[nuge]

I'm not a pro, just a DIY homeowner looking for advice. I'm installing a patio and small walkway and many of the bricks are very old clay bricks.

1. Can I use a plate compactor, or will these bricks crack?
2. Is geotextile fabric under the stone base necessary? If so, what do I buy and where do I buy it? The hardware store trying to sell it to me only sells it in a 600 sf roll.
3. Polymeric sand with clay pavers--yay or nay? I heard something about clay retaining moisture and creating a mess during the install. Also, because they're old, they're a bit irregular in size and this might make for some joints that are bigger than others. Is joint size a concern with polymeric sand?
4. If I don't use polymeric sand, is mason's sand too fine for a patio where some joints could be as wide as 1/4" or so?

Thanks!!!