We are laying a patio of old clay bricks. Many of them are very old, like original sidewalk bricks from old Trenton. Will using a plate compactor as the final step to vibrate sand into the joints cause these bricks to crack? Is a plate compactor even necessary?
Also, does landscaping fabric really keep weeds from growing up into the patio? I can’t find anywhere that tells when in the sequence to lay it–before the crushed stone, or between the crushed stone and the sand?
Thanks!
Engineered-stone shower panels are waterproof, but proper installation relies on tight seams and silicone sealing.
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Replies
good idea to run a plate packer on top of the brick, it will help set the bricks into the sand. sweep sand over brick, and rinse with water, the water will help settle the sand into the joints. as far as the landscape fab, it should go between the stone base and the sand. this stuff works great. if you have large sand joints between the brick, you may get some weeds growing in them. weeds don't need much of a foothold to get started. just make sure you pull the weeds as they get started.
I would not run the plate compactor over the clay bricks.
Set them level on compacted base and sweep sand in between them. If you use fabric, put in under your base.
I doubt the landscape fabric is going to help much with the bricks giving any weed 3 or so inches to get a footing before they reach the fabric. By that time they've already tried pushing the bricks aprat with the roots. Be diligent with keeping the weeds in check and skip the fabric.
1) cover the pavers well with sand to protect them from the vibrating plate compactor.
2) Google polymeric sand. They sell it at Lowes. Kinda expensive but makes for a more permanent installation of pavers.
3) re the LS fabric, it won, help much with the weeds - the poly sand will, but the LS fabric serves another purpose which is to prevent your aggregate base from washing away with rain, etc.
Personally, I prefer "screenings" or sometimes also called "fines" as base for pavers. It is basically very fine gravel - more like coarse sand mixed with gravel powder.
dont waste your money on the fabric. use the extra scratch to buy the polymer sand
No go with the plate compactor on older brix- they will crack. The new clay brick is baked harder, will take the pounding. On work with old brick, I lay down a sheet of luan and gentle compact with the hand tamper.
Ditto what was said about polymeric sand- great stuff- spread it in the cracks, tamp as above,spread more to fill the cracks, brush and blow off the excess, and wet.
Geo-textile fabric is only used under dry laid pavers as a separation membrane between subsoil and compacted gravel, esp with clay soils.
Good luck- used clay brick work is a great look when done well.
Steve
If you use stone dust instead of sand it will compact harder and will not attract ants.
Stone dust is slightly coarser than sand, with grains about 3/32".
Thanks, everyone. The polymeric sand sounds like interesting stuff, but I am learning that every bit of the surface needs to be cleaned of the sand because water will activate a binding agent that will cause it to stick there. We don't have enough clay bricks and are supplementing with some of the kind that have a pretty rough surface with pockmarks and small holes in them. Won't sand fall in these crevices on the brick face and then permanently stick there once it gets wet? It sounds ugly to me. We don't own a blower, but would that even get it out of those spots?
Don't sweat it. I've just brushed the excess of with a broom and it's not vsible unless you lookhard and know what you're looking for. Don't over-think this thing, and just gitterdun.Steve