How to Make an Easy Brick Patio Pattern for Beginners

This Easy DIY Brick Patio Needs No Cuts

two brick basket weave flooring
© Bigstockphoto
Project Overview
  • Total Time: 2 - 3 days
  • Yield: 10-foot by 10-foot brick patio
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Estimated Cost: $600 to $800

Building a DIY brick patio gives you a decorative, eye-catching spot to spend time that's also clean and dry for socializing and other activities. Using brick is one of the easiest ways to build a small patio.

While patio bricks can be laid in a variety of different patterns, using a basketweave pattern in a square or rectangular shape requires little or no cutting of bricks. This outdoor patio idea freshens up your backyard in a couple of days for less than $800.

Codes and Regulations

Call your city office to learn about all building code requirements, zoning laws, or land use restrictions that may apply to your project. In most areas, you do not need a building permit for a simple paver patio, but zoning and land use rules in your area may apply. If the proposed patio is located near a property line or an easement or right of way, the city may require a survey of the property and possibly other documentation before building.

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What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Tape measure
  • 8 stakes
  • Small sledgehammer
  • Mason's line
  • Line level
  • Shovel
  • Rake
  • Long, straight 2x4 board
  • Carpenter's level
  • Hand tamper or plate compactor
  • Rubber mallet
  • Plywood scrap
  • Broom
  • Garden hose

Materials

  • Paving bricks
  • Patio edging
  • Patio edging stakes
  • Gravel
  • Landscape fabric
  • Sand
  • 50-pound bag polymeric sand

Instructions

Build a DIY Brick Patio

The easiest DIY brick patio uses the sandset method. The bricks are laid on the ground, over a layer of compacted gravel topped by landscape fabric and a smooth layer of sand. After the bricks are laid, sweep polymeric sand into the cracks between the bricks to lock them in place.

  1. Plan the Patio

    Find a clear area for building the patio. The area should be as large as the patio itself, plus another 2 to 3 feet around it to allow for building. The patio should slope 1/4-inch per linear foot of patio length.

    For example, if the patio is 10 feet long, it should slope down 2-1/2 inches from one end to the other. The downhill end is where the water will run off of the patio. Typically, this should be the end farthest from the house, so surface water sheds away from the house foundation.

  2. Mark the Patio Edges

    Use stakes and mason's line to create layout lines for the patio area. Base the dimensions on the brick paver size; the lines should represent the outer edges of the brick, not the edging. You can create a layout with just four stakes, but a better method is to drive two stakes at each corner, placed about 2 feet beyond the sides of the patio.

    Tip

    Make sure the string layout is square by measuring diagonally between opposing corners (where the strings meet). The layout is square when the diagonal measurements are equal.

  3. Excavate the Area

    Excavate the patio area to a depth of 8 inches, extending the excavation about 6 inches beyond the brick layout on all sides. Slope the soil to follow the layout lines, measuring down from the lines as you go to maintain an 8-inch depth. Tamp the soil thoroughly with a hand tamp or a rented plate compactor.

  4. Add a Gravel Base

    Pour compactible gravel inside the excavated area to a depth of four inches. Rake the gravel smooth and level, slope it to follow the string layout, and tamp it so that it is thoroughly compacted.

  5. Install Paver Edging

    Install the plastic paver edging along the perimeter of the patio. Stake down the edging. The "L" side of the edging should be facing inward.

  6. Fit the Edging Bricks

    Line up bricks along the edges to make sure the edging placement is accurate. This avoids the need to cut bricks later on. The edging should fit snugly against the test-fit bricks. Remove the test-fit bricks, keeping the edging in place.

  7. Add Landscape Fabric

    Lay landscape fabric over the gravel; this suppresses weeds and separates the gravel from the sand layer.

  8. Add the Sand Layer

    Pour 2 inches of sand over the landscape fabric. Use the two-by-four as a screed to smooth and level the sand. There should be 2 inches between the top of the sand and the top of the patio edging. Remove the layout strings and stakes.

    Tip

    Spray the sand with a gentle mist of water until it is thoroughly soaked. This helps to concentrate and compact the sand.

  9. Lay the First Row of Bricks

    Lay the first bricks, starting in one corner and running along the edging to complete a row. Alternate each pair of bricks so that two are perpendicular to the edge, then two are parallel, and so on. Press the bricks gently into the sand, and put them together as closely as possible. Tap the bricks with a rubber mallet to settle them into the sand, if necessary.

    Tip

    To keep everything lined up, run a mason's line across the first row, aligned with the leading edges of the bricks. Pull the line taut and secure it at the ends with stakes, or simply clamp them to the edging. Straighten the bricks in the first row, as needed.

  10. Lay the Remaining Bricks

    Install the remaining bricks, one row at a time, moving the mason's line for each row. The last row should fit snugly against the edging.

  11. Sweep the Bricks With Polymeric Sand

    Polymeric sand stiffens in the joints between pavers to lock them in place and prevent weed intrusion. Spread polymeric 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.

  12. Moisten the Polymeric Sand

    Gently spray the patio with a garden hose to settle the sand in the cracks. This will activate the sand to start the stiffening process. Spread and sweep more sand into the cracks, and then spray again, until the cracks are completely filled and the sand is settled. 

  13. Backfill the Edging

    Backfill behind the brick edging with soil and sod or other landscape material. This partially hides the edging to create a finished look, and it helps to hold the pavers and edging in place.

Tips for Building a Brick Patio

  • If you do need to cut bricks to fit your layout, use a hammer and masonry chisel or a circular saw with a masonry blade.
  • With polymeric sand, all sand must be swept off of the surface before you spray down the bricks. Otherwise, the sand will mar the surface.
  • For comfort and to prevent moving the installed bricks, lay a sheet of plywood atop the bricks to kneel on while you work.
FAQ
  • Can you use regular bricks for a brick patio?

    The best bricks to use for a brick patio are regular paving bricks or brick pavers that are 4 inches wide by 8 inches long by 2 inches thick.

  • Is it easy to lay your own bricks for a brick patio?

    It is easy to lay your own bricks for a brick patio from the perspective of planning and design. Only a few building materials are required, and it is simple to learn how to assemble them. Physically, laying your own bricks is difficult due to the weight of the brick and sand, as well as the need to work on the ground on your knees.

  • Is a brick patio or concrete patio cheaper?

    It is typically cheaper to build a brick patio than a concrete patio because a brick patio is DIY-friendly. Materials should be delivered in bulk to the project area, but most capable homeowners can take it from there. A concrete patio should be built by experienced professionals with mixing equipment, so this drives up the cost.