Turn an ugly concrete slap into a beautiful brick patio in one afternoon.

Turn an ugly concrete slap into a beatiful brick patio in one afternoon.

If you already have a concrete patio or sidewalk, you can update the space simply by laying brick pavers over the old surface.

There are a number of advantages to doing it this way. The biggest is that the base is already there and you instantly improve the appearance of your property, without having to dig up your old concrete and haul it away. And pavers don’t need to be power-washed each spring.

Step 1
With concrete that’s smooth and even, start by choosing a clay paver and the pattern that you will use. Keep in mind that there are “thinner” pavers (1 3/8”) for these applications and that some patterns like herringbone will require more cuts than others.

Step 2
Next lay a “soldier course” of bricks, perpendicular to the edge of the concrete to form the outside “frame” of your project. The secret here is to use four dots of masonry adhesive on each brick, each about the size of a penny, which allows rainwater to pass underneath.

Step 3
On the inside of the soldier course, cut pieces of roofing felt to put a single layer inside the “frame” covering the concrete, don’t overlap the felt edges, and then lay a second layer of felt, perpendicular over the top of the first layer.

Step 4
Then, starting at one corner, begin laying the brick in place, leaving a 1/8” gap between the pavers for sand. Finish by sweeping concrete sand in between the joints until they are full.