surface can be treated. You can leave it as it is, you can brush it with a stiff brush, making transverse strips, you can finally put pebbles, stones, flagstone, etc. into a not completely hardened solution. It's not very economical, but reliable. After a couple of days, the formwork can be removed, and you can already walk along the path.

About what fences are and how to make them is written here.

For the construction of do-it-yourself paths in the country, not only special materials intended for paving are often used. A favorite way to improve the garden plot is to use the surplus materials left over from the construction of the house. In particular, wall bricks are often used to create platforms and paths.

What types of bricks are suitable for paving

The attractiveness of the idea - to pave the paths in the country with bricks, is due to a number of reasons:

• such material often remains after construction is completed, that is, it is practically “free”;
• the modular dimensions of the bricks are convenient for carrying and doing the work yourself without partners;
• to the uninitiated eye, the brick pavement seems to be reliable and durable.

In fact, the strength characteristics of tracks made from ordinary wall bricks leave much to be desired. It does not depend on the choice of its variety: silicate or red (it does not matter if it is hollow or full-bodied). The desire to save money and make paths out of bricks can lead to disappointment after the first winter. Under the influence of water and frost, brick blocks delaminate, split into small pieces. The porous structure of baked brick clay is saturated with moisture and becomes fragile. Therefore, it will be possible to use cheap material only in dry, elevated areas with good drainage, or completely protected from precipitation.

The easiest way to lay out a brick path:

Many reliable modern materials specifically designed for paving are made in a form that allows you to imitate brickwork:

1. Paving stones. Produced by vibrocasting or vibrocompression. Vibropressed paving stones have a higher quality and strength. The addition of concrete dyes makes it even more brick-like. Different thickness of products (from 4 to 8 cm) allows you to choose paving stones for a summer residence, depending on future loads - from paths between beds to a parking area.
2. Clinker brick. High-strength and very beautiful material has long been popular in Europe, is gaining more and more fans among summer residents. Of course, its price is higher than that of most varieties of paving stones and is close in cost to natural sawn stone. But the assortment of clinker allows you to choose the color and texture of the surface that satisfy the most demanding taste. Clinker bricks are extremely durable. If you get diamond wheels for a grinder that allow you to make the necessary cuts, each craftsman can easily lay out a path of clinker bricks in the country with his own hands.

Preparatory work

Having outlined the location of the path network on the plan, they begin to mark it. It is convenient to do this with the help of pegs and a cord. In the process of laying out, it is determined in which direction to create a slope of the roadway for the flow of water and melted snow. Sufficient slope parameters are 1-2º per linear meter.

As with most other methods of building paths in the country with your own hands, within the marked boundaries, you need to dig a foundation pit for the foundation. It consists of a tightly compacted layer of crushed stone (20 cm) and a leveling layer of sand (about 5 cm). Compaction of crushed stone is carried out with a vibrating plate or manual devices. For better compaction, sand is shed with water.

Using a flat board or building rule level the surface of the sand, not forgetting the slope. Bricks are laid either on sand or on a dry cement-sand mixture in a ratio of 1:4.

Arrangement of curbs and laying bricks during the construction of the path

Since the size of the brick module is small (usually 10x20 cm), without installing limiters along the edges of the track, it may not stay within the allotted boundaries and spread. This can happen both during installation and afterwards. To prevent this from happening, use ready-made sidewalk curbs. In their absence, the role of limiters is played by bricks placed on edge and fixed with mortar.

A border of bricks is fixed at the border of the track with mortar

In the process of self-construction, the paths also use temporary boundaries made of durable boards, which are then removed. A well-packed base and neatly and precisely set curbs will serve as a guarantee of the reliability of brick paving done by one's own hands.

Starting paving, they begin to lay bricks one by one on sand or a dry cement-sand mixture and punch them with a mallet. The horizon is leveled with a manual bubble level. The stacked rows are pushed closer to each other, hitting the board applied to the side with a mallet.

Choice of paving patterns

Depending on the general design and style of landscape design of the dacha, various types of brickwork are used:

• straight, with row shift;
• diagonal;
• parquet;
• circular;
• scaly (Venetian masonry) and their numerous varieties.

An example of straight masonry with a shift of half a brick

Additional effects are created by ornaments of several colors or a selection of shades of bricks with different firing intensities.

The final stage of creating a brick path. Bug fixes and repairs

After the masonry is finished, it is necessary to fill the gaps between the bricks. Most often, ordinary sand is used for this, since the cement-sand mixture can leave ugly whitish stains on the surface. A layer of clean sifted sand is poured onto the path and swept into the cracks with a brush. The operation is repeated several times, alternating with the passage from the hose.

