How to Build a Brick and Concrete Porch

You need to know how to build a basic brick and concrete porch before you begin to play around with special layouts and techniques.

Things You Will Need

• Crushed rock
• Sand
• Concrete mix
• Decorative bricks
• Concrete saw
• Mortar

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Use Crushed Rock and Sand to Reinforce Your Brick-and-Concrete Porch

1. Pour crushed rock from a local quarry into the excavated space before you build a brick and concrete porch. Use between 4 inches and 6 inches of rock as a base for your porch.

2. Utilize a hand compactor to even out the initial layer of crushed rock as you build your porch. Run the compactor over every inch of rock several times to provide a solid base for fine sand and bricks.

3. Drop a thin layer of fine sand as the next step toward a brick-and-concrete porch. A sand load between 1 inch and 3 inches will fill in the excavated area and stay tight without additional packing with a compactor.

4. Cut your decorative bricks with a concrete saw to reflect twists, turns and special shapes as you build your porch. Use a small amount of mortar to keep shaped bricks together as you complete your porch.

Create a Porch out of Brick and Concrete

1. Protect your porch from water buildup and damage by laying 2 inches of gravel after excavation. The gravel should be packed, even though the space between individual rocks allows water to flow into the ground.

2. Spread out a thick concrete base into the excavated area as you build your new porch. Mix between 3 inches and 6 inches of concrete to place evenly along the open area as a base for your porch.

3. Angle your brick and concrete patio on a downward slope from your home to ensure proper drainage. A slight decline from the top of your porch to the edge of your property prevents water from pooling in large amounts.

4. Apply a uniform amount of mortar to each brick before placing on a dried concrete slab. Arrange the bricks into a simple pattern along the concrete slab to save mortar for brick posts and decorations.