BRICK, STONE AND GRAVEL

Types of Unit Pavers
1. Baked Clay Brick, Paving Brick, Pavers
2. Concrete Pavers
3. Interlocking Paving Blocks
4. Tumbled Pavers
5. Open cell pavers
6. Resilient Pavers
7. Builders Brick

Brick
Today Manufactured from clay or shale that is mined. Pulverized, mixed, molded or cut to size.
Dried then fired in a kiln for several hrs to days at 1600 - 2000°
Longer the fired the harder the brick.

Clay Brick
Rectangular, fired paving brick, 4” x 8” x 2 ½”
Range of colors from white, cream tones, to
oranges, reds and browns & charcoal.
No mortar holes, strength of up to 5,000 lbs. psi.

Stone, Brick and
Concrete Paver Patterns

1. Paving Brick
Standard Bricks are 2 1/4” x 3 5/8” x 7 5/8”. A standard joint is 3/8”.
To excavate, calculate thickness of brick plus 1” of setting sand and 4” of gravel for walkways Use 8” of gravel for vehicular traffic.
Ex. 2 ½” + 4” = 6½” deep to prepare walkways or 7” for ½” above grade. For vehicle use excavate to 12”.
For setting brick over 4” of compacted gravel – use a compactor, then use a vibrator to settle in the brick.

Sand Compactor

Paving Brick

2. Concrete Pavers
Can be standard brick size or other shapes including interlocking, hexagonal, Squares, rectangles etc.
Are lighter weight than paving bricks.
Setting same as for Paving Bricks

Setting Concrete Paving Brick
Standard joint is 3/8”. To excavate, calculate thickness of brick plus 1” of setting sand and 4” of gravel for pedestrian use. Use 8” of gravel for vehicles.
Ex. 3 ½” + 4” = 8 ½” deep to prepare walkway or 8” if ½” above grade and a 12” for vehicle use.

Setting Concrete Paving Brick
Structure edge is used to hold paving brick
in place
Geo-textile fabric is used between sand and
brick as a weed barrier.
Granular herbicide may also be used

Paving Brick over Concrete
Aggregate Base = 3” (pedestrian)
6” (vehicles)
Then 4” reinforced concrete.
Mortar bed = ½” layer of mortar – spread over about 2’ to 3’ of area at a time
Brick is set on mortar, leveled with ¼”- 3/8” joint which is then also mortared between the bricks.

Paving Brick

Brick Overlays
Brick over used concrete/ Asphalt concrete pavers laid in a herringbone pattern over 1” of bedding sand and a Geotextile can regenerate new life over concrete and/or asphalt.

New Product
Techni-seal manufactures it.
Polymeric sand- Unilock sells it as “Structure Sand”
Buy the sand and Sweep it between the cracks- then wet it down and it hardens like a resin – has some give for movement but stays intact – can stabilize ½” – ¾” joint for stone also:

Polymeric Sand
Lets water through
Prevents weed growth
Keeps insects from mining under pavements
Stays in joints better than other sand / fair alternative to mortar over concrete.
Relatively new -Duration or life of product

Stone has Different Hardness's
Limestone is soft & porous

Stone has Different Hardness's
Sand Stone Wears Faster

Stone has Different Hardness's
Blue Stone or Slate is Harder

Cut Stone
Can have 2 smooth surfaces & all sides flat or 1 side smooth 1 side textured, but still in squares or rectangles etc.
Cut stone gives a more formal look
Tumbled cut stone gives all world look

Stone over Concrete
Base starts with the usual 6” gravel & 3”-4” concrete
Needs 2” of mortar space over concrete because have irregularity in stone thickness.
Most flagstone is 1 ½” thickness.
Do a segment at a time
Lay out stone besides walk patio first so can fit pieces in puzzle before you start.
Flag will require some cutting to fit.

Cut Stone
Stone of any kind can be cut into squares, rectangles of most any size. Is cut both horizontally and vertically.

New Product
Effortless Cobbles- segments are attached.
Fan Pattern, Arch pattern, Circle & Square Straight.
Plastic grid sheet holds concrete cobblestone together – can put down same as installing bricks over sand or other concrete.

Effortless Cobbles
Advantages
Saves a lot of work positioning individual cobbles to make the pattern, stone is already pre-cut.
Saves Labor
Can sweep structure sand between
Can trowel mortar over all the work into joints
Can be used in driveways if mortared, patios, walk, etc. if sand set – needs a structure edge either way.
Disadvantage
Thinner veneer stone used – will not stand up to
as much weight/traffic when installed on sand base.

Pattern Stone
Reversible pattern
to create a natural
stone look without a repeat pattern.