Filling cracks with sand

After winter, defects may appear on the surface of the track: subsidence, bulging, bricks destroyed or spread to the sides. You can start fixing them with your own hands, waiting for the soil to dry. The coating from the defective area is removed and the base is leveled. Then the paving is restored.

Clinker paving. Effectively selected shades of terracotta of different degrees of firing

The path in the garden and in the country is a trivial attribute. Of course, we want to walk along a comfortable and beautiful path, which we got cheaper. Why not choose a brick? Let's resolve the last doubts together and figure out how to make tracks with your own hands, including from old material.

Harmony of finishing the porch and walkway

Why do we choose brick paths

Of course, brick garden paths attract us with their durability, affordability, appearance and ease of installation. At the same time, the brick enters into direct competition with paving stones and concrete.

However, the decoration of the building and the surrounding landscape may dictate the use of bricks for organizing paths.

Another case is if the brick remains from the construction site and it is convenient to use it for paths in the garden. The third option is when there is a desire to equip the paths in the country house cheaper, and there is an old and broken brick available.

The best choice is clinker or paving bricks. Such material looks presentable and lasts a long time. Ceramic masonry brick has pores and collapses under the influence of moisture and frost. However, it can also last a long time with proper preparation of the base and special processing. Sand-lime brick should be considered as a material for organizing temporary coverings.

Various styling options

The way the bricks are laid determines both the design and the durability of the walkway. It must be selected before the start of work, otherwise it is impossible to calculate the quantity and range of material. We offer for review a few photos that allow you to cover the possible styling options.

Curves and steps on brick paths

Installation of bricks with dressing (bricks are stacked with an offset in adjacent rows) can be carried out both along and across the track. An interesting drawing of bricks laid in pairs. The flooring border is best done with a brick set on edge. Steps on the track are made by installing bricks on the end.

Brick pavement pattern options

Brick can be laid flat and on its side. In the latter case, it is more difficult to work, it will take twice as much material, but the track will last longer. Braided and herringbone laying can be done at an angle of 45 or 90 degrees to the curb. All variants of the canvas can be decorated using material of different shades.

Marking and preparation of the base

Starting paving a brick garden path, you need to stock up on the following tool:
In addition to the main material you will need:

• sand;
• crushed stone or gravel;
• geofabric;
• boards 20-25cm wide;
• wooden pegs.

When starting to build paths in the yard with your own hands, you should decide on their size and placement. Practice shows that in the garden and in the country, a paving width of 0.8-1m is sufficient. Paths should not be located closer than 1 m from trees, the root system of which can disrupt the coating.

Brick walkway layout

It is convenient to mark the contours of the path with pegs and a cord, or fill it with sand. A groove is dug with a depth of 20-25 cm. The bottom of the trench is leveled, rammed and the base is prepared in accordance with the above scheme:

1. A leveling layer of sand 20 mm thick is poured, which is covered with geotextile. The geofabric will allow water to pass from the upper layers and prevent crushed stone from mixing with the soil.
2. Install a side of the board, which is fastened with nails to pegs hammered into the ground. The top end of the board coincides with the ground level. The distance between the boards is calculated based on the planned number of elements along the width of the track, taking into account borders and gaps of 2-3 mm. It is advisable to install guides on different sides of the track with a difference in height of 10-15mm in order to ensure the removal of water from the coating.
3. Lay, tamp and level a layer of crushed stone with a thickness of about 70 mm.
4. Sand 20 mm thick is poured on top of the rubble and covered with geofabric. The sand will level the rubble, and the geotextile will not tear.
5. They fall asleep, tamp and level the mixture of cement and sand in a ratio of 1: 5, about 50 mm thick.

It is possible to somewhat simplify the preparation process with some reduction in the quality of the base for the track. In this case, both 20mm thick leveling layers of sand and the middle sheet of geotextile can be excluded. Instead of a mixture of sand and cement, sand is laid, which is moistened and rammed. Crushed stone can be replaced with gravel.

Brick Laying Guide

Stages of paving a brick path

It is useful to protect an ordinary brick from destruction by immersing it in a hydrophobic solution before paving the path. In this case, it makes sense to re-treat the garden path with a water repellent every 4-6 years. As a result of processing, the material does not absorb moisture and becomes frost-resistant. Laying the coating begins with the installation of the curb. The brick is placed on the edge along the board and hammered into the sand with a rubber hammer to the level of the top of the guide.

