question on red brick on the edges of concrete back yard.

[rnln]

Hi,
I would like to have red brick surround the concrete back yard, like in the picture below. How thick is the concrete I have to have under the red brick? I was going to do a little bit to hold the bricks in place, by digging it down slightly, then throw some concrete, then place the bricks on top. My brother told me I have to have at least between 2" to 3" of concrete because this is a walk path. What do you, the experts, think?
Thanks.

[gr8fl4porsche]

Golden rule is do it right or plan on doing it again.


If you are doing something like in the picture, the whole area is prepared the same. The edge brick merely replaces some of the concrete. If the slab is 4" thick, then the edges have 2" of concrete and 2" of brick. Prepare the base properly. There really is no such thing as overkill when building the base.

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by gr8fl4porsche

Golden rule is do it right or plan on doing it again.


If you are doing something like in the picture, the whole area is prepared the same. The edge brick merely replaces some of the concrete. If the slab is 4" thick, then the edges have 2" of concrete and 2" of brick. Prepare the base properly. There really is no such thing as overkill when building the base.

+1

In the picture you posted, you can see the thickness of the concrete underlayment if you look closely at the curve, near the top, left of the picture. The brick is a 2" paver that is laid over the ~2" of concrete. Some contractors actually "key in" the edge by digging the base along the edge a bit deeper than the slab so it too will have a 4" concrete underlayment.

The brick strip near the bottom of the picture is done the same and is essentially the expansion joint between the slabs. I have seen this done in the same way, except it is a separate installation. The large slabs are formed and poured with a gap left between them for the expansion strip--sort of like "islands" separated by dirt strips. After the forms are removed, the strip is filled with a 2"base of concrete and pavers added. As mentioned above, the dirt has been graded and compacted at the same level as the slabs.

[Zeke]

I would not go light on the base. If you lay the bricks on 2" while it's wet, that will be better. But, you will need 2 batches going, one mortar and one with gravel for the base. If you wet the bricks slightly, it will be stronger.

2" is the min, I'd go at least that with some pencil rod in the base.

[wdfifteen]

Your brother is right, you'll need a concrete foundation under the brick that is at least 3" thick. Consider some thin pavers. They may have some that look like brick. You won't have to dig such a deep hole, and they're made to be "paving." That's probably not a big deal where you are, but wall bricks that get the standing water and freeze-thaw cycles we have around here don't hold up well.

[rnln]

ah... everything gets more complicated everytime I ask more question/research.
Back to the back yard now.
Thanks guys.

[RWebb]

HD has pavers, as do all sorts of other places around here -- any style you want.

[rnln]

have the red bricks already, 1000+, therefore I can't change brick type/style. After reading all response, I went out and digged deeper and decided to just do it, so I can't change my mind even if I want to. I used the string alignment method and lay a around 50". Looking back, my base is at last 4" deep. I feel safe now. Bricks are straight. I was happy and decided to eake a break. Stepped away from it, looked back, oh no, the line is straigth horizontally but verticlely, it is up down all over

[RWebb]

think of it as patina, and call it a day

[Jim Bremner]

Cubic Concrette is cheper than redoing it. I just poured my garage floor. Code is 4" + rebar. I had it done to 5" at the shallow and 6" at the back of the garage. Figure $120 per cubic yard if your project uses 12 yards for code and you run 14-15 yards but it lasts 10 years longer your saving $$$ figure that concrete will be 1/4 the cost of labor.

[Heel n Toe]

rnln, I get the impression from your OP that the concrete is already there.

If so, you should tie into that somehow, otherwise in a couple of years (or sooner), that brick and the concrete under it will probably begin to pull away somewhat... beginning with a crack right where it joins, then more over time because of people stepping on just the brick.

You could use a hammerdrill and drill laterally into the slab an inch or two every couple of feet, then put a piece of rebar in the hole, bent at a right angle and tied into rebar running alongside that you imbed in the concrete you're gonna pour to set the brick in/on.

Also, be sure to wet the edge of the slab down real good (as well as the bricks, like Zeke said) before you pour that new concrete and set the bricks, then cover about 2 to 3 feet of the slab and the new concrete/bricks/mortar with plastic for a week or more while it cures. You want it to dry/cure slowly for maximum strength.

[rnln]

Zeke,
What do you mean by pencil rod? can you please describe?

Jim,
Talking about garage floor, I wanted to do mine too because it has some tinny crack, but I rather stop the thought right now. I have started more projects than enough, but have nothing done yet

Heel n Toe,
Yes, the concrete yard is already there, sorry I didn't state that in the question. I am only doing the edges with red brick.s
Drilling into the concrete with rebar might not be able to be done because the slab is only around 2" or maybe 2.5" thick, same thickness of the red brick. What I mean is the thickness of the brick will take the whole thickness of the slab. I will come out and check out the fitment again to see if that can be done.

Thanks all.