What You Need to Know Before You Start
A brick patio is built in layers: soil preparation, a sand base, the bricks themselves, and sand between the joints. The work is physical but straightforward — you do not need special tools or experience. Most homeowners can lay a small patio (10 by 12 feet or smaller) in a weekend. Larger patios take longer, but the method stays the same.
The hardest part is usually the digging and leveling. Bricks will shift and settle unevenly if the ground underneath is not flat and compacted. Everything else — laying the bricks, filling the joints — is repetitive work that gets faster as you go.
Key Takeaways
- Dig out the patio area 4 to 6 inches deep, compact the soil, then add 1 inch of landscape fabric and 2 inches of sand as a base.
- Lay bricks in your chosen pattern (running bond and herringbone are most common), checking level every few rows with a long straightedge.
- Fill the joints between bricks with sand, sweep it level, and water it down to settle it into the gaps.
- You will need a shovel, wheelbarrow, level, rubber mallet, and a broom — most people already own these or can borrow them.
- The entire job takes longer than you expect because leveling the base is slow; budget extra time for this step.
Gather Your Materials and Tools
For a 10-by-12-foot patio, you will need roughly 480 bricks (a standard brick is 3.75 by 8 inches). Buy 10 percent extra to account for breakage and cuts. You will also need landscape fabric, coarse sand for the base, and polymeric sand or regular sand for the joints.
Tools you will need: a shovel, wheelbarrow, 4-foot level or longer, rubber mallet, broom, tape measure, and a circular saw with a masonry blade if you need to cut bricks. A hand tamper (a flat metal plate on a handle) compacts the soil much faster than stomping, though stomping works if you are patient. A plate compactor, which you can rent for $40 to $60 per day, makes the job significantly faster if your patio is larger than 12 by 12 feet.
Prepare the Ground and Set the Base
Mark out your patio area with string and stakes. Dig down 4 to 6 inches — this leaves room for 2 inches of sand base and the brick height (about 2.25 inches). The depth matters because bricks that sit too high will shift under foot traffic, and bricks that sit too low will collect water.
Once you have dug the area, compact the soil. Walk over it repeatedly or use a hand tamper, pressing down hard. The goal is to eliminate soft spots where the ground will settle later. Lay landscape fabric over the compacted soil to prevent weeds from growing up through the patio and to keep sand from sinking into the soil.
Spread 2 inches of coarse sand evenly over the fabric. Use a long straightedge (a 2-by-4 board works) to level the sand. Lay the straightedge across the patio from side to side, and drag it toward you, filling low spots and scraping off high spots. This step takes time but is worth doing carefully — an uneven sand base means an uneven patio.
Lay the Bricks in Your Chosen Pattern
The two most common patterns are running bond (bricks laid in staggered rows, like a brick wall) and herringbone (bricks laid at 45-degree angles in a V pattern). Running bond is faster and uses fewer cuts. Herringbone looks more finished but requires cutting bricks at the edges.
Start at one corner and lay bricks in your pattern, pressing each one firmly into the sand with a rubber mallet. Tap gently — you want the brick to sit flat, not bounce. Leave no gaps between bricks; they should touch edge to edge. Every few rows, lay a 4-foot level across the bricks to check that they are level side to side and front to back. If a brick is too high, tap it down. If it is too low, lift it out, add a pinch of sand underneath, and reset it.
When you reach an edge that does not fit a whole brick, measure the gap, mark the brick, and cut it with a circular saw fitted with a masonry blade. Wear a dust mask and eye protection when cutting. Wet the brick before cutting to reduce dust.
Fill the Joints and Finish
Once all bricks are laid and level, spread polymeric sand or regular coarse sand over the entire patio. Use a broom to sweep it into the joints between the bricks, working diagonally across the patio so you do not push sand out of the joints you just filled. Sweep back and forth until the joints are full and level with the brick surface.
Water the patio lightly with a hose. The water helps the sand settle into the joints. Let it dry for a few hours, then sweep again and water once more. After the second watering, let the patio dry completely before walking on it heavily. If you used polymeric sand, follow the manufacturer's instructions for watering — some types require a specific amount of water to set up the binding agent.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
The most common mistake is skipping the base preparation. A patio built on uncompacted soil or an uneven sand base will develop low spots and puddles within a year. Spend the extra time leveling the sand base — it is the difference between a patio that lasts 10 years and one that lasts 20.
The second mistake is laying bricks too loosely. Bricks should be pressed firmly into the sand and should not rock when you step on them. If a brick moves, the sand underneath is not compacted enough. Lift it, add more sand, and reset it.
The third mistake is using too much sand in the joints. Excess sand washes away in rain and leaves gaps. Fill the joints until they are level with the brick surface, then sweep away the excess.
When to Call Someone Else
If your patio area is larger than 15 by 15 feet, or if the ground slopes significantly, consider hiring a professional. Slope is important because water must drain away from your house. A professional can may support proper slope (typically 1/8 inch per foot) and will have equipment to compact large areas quickly.
If you discover that the soil is clay and very hard to dig, or if you hit rock, a professional with a power excavator can save you days of work. The cost is usually worth it for large patios or difficult ground.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a brick patio last?
A well-built brick patio lasts 20 to 25 years or longer. The bricks themselves last indefinitely, but the sand base and joints may need refreshing after 10 to 15 years. Sweep new sand into the joints when they start to empty out.
Can I lay a brick patio on top of concrete?
Yes, but the concrete must be clean and level. Sweep it thoroughly, then lay bricks directly on the concrete using a thin bed of mortar or polymeric sand. This method is faster than digging but does not allow for drainage underneath, so water may pool if the concrete is not sloped.
What is the difference between polymeric sand and regular sand?
Polymeric sand contains a binding agent that hardens when wet, locking the sand in place. Regular sand washes out over time and requires periodic refilling. Polymeric sand costs more but lasts longer and requires less maintenance.
Do I need to seal a brick patio?
Sealing is optional. A sealer protects bricks from stains and weathering but is not necessary for the patio to function. If you seal, do it after the joints have fully set — usually two to four weeks after installation.
What should I do if bricks crack or break after installation?
Remove the damaged brick by lifting it out and scraping away the old sand. Replace it with a new brick, reset it level with the others, and refill the joints with sand. This repair takes about 15 minutes per brick.