[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!!!

[glaciator]

Hi,

I wouldn't use the compactor. I bet they would break due to age. Weed barrier (woven) would be best to use to keep down weeds but still allow water through. DeWitt Pro5 or Landmaster55 are the best in my opinion. I would use a red crusher fine (assuming the bricks are red), but again, just my opinion. I just hate sand coming up between stones. Better yet, if appropriate, go all natural and don't use weed barrier, and use good planter's mix brushed in, then fill cracks with mosses and wooly or elfin thyme plugs.

[sandim]

Never heard of polymeric sand affecting bricks. That's the way I would go...just be sure you really wet down the bricks. That's your best bet for keeping weeds out, and even then the occaisional bugger will get through. If you don't go polymeric, mason's sand should be fine. If you get a weed, maintenance is key. Check it every few weeks and either spray it with a weed killer, or alternatively table salt right on the plant should work, or really hot water.

[Fine Edge]

That's wet down the bricks AFTER applying the polymeric.

[nuge]

Thanks, all!

What about the geotextile fabric? I hear it's necessary not for weeds, but for keeping the stone base separate from the soil underneath if you have clay or sandy/silty soil, which I do.

Also, I just discovered that underneath the sand bed for the brick walkway I just removed is a concrete pad. Should I bust it out? Or should I just lay fresh sand