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Old Chicago Brick Paver Installation Instructions.

Create a brick patio, driveway or pool deck with antique old Chicago bricks.

Installing Old Chicago bricks as pavers on driveways, patios or walkways are a very common here in Miami. Sometimes I think to myself that there are more Chicago bricks here in Florida than in Chicago. Old Chicago bricks are the very familiar buff/brownish to the red colored clay bricks. These bricks were reclaimed from old historical buildings and chimneys within the Chicago area. Chicago antique brick is an excellent choice for any paving project.

Keep in mind that antique Chicago bricks are salvaged bricks. They were used and re-used many times in their lifespan. Many old Chicago antique bricks are 100-130 years of age. Therefore you can expect to find bricks in the pallets that are somewhat chipped, broken and unclean from debris and the mortar that the bricks were installed with. Old Chicago bricks can have a multitude of colors on the sides, since it can come from a wall that might have been painted. The face sides of the bricks are usually the clay color with some mortar residue on them.

Since these bricks are hand-made, fired in a furnace several decades ago and salvaged, the size may vary. If you install Old Chicago bricks as pavers I would recommend installing them with a 3/8^th – ½ inch joints allowing fitting even the longer bricks.

1, Have a plan.

As with every paver job the first step is laying out the area. Carefully keeping in mind any utilities such as, water, electrical lines or sprinklers. Masonry string lines and stakes are needed for properly outlining the area you wish to cover with the pavers. Stake out an area approximately 4” larger that needs to be paved, allowing the restrains to rest on a compacted base. Make sure that you have square corners at your starting point. As a general rule every paved area should slope away from the building. A good rule of thumb is to give a 1/8^th to a ¼ inch of slope per foot. So if you have an area that is 12 feet long you should lower your string line 3-4 inches from level.

2, The second step is the excavation of the soil.

In order to excavate to the proper depth first you would need to determine how much base you will need under your pavement.

If you are paving a driveway or a carpool that takes traffic from cars or possibly trucks I would recommend having at least 6” of base. If you are paving for a walkway of an outdoor patio you should count with a 4’ thick base.

(The base material should be the same type of gravel and crushed lime-rock that road building companies use underneath their asphalt pavement.)

So to determine the total depth for pedestrian walkway: 4” base+ 1” sand + 2 ¼^”brick, totaling 7 ¼”.

3, Installing base material.

First compact the surface of the soil with a plate compactor. Then gradually add the base material and compact it periodically. Every paver job is as good as your base is.

This process needs to be done right or otherwise your brick pavement will sink overtime. Wetting the gravel lightly with water will help compacting the base. Some plate compactors have water tank installed on them for achieving this. Add base material in layers until it is approximately 3” to 3-1/2” from the desired level of the finished grade.

Pull a string line in the elevation where the top of your pavers are going to be. Take frequent measurements from your string line to the base.

Compacting old chicago pavers.

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Note: If you are concerned about weed growing between the joints of the old Chicago bricks you could install polyester landscape fabric weed barrier. This heavy duty weed barrier will block sunlight and weeds, while allow the flow of air, water and nutrients to soil.

4, Installing the bedding sand or paver sand.

After reaching the desired height with your base you have to add your bedding sand. You can purchase this at your local building material supplier. We usually use 1” outside diameter PVC pipes to screed the sand to proper height. Lay the pipes on top of your base and put an old Chicago brick on the top of it. Adjust the pipes to the elevation until the string line reaches the top of your brick. Shown on picture.

5, Installing the edge restraints.

Good durable edge restrain around your paved old Chicago brick is imperative.

Edge restraints are what hold the brick pavers in place. There are few ways to install the edge restrains. You can choose materials for edge restrains that you feel best suites your need and budget. The traditional edge restrain is made out of concrete. As opposed to more modern counterparts concrete restrains are installed after you laid all your Chicago bricks. Concrete restrains have to be reinforced with rebars to prevent cracking.

PVC, metal, and other materials are installed beforehand your brick pavers. It will outline your paved area and excellent way to make curved pavements such as walkways.

6, Laying old Chicago antique brick pavers.

I would recommend starting from an area that is adjacent to your building or from the spot that you can work your way out. There are a few different patterns you can choose for your Chicago brick.

Place brick paver in the sand and tap the paver with a rubber mallet. As I mentioned earlier Chicago bricks are not equally sized. These bricks were hand made in an era when brick making machines were not as accessible. The hand casting and firing process makes old Chicago antiques bricks somewhat unequally sized. Therefore I would advise you to install the antique bricks with a 3/8^th-1/2 inch joints. If you find a brick that sits too low, place some extra sand underneath it and gently tap it down with a rubber mallet until it’s even with the surrounding bricks.

Quick note! Old Chicago bricks can be installed on concrete surfaces with thin-set and mortared (grouted) with S type of mortar mix. For this type of application you have to consider the height of the bricks and the mortar. Up to 2 ¾ -3 inches. If you have issues at door thresholds I would recommend using thin sliced old Chicago bricks for your flooring area.

7, Fill the brick joints with sand.

Sanding old chicago pavers.

Most likely you will need to make some cuts.

The amount depending on the pattern and the lay-out of your brick pavement. You can cut the Chicago bricks with a masonry wet saw or a dry chop saw.

For filling up brick joints you will need a very dry send. Wet send is very hard to sweep into joints. First pour the sand over the Chicago bricks and with a stiff broom sweep the sand into the joints. The send is also a very important component in a durable brick pavement. If the sand is not in place rain will wash out the sub base and your bricks will move and sink.

8, Finishing touches to complete your Chicago brick paving project.

Apply a sealant that is manufactured specifically for sealing clay bricks. The sealant should penetrate into the brick surface and also lock the sand in place. A good sealant also prevents weed growing between the bricks however, sealants wear out after a period of time so re-sanding and re-sealing your Chicago brick patio is recommended at least once a year.

Sealing Chicago bricks.

With the right accessories, plants and flowers around your Chicago brick patio or walkway you can create a welcoming curb appeal to any house.

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