using bricks to replace driveway?
Ohioguy
which needs replaced.
I've seen a number of brick streets in the old sections of town, and
have wondered how in the world they have lasted as long as they did.
I've considered renting a jackhammer, then laying down a fine layer of
gravel, and placing brick for our front drive.
However, Lowe's and the other big hardware stores I've checked only
seem to have brick with holes in it.
Anybody ever done a project of this size on their own?
I've been quoted between $2k and $4k to have the whole thing replaced
with concrete. I could probably cold patch and then seal it for $400.
Anybody have an idea how much it might cost to do with brick?
Lou
news:u49Pn.21827$%u7....@newsfe14.iad...
My house came with a gravel driveway. After 10 years or so, I got estimates
of around 5k to have it paved. I ended up buying more gravel at the time.
A few years later, I decided I wanted it paved, but rather than asphalt or
concrete, I decided to go with EP Henry pavers because I liked the way they
look.
This is a big deal, because vehicles tend to be heavy. They dug down at
least 2 feet (maybe more) carted all that stuff away, laid down gravel and
sand, compacted it, levelled everything off, then laid down the pavers.
Last step was getting some kind of sand into the cracks between the pavers.
There was heavy machinery involved and at least 3 or 4 guys to do the labor,
and it took over a week, maybe two - it was years ago, and my memory is hazy
on this point.
All in all, I think using bricks would be similar. A big job for one guy
with a shovel and a wheelbarrow, though I guess it could be done if you can
park on the street for a while (like a month or three). Since you already
have a paved driveway, maybe the foundation work is already there and you'd
"only" need to take up the old paving, level everything off, and lay down
the brick. I don't remember what it cost, but concrete or asphalt would
have been cheaper. But the pavers look great.
Rod Speed
> We have an asphalt drive, about 20 feet long, and maybe 18 feet
> wide, which needs replaced.
> I've seen a number of brick streets in the old sections of town, and
> have wondered how in the world they have lasted as long as they did.
> I've considered renting a jackhammer, then laying down a fine layer of
> gravel, and placing brick for our front drive.
> However, Lowe's and the other big hardware stores I've checked only seem to have brick with holes in it.
Yeah, those are the modern extruded bricks.
Those places do have pavers with no holes tho.
> Anybody ever done a project of this size on their own?
Yep, plenty do. Its not that hard.
> I've been quoted between $2k and $4k to have the whole thing replaced with concrete.
I prefer that myself, particularly for working on the car etc.
You may or may not be allowed to work on the car tho,
some US home owner fascist groups dont allow that.
> I could probably cold patch and then seal it for $400.
> Anybody have an idea how much it might cost to do with brick?
Price the pavers.
a real cheapskate
brick streets in citys tend to be brick over a thick concrete base,
like 1 foot thick concrete covered with brick for appearance.
otherwise the vehicles heavy weight cause high and low areas and over
time poor appearance.
your far better off just repaving to do brick right costs so uch its
far more than repaving
Gary Heston
> We have an asphalt drive, about 20 feet long, and maybe 18 feet wide,
>which needs replaced.
> I've seen a number of brick streets in the old sections of town, and
>have wondered how in the world they have lasted as long as they did.
>I've considered renting a jackhammer, then laying down a fine layer of
>gravel, and placing brick for our front drive.
That wouldn't be an adequate base, especially in your area; the ground
freezes up there.
> However, Lowe's and the other big hardware stores I've checked only
>seem to have brick with holes in it.
Stop asking for "bricks" and ask for "pavers". There's a big difference.
> Anybody ever done a project of this size on their own?
No, just seen it done on TV (This Old House Hour). To get some idea of
how it's done, check their web site.
> I've been quoted between $2k and $4k to have the whole thing replaced
>with concrete. I could probably cold patch and then seal it for $400.
I'd go with the concrete, but make sure the quotes are equivalent--same
amount of base, same thickness of slab (you'r probably need 6"), same
finishing, etc.
> Anybody have an idea how much it might cost to do with brick?
A lot more. There's more labor involved.
Gary
--
Gary Heston ghe...@hiwaay.net http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/
If you want to reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,
go plant trees.
Cindy Hamilton
> We have an asphalt drive, about 20 feet long, and maybe 18 feet wide,
> which needs replaced.
>
> I've seen a number of brick streets in the old sections of town, and
> have wondered how in the world they have lasted as long as they did.
> I've considered renting a jackhammer, then laying down a fine layer of
> gravel, and placing brick for our front drive.
>
> However, Lowe's and the other big hardware stores I've checked only
> seem to have brick with holes in it.