Recycled Countertop Granite

Granite Countertop – pieces recycled

Stone Pavings
1. Flag stone
2. cut stone
Random irregular pieces, as they broke when taken out of a quarry or put onto pallets of wire bins.
Flagstone is a term to any kind of stone i.e. Limestone flag, Bluestone flag, Sandstone flag

Flagstone
Flagstone will have different faces & thickness 11/2” is standard width.
Faces include “weather edge”
“Rock Face” edge
“Snapped Edge”

Turf Block or Geo Grid Materials
Used primarily for providing support under heavy pedestrian traffic areas
Especially good for car parking or overflow parking where lawn and the weight of the car are compatible.
Permits green space instead of paved space

Stepping Stones- Using Natural Stone
Flag or cut can be laid 1’ to 1 ½’ apart cut out turf the size of the stone & so that no more than 1” is above grade.

Formed & Molded Concrete
Stepping Stones

Flag Path
4” of gravel base compacted 1”-2” of sand and an edge restraint.
Sand swept between and can use structure sand or polymeric sand wet in for up to 1 ½” joints.

Flag Path

Navistone Concrete Squares/Rectangles

Bark Chip Paths
Hardwood Bark
Cedar Bark
Pine Bark
Eucalyptus Bark

Advantages to Bark Chip Paths
Least expensive cost wise of all options
Easy to put down and top-dress as needed
Grays out and blends into the landscape in a few months
Great for natural areas
Attractive aesthetically
Best for limited traffic pattern

Disadvantages of Bark Paths
Cannot shovel snow off of it.
Hard to keep leaves out of it and blowing them
off sometimes take the bark with it.
On slopes, it tends to wash to the bottom
Best if it has an edging to hold in place
Needs to be reapplied about every second year
because it continues to break down/decompose
Can be slippery if used on slopes

Granular Paving – Gravel Paths
Putting granular material over a soil base is generally not recommended
Granular materials should not be put over pavements such as concrete and asphalt, create a safety (Slippery) hazard.
Excavate Soil 5” to get ready for gravel path installation

Granular Paving – Gravel Paths
Base material of 3-4” of compacted road gravel or 1” = 1 ½” crushed stone or tamp or roll down to compact it thoroughly
Place the Geotextile weed barrier fabric down next

Granular Paving – Gravel Paths
On top of this the finish granular material can go – particles should be ¼” or less of a gate stone, Agate, Maramac pebbles preferably local materials or stone composites in pea gravel in a light mixed color can be rolled. Slag “fines” is something used for a gray look. Etc.

½” gravel edged with stone

Gravel on steps not recommended, steps poorly designed

Granular Paving – Gravel Paths
Can figure the amount of cu. yds needed by measuring length and width of path, then multiplying L x W x Depth of each material and dividing by 27 (cu. Ft. in a yd.)
For Depth use .4 for 3”, .5 for 6” as the multiplier, etc.
Example: Gravel Path = 4’ wide x 60’ long
4’W x 60’L / 27 cu.ft. = 8.9 x .4 (3” deep)
= 3.5 cu. yds. of gravel

Granular Paving – Gravel Paths
On slope used a 4” perforated drain pipe under the length of the path to keep the path dry during wet weather.
On well drained soils can get by with less material

Dry Stream

Advantages to Using Gravel in Paths
Inexpensive to buy and install
Generally good traction under foot if installed properly
Aesthetically attractive if natural colors chosen
Serviceable for many years if leaf debris and litter is kept blown off
Some people like the sound of the “crunch” under foot.
Best used in a natural setting with limited foot traffic.

Disadvantages to Gravel Paths
Installing an Edging is a must to keep the gravel from migrating off the path
If too deep, it is hard to walk in
Difficult to navigate in women’s heels or pushing a baby carriage, wheel barrow or pull a wagon through etc.
Can’t shovel snow off of it.
Must have a blower to keep leaves & debris off

Fines
Term used to described compacted stone dust.
The product of cutting stone – esp. granite fines are excellent – available from landscape supply companies.
Compact it 1”-2” deep for a serviceable path
Screened slag has been used this way also.

Compacted Granite Fines

Compacted Granite Fines

Slag
By-product of Steel making
Limestone heated to a high temperature Clinker size to small granular fines
- clinker size used as an under layment for
driveways and roads
- granular fines used to compact for walks
and parking lot surfaces

Composites
Plastics and sawdust combos
- Used for steps, stairs and decks - Used for walkways around boat launches etc.

Trex, Tec Dec, Monarch -Composite

Epoxy/Bonded Surfaces
Resin and catalyst mixed which when combined create a solidifying glue
Mixed with small pea gravel which then
hardens with the epoxy.
Lets water through it but isn’t generally
winter proof.

Epoxy Aggegate

Porous Pave

Porous Pave
Recycled rubber tires.
Flexible, withstands cracking or heaving due
to ground freezing and thawing.
Resistant to oil, chlorine, UV, acids, gas & petrol products
Put down 2” deep - cures in 24 hrs.
Comes in colors
Great traction underfoot

Porous Pave – Recycled Rubber Tires

WOOD PATHS/WALKWAYS
Railroad Ties
2” x 10”, 2” x 12” American Hardwood
Pressure Treated Timbers
Cedar, Redwood, or Ipae, or other Brazilian Hardwoods
Composite – wood and plastic blends such as Trex