Bricks are successively stacked in accordance with the planned pattern and hammered into the substrate with a mallet. A gap of 2-4 mm is left between adjacent elements. The laying plane is controlled by the level and the rule. After the installation of the coating, the seams between the bricks are filled with a mixture of cement and sand in a ratio of 1: 5 using a brush or broom. The procedure is repeated after the start of operation of the track in order to completely fill all the gaps. Upon completion of paving, the boards are pulled out. The resulting void is filled with cement mortar or soil, which must be compacted.

Paving the path from old and broken bricks

Combat track options

By and large, laying an old brick is no different from installing a new and beautiful one. However, compliance with the entire technical process will be redundant to save waste material. In this case, you still have to dig a groove 10 cm deep and fill it with sand 5 cm. This will lay out an even canvas and take some moisture away. A board placed on edge will help make the edge of the track even.

Original patterns from unusable bricks

Note that the use of combat can be neat and original. For example, the curb of the path can be laid out in the old fashioned way with bricks set on edge at an angle of 45 degrees. It is even more effective to organize a pattern from a whole and broken brick.

Of course, you will have to tinker more, but you can get a unique masterpiece from waste material!

Photos of role models

Possible combinations of brick and stone covering

When starting any business, it is always useful to evaluate how others have done it. From the examples above, the logic of combining brick with stone clearly follows. The border bears the greatest load and therefore it is reasonable to use a more durable natural material in this capacity.

Colorful brick grounds

These shots highlight the potential of bricks for paving large areas. In this case, various variations of the shape and color of the coating are possible. The main thing is that the chosen solution fits well into the surrounding landscape. In conclusion, we add that no matter what material you work with, diligence and perseverance will bring the desired result.

Let everything work out for you, and we offer a short video to help.

It is difficult to imagine a garden plot without neat paths. They divide the site into zones, decorate it and, of course, provide comfortable movement. One of the popular garden path materials is brick. So, do-it-yourself brick garden path.

Not every brick is suitable for paving. Ordinary full-bodied ceramic or silicate do not tolerate water and repeated freezing and thawing. After a few years, these bricks will begin to crumble and crack. Therefore, it is better to purchase clay paving slabs or waterproof bricks.

There are many options for paving patterns. You can also lay multi-colored bricks.

First, decide on the route and width of the future track. When planning the path, keep in mind that it should not pass close to large trees. Their roots will easily damage it. The minimum distance is 60 cm. But the main threat is water. Therefore, plan a path with a slight slope. Also, on one or both sides, you can dig a trench to drain water. Now, with the help of pegs and rope, mark the future route.

Next, a layer of sand about 5 cm thick is poured. The thickness may be different, it all depends on your site. After that, the sand is spilled with water and rammed. Then use the guides to align it.

Now you can lay bricks. We put it in the right place and with the help of a rubber mallet we drive in with gentle blows to the required depth. Use the level to check.

If you go too far and drive too deep, just take out the brick, level the sand and set it again. Another laying option, more reliable, is when the extreme bricks are placed on the end. If you choose this option, start laying with them.

After that comes the stage of filling the seams. To do this, sprinkle the sand along the path and simply mark it with a brush.

The second option for laying bricks

For a more solid version of the track, we lay geotextiles on the bottom of the base. It will prevent the germination of plants. Another difference is the extra layer of gravel. The thickness of this layer will again depend on your site, its topography, and the type of soil. The minimum thickness is 5 cm, on average it is 10-15 cm.

Publication date: 16-05-2015

How to make a garden path with your own hands?

If everyday walking around the summer cottage turns into an obstacle, because the owner of the site is buried in ankle-deep mud, then it's time to start building a brick path. Garden paths today are an integral part of the landscape of a country house. Such a path will not only make the passage from the gate to the house strong and clean, but also gives style to the landscape of the house. Moreover, a do-it-yourself brick path is built without much difficulty, and the cottage will look well-groomed and respectable. And for this it is not at all necessary to have “golden hands”, it is enough just to follow the step-by-step instructions.

To build a quality walkway, you need three things: borders, bricks, and foundations.

In order to build a brick path in the country with your own hands, you will need the following tools:

• hacksaw;
• shovel;
• manual tamper;
• 1.2 m level;
• hammer;
• drill;
• mechanical brush.

Necessary materials for laying the track

First of all, you need to choose a brick that tolerates harsh weather conditions well.

You need to measure the brick you like and calculate the amount needed for the track.

You will need a graduated base (this is a combination of stone dust and rubble) in order to create a porous, solid base. You will also need stone dust to make a porous smooth base between the bricks and the graduated base.

You can not do without combined lumber, which are used as temporary guides along the edges of the track. Combined materials are easier to bend than standard materials. You can choose the latter, but with your own hands it is easier to make a track using combined materials. Pegs will be needed to attach the rails, and screws will be needed to screw them on. To make a sand screed, you will need lumber. To give the path a finished and neat look, you can use a curb.

