How to Build Brick Paver Steps
Brick pavers provide an attractive finished surface for outdoor steps leading to a patio, deck or porch. It's a challenging process but can be completed in a weekend of work, leaving you with a new landscape feature that complements your home.
Things You Will Need
- Level
- Sand
- Brick pavers
Warning
Wear gloves when working with pavers, as the surfaces are rough and can damage your hands.
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Plan the height, depth and width of the steps to be installed. Make the steps at least 2 feet wide for comfortable use, and at least 12 inches deep for a steady surface. Use the size of the brick pavers as a guide; if you are using 8-inch square brick pavers, then you could create steps that are 16 inches deep by 24 or 32 inches wide. A good height for steps is about 7 or 8 inches.
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Excavate the area into a rough shape for the steps you will be building. Remember to account for the height of the pavers plus a 1/2 inch of sand.
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Level the surface of the steps with hand tools. It is very important to get the steps as level as you possibly can; don't rush through this part of the project. Use a level to check the surface.
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Tamp the surface of the steps down.
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Install landscape fabric, if the soil is very loose and crumbly, from the top to the bottom of the set of steps.
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Spread a 1/2 inch layer of sand over the surface of the steps to complete the leveling process.
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Install the brick pavers onto the steps by pressing them onto the surface of the steps. The pavers should be very close to each other, but they do not have to be touching; it's fine if there is a hairline crack between them.
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Sprinkle more sand over the surface of the pavers, once they are installed, and sweep it in between the cracks. This will help the pavers stay in position.
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Step back and notice the overall appearance of the steps; now is the time to make adjustments. Fix any problems with the level by removing pavers, adjusting the sand beneath until the surface is level, and replacing the pavers.
The Drip Cap
- Brick pavers provide an attractive finished surface for outdoor steps leading to a patio, deck or porch.
- Use the size of the brick pavers as a guide; if you are using 8-inch square brick pavers, then you could create steps that are 16 inches deep by 24 or 32 inches wide.
- Level the surface of the steps with hand tools.
- Install landscape fabric, if the soil is very loose and crumbly, from the top to the bottom of the set of steps.
- Install the brick pavers onto the steps by pressing them onto the surface of the steps.
Check out this related video from Homesteady on Youtube.
References
Writer Bio
Annie Mueller is a professional writer and blogger. Since 2003 she has written extensively on small business, finances, parenting, education and personal growth, and has been published on Financial Edge and many other websites. Mueller attended Missouri Baptist College and earned her Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, in English from Mississippi State University.
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