Whether you’re creating a brick landing for a new set of steps or forming a small brick path, the trick is to get a nice sub surface to support the bricks. You’ll need a nice smooth surface but also one with a consistent depth, otherwise some bricks may be higher or lower than others creating a tripping hazard.
To make a smooth surface, create a screed (the same tool concrete finishers use to smooth out concrete). We used a section of 1×4 with a small strip of wood screwed to the back. The distance from the bottom of the strip of wood to the bottom of the screed is the thickness of the brick less about a 1/4″.
Your strip of wood should be long enough to extend over the edges of your form while the 1×4 should be short enough to fit inside the form. Run your screed board over the crushed stone/sand along the formwork edges to smooth the surface.
Further Information
- How to Make a Screed from a Rake (video)
- Resurfacing a Concrete Driveway (video)
- How to Lay a Paver Patio (video)
