How to lay a brick edging for a gravel path

TobyGilliam534

Hi all,

I'm going to lay a gravel path in my garden. I'm using a weed blocker membrane, some crushed stone as a base, then 20mm gravel on top.

I'm keen on using a brick edging and have found a few sites which suggest you can plonk it in there, back fill with soil and be done with it. However, others say that it needs to be fixed down more firmly with concrete or with an edge restrainer.

It's quite a small path, only 40cm wide, and it's curved - for about 10 m in length.

I'm keen on the brick raising above the level of the gravel.

Does it need to be more firmly secured than I've suggested above?

Thanks!

Toby

force_ten

if you put it on the soil and back fill in time the brick edge will move and start to look shabby

bricks set in concrete would be the best option as it be more resistant to sideways movement

plastic retainers may be an option but if you can

Ken68

Ordinary bricks will over a few years succumb to frost with bits flaking off . Good for say five years.

TobyGilliam534

Thanks both. Ken - yes I understand I need to buy bricks that are frost proof.

Force Ten - I'll check out plastic retainers. Sounds sensible!

Toby

MX5huggy

http://www.pavingexpert.com/gravel01.htm covers it all in great deatail

force_ten

using block paviors is an option they are normally pressed concrete and tend to be frost resistant

if you can concreting them in is the strongest option, set a string line to finish height lay down an bed of concrete and use a rubber mallet to tap the blocks down to the string line and then bring the concrete to about half way up the block on the outside

gingernut352000

If you are laying next to lawn I prefer the brick below lawn but above gravel makes allows mower to cut right to the edge with no need for striming right up to the brick.

TobyGilliam534

@force ten

Thank you - would you suggest concrete instead of mortar or would mortar be ok? I've never done this before so thinking mortar might be a bit easier to work with?

I guess it's the same process as laying a brick wall pretty much (but just doing one layer?). And can I put the concrete / mortar directly on top of the crushed stone (MOT 1)

Thanks again, really appreciate this.

Toby

force_ten

TobyGilliam534 wrote: »

@force ten

Thank you - would you suggest concrete instead of mortar or would mortar be ok? I've never done this before so thinking mortar might be a bit easier to work with?

I guess it's the same process as laying a brick wall pretty much (but just doing one layer?). And can I put the concrete / mortar directly on top of the crushed stone (MOT 1)

Thanks again, really appreciate this.

Toby

I tend to use a coarse sand and fine ballast mix that i buy from a local builders merchant, it makes an ideal base for setting edge blocks and it is like a fine concrete, i use six shovels sand and ballast and one shovel cement

mortar mix made with sharp/coarse sand will be ok for a path edge that is only taking foot traffic, and yes just lay it on compacted type 1 sub base

lay down a bed of mortar which will bring your paviour to about one inch above your string line and tap it down with a rubber mallet which will bed the block into the mortar and then build the mortar up the block at an angle on the outside edge

TobyGilliam534

Thanks for this. I did get going before I realised you'd replied - I've put the first few bricks down pretty much how you'd suggested but I put them on a cm-ish thick bit of mortar each and didn't compact them down too much(although I did press down on them pretty hard) - it sounds like I should have put a lot more down (an inch or so) then pushed them down to where they are now.

Also it's a bit difficult to put mortar up the edge as the soil is in the way! Should I be cutting out a bit more soil at the outside of the brick in order to do this? They're only edging so shouldn't get knocked around too much but I do want them to be stable. I can always go back to the bricks I've already done and mortar up the sides a bit - how high up do I need to go?

Really appreciate your help with this!

TobyGilliam534

@forceten After a day or two they're rock solid, so wasn't anything to worry about. Thanks so much for your help with this!