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Garden path construction overview

Each brick path needs a border to hold the material in place. During the construction of the path, guides are used that help hold the bricks.

To build a quality walkway, you need three things: borders, bricks, and foundations. The material, which is adapted to harsh weather conditions, will not only last for more than one season, but also will not crack after daily walking. If “old-fashioned standard” bricks are used in the construction (their length is twice the width) in order to get a solid surface and weeds do not appear, such material is recommended to be laid at maximum density.

Each brick path needs a border to hold the material in place. When building a path, guides are used to help hold the bricks while the path is laid. But then you still need to make a permanent restriction, which is formed from bricks turned sideways. At the same time, bricks must be buried deeper into the ground so that there is the necessary support.

Regardless of the quality of the material, garden paths will only be durable if there is a good foundation under them. The path in the country is laid at a distance of at least 60 cm from those trees that have large root systems. Another big threat is water - if it is not absorbed properly, it will seep to the surface, and when frost and warming come, this will cause the brick to bulge over the entire surface. In order to prevent this, it is necessary to redirect the drains; for this, a small slope is made on one side of the path.

Under the bricks there is a layer of graded base (a mixture of crushed stone and dust), and sand must be poured on top in order to ensure proper drainage. All layers must be properly tamped in order to have a solid foundation; it is easy to do it yourself.

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Construction of a garden path in the country

First you need to determine how wide the track will be, and then add 5 cm to this. Then you need to highlight its location in width with a rope, hose and paint. The top layer of earth is removed with a shovel between the markings, and you need to dig to the depth until the color of the earth changes. The soil that has been dug out must be laid on a tarpaulin so that everything around is clean, because then everything will also need to be cleaned with your own hands.

Now that the path has been dug, 5 cm of the graduated base is poured out, and its surface must be sprinkled with water. A manual rammer is taken and the base layer is evenly compacted, then another couple of centimeters of the base is added, and the process is repeated again until the compacted layer reaches a height of 7.5 cm.

Near the edges of the graduated guide base, narrow trenches are dug along the edges with a shovel. A wooden board 2.5 by 10 cm is installed on each side, then couplers are installed on top of them, and the boards are then hammered.

Now you need to start the screed, it can still be used as a spacer when the guides are installed. This is done as follows - a 5 by 10 cm wooden board is cut with a hacksaw so that it is 15 cm longer than the width of the path. Then notches are dug at the ends, the width of which should be 8 cm.

Near the edges of the graduated guide base, narrow trenches are dug along the edges with a shovel. A wooden board 2.5 by 10 cm is installed on each side, then couplers are installed on top of them, and the boards are then hammered. And then the brick garden path will look neat. In order to keep the guides in place, it is recommended to hammer wooden stakes to a depth of 15 cm, and they need to be installed every 90 cm. The pegs are attached to the boards with screws, then the boards are cut to the same level as the guides.

In order for the path to be even, you need to cut a small piece of wood for every 30 cm of the width of the path. Then put the level between the guides so that the wood is located at the top of the guides. Then, using a hammer, the guides are pressed against the ground until the level is even. Now sand is poured between the guides and compacted, and a screed is installed between the guides so that the surface of the sand is even. If necessary, sand is added and everything is compacted again.

During laying, the evenness should be checked regularly with a spirit level.

On both sides of the guides, shallow trenches (about 6 cm) are pulled out, the bricks are placed on the edge in these trenches and aligned on the same level with the top of the guides (for this, the blunt part of the hammer is used). Then, using a level, the bricks are checked for evenness. The material is laid along the edges until the entire track is laid out.

The recesses on the sides expand so that the screed is installed between the bricks on both sides. The actual laying of bricks begins between the edging: the brick is held above the sand, pressed against the edge of the edging and placed flush with the beginning of the path. Then the bricks are pressed with a hammer so that they are flush with the edge of the edging. During laying, evenness is checked regularly with a spirit level. Bricks should not be dragged along the sand, otherwise the joints will be filled with sand, which will lead to leakage.

A layer of stone dust or sand is poured over the brick, then sand or stone dust is scattered between the joints with a large broom. The path must be watered with water from a hose, and then, when the sand becomes wet, place it in the joints until they are densely filled. It must be remembered that garden paths must be not only beautiful in appearance, but also durable.

The sand sets for about one week, and after this time the seams are filled with sand again. When another week has passed, you can unscrew the pegs and guides. Thus, it becomes clear that in the country, built with their own hands, they are not something very complicated. And you can also decorate garden paths with colored bricks, which will look very original, and here everything is limited only by imagination. And this step by step guide will help you. You can not only build, but also decorate.