Accent Your Walkway With Utility Bricks

Are you looking for a unique, decorative use for your utility bricks? Why not make an attractive border for the walkways that lead up to your home? Brick is a versatile, durable, low-maintenance, and eco-friendly building material that has been used for centuries. Its uses range from aesthetic applications to functional foundations and everything in between. Based on its uses and durability, it’s the perfect material to accent your walkways.

Here’s a brief description of how to use utility bricks as a walkway accent:

1. Prepare: Your project will require the following materials: utility bricks, compactable gravel, washed sand, and plastic paver edging. Once you have all of your materials, measure the edging and draw out a plan. This measure will tell you how much plastic edging you need. The edging will keep the bricks from shifting and drifting.

2. Dig: Before you begin digging, it’s important to make sure there are no utility lines under the walkway. Once you’ve learned that it’s safe to dig, remove a premeasured amount of grass along the walkway’s edge. Try to cut the sod neatly so you can use it to fill in any holes later. Now, you’re ready to dig your pre-measured trench.

3. Fill: Once the trench has been dug, rake all the dirt at the bottom so that it’s smooth. Compact your gravel well with a hand tamper. Add the gravel in 3-inch increments to ensure it’s well-packed throughout. Now you’re ready to add the sand. If the sand is too dry, add some water to dampen it. When gauging the depth of your sand, make sure the paver sits about ¼ to ½ inch above the sidewalk.

4. Set: If your walkway goes around corners or weaves in a curved motion, you may have to cut your utility bricks so that everything fits. Start setting bricks on the corner and work your way out. Once you’ve set some bricks, use the plastic edging to hold them in place. Scrape the extra sand out from behind the utility bricks and install the plastic edging behind the bricks. Drive the 10 inch spikes every foot to help hold the edging in place.

5. Finish: Use a board to pack the utility bricks into place, allowing them to be slightly elevated above the sidewalk. Spread dry sand over the top of the bricks and use a broom to spread sand to all the cracks. Use the board and hand maul to pack the bricks one last time to ensure the sand gets into all the cracks, locking the bricks into place. Finish up by filling the trench behind the bricks with some soil. Add sod and you’re finished.

If you’re looking for a utility brick supplier to begin your project, contact the masonry experts at Bedrock Industries today. We have a wide selection of utility bricks available to suit any masonry project.