You cannot use modern building bricks for paving a driveway. Use
concrete paver bricks. As other posters have stated, it must have
a proper foundation.
My house came with paver brick sidewalks and patio. I spend a
good deal of time every summer spraying Round-up on the weeds.
I absolutely recommend you do not use brick.
> Anybody ever done a project of this size on their own?
>
> I've been quoted between $2k and $4k to have the whole thing replaced
> with concrete. I could probably cold patch and then seal it for $400.
>
> Anybody have an idea how much it might cost to do with brick?
Have you considered Google?
A lot depends on how much you pay for brick. This site looks pretty
good:
http://www.morrisbrick.com/index.php/materials_calc?material_type=pavers
For 4x8" holland pavers (just a basic rectangular brick), you'll need
1620 bricks, 4.4 cubic yards of what they called "quarry process"
(some kind of gravel, it looks like), and 1.667 cubic yards of
stone dust.
If you don't do the job right, you may as well not bother.
My pavers are not particularly well bedded, and they shift a bit.
I don't even drive cars over them.
When I googled "paver brick estimating", I saw in passing that
some site said pavers can be had for as little as 50 cents. For you,
that would be $810 (minimum) just for the brick. Frankly, I think
that's wildly optimistic, especially for something that would take
the weight of a car.
The other materials, compactor rental, and so forth would be
additional.
I predict you're going to cold patch and seal your drive way.
Cindy Hamilton
Vic Smith
Cosmetics to the house and neighborhood also come into play.
I really like the looks of the pavers, but getting it done right is
important, especially since it's costly.
My wife and I did a small sidewalk to the garage with pavers about 7
years ago. Maybe 30'' wide by 20' long. The Dutch style paver in
your link. Though I knew the right way to do it, she was in a hurry
so we basically just dug out the grass and eye-ball leveled the dirt.
No shaker/tamper or whatever it's called, and no sand.
Didn't even use the anti-growth fabric.
Did use the heavy plastic edgers staked on the borders.
It's a bit wavy now and I have to whack it about twice a year, but
it's still nice.
But a small sidewalk and a driveway are different animals.
When I decide to replace my concrete driveway I'll price a paver job.
I do like them, and would pay some premium, but like concrete, it has
to be done right.
I certainly wouldn't do it myself.
In fact I would check references and go to look at the jobs.
Since they are relatively "new" I'm not sold on how they hold up over
some years.
--Vic
h
">
> Cosmetics to the house and neighborhood also come into play.
> I really like the looks of the pavers, but getting it done right is
> important, especially since it's costly.
> My wife and I did a small sidewalk to the garage with pavers about 7
> years ago. Maybe 30'' wide by 20' long. The Dutch style paver in
> your link. Though I knew the right way to do it, she was in a hurry
> so we basically just dug out the grass and eye-ball leveled the dirt.
> No shaker/tamper or whatever it's called, and no sand.
> Didn't even use the anti-growth fabric.
> Did use the heavy plastic edgers staked on the borders.
> It's a bit wavy now and I have to whack it about twice a year, but
> it's still nice.
> But a small sidewalk and a driveway are different animals.
> When I decide to replace my concrete driveway I'll price a paver job.
> I do like them, and would pay some premium, but like concrete, it has
> to be done right.
> I certainly wouldn't do it myself.
> In fact I would check references and go to look at the jobs.
> Since they are relatively "new" I'm not sold on how they hold up over
> some years.
>
You also need to consider your climate. Here, in upstate NY, I would never
consider anything except asphalt, since the driveway is plowed (not with a
snowblower) for many months a year. Unless the surface is perfectly smooth,
the plow can't get all the way to the bottom without catching on uneven
pavers, and pulling them up or chipping them. Also, with extremely cold
temperatures and sudden, extreme changes in temperatures, driveways are
prone to frost heaves, which I've seen around here with pavers and concrete,
but never with asphalt. I'm sure it happens, but I've yet to see it.
Lou
"h" <tmc...@searchmachine.com> wrote in message
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The other thing a plow could do is scratch the bricks/pavers. If the color
is uniform all the way through, that might not matter much, but if it's not,
the look will be marred.
Cindy Hamilton
Yeah, I'd forgot about snow. Shoveling the pavers can be tricky in
areas
where they aren't perfectly level. (The jackhole who installed the
pavers
also did an area that was right up against a silver maple. Roots.)
We use a snowblower with the paddles, but it's hard work humping it
over those uneven pavers.
Ohioguy probably has to shovel snow; IIRC he's in central-to-southern
Ohio, which got more snow that we did in Michigan last year.
Cindy Hamilton