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About This Project
A brick patio accented by a natural stone border is just the kind of place that will draw you and your family on a warm evening. Patios have been around a long time, but never before has the selection of stones, paving brick and other materials been better suited for attractive, long-lasting designs.
In this article, we’ll show you how to build this intimate brick and stone patio. You don’t need a big yard, just a cozy little spot. Lay a border of stone any size and shape you want. Then fill the middle with your choice of paver bricks. The result is a permanent, maintenance-free patio with the casual look of an old English garden.
Building A Brick And Stone Patio Like Ours Doesn't Take Special Skills . . . But It'll Make You Sweat
The casual, free-form design allows you to relax and be creative rather than worrying about precise cutting and fitting. We’ll tell you everything you need to know to do it. In a nutshell:
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Plan the size.
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Dig a hole about 10 in. deep, and pack a 6-in. layer of gravel to form a flat base that slopes slightly for drainage.
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Set the stones and brick in a layer of sand and tamp them down so the surface is even.
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Fill the cracks with sand, tamp again, then landscape around the new patio and you’re done.
This project isn’t technically difficult, but be prepared to devote a big chunk of time and energy to it. You’ll haul many tons of dirt, gravel, stone and brick before you’re done. With a small crew of strong and ambitious helpers, you could finish this project in two or three weekends, but working alone at a leisurely pace, you’ll spend the better part of a summer.
We assembled our patio from used street pavers that we bought from a brickyard. Individually, the bricks look a little crude, covered with tar and well worn, but the overall effect is perfect. Then we chose tumbled Wisconsin limestone for the border. The tumbling rounds the edges and gives the stone a worn look that complements the rustic appearance of the used pavers.
You may not find the exact materials we used locally; check the stone dealers in your area to see what’s available.
This patio costs about as much as a premium-quality wood deck. We spent just over $4,500, or about $11.25 per square foot. The cost of stone varies widely, though. Depending on your location, you might spend a lot more or a lot less.
The character of the stone makes this patio!
Stone varies greatly in color and texture. Visit a number of stone suppliers to see what’s available in your area and to check prices. (See the Yellow Pages under “Stone” or “Landscaping.”) We chose 3- or 4-in. thick stone intended for building walls, but any relatively flat stone that’s 2 to 4 in. thick will work. Because stone is sold by the ton (we used 5- 1/2 tons at $250 per ton), a thinner stone like flagstone would have been more economical, but it wasn’t available in the tumbled finish we wanted. If you use thinner stone, don’t tamp it with the compactor. It will crack. The stone dealer will tell you approximately how many square feet a ton of each type of stone covers. Order at least 15 percent extra to allow more selection when you’re looking for just the right shape.
Concrete pavers are the most economical choice for paving patios. They cost about 49¢ each and are available in many sizes and colors. Traditional clay pavers have truer brick color and cost about 68¢ each. We paid 90¢ each for these used street pavers, but prices vary widely.
Concrete pavers are available at home centers and landscape retailers, but you’ll probably have to find a brickyard to buy clay pavers (in the Yellow Pages under “Brick”). You’ll need about 4-1/2 bricks for every square foot, assuming an average-sized 4 x 8-in. brick. It’s difficult to figure the exact amount of brick needed for an irregularly shaped patio like this, so order about 15 percent extra.
How the layers go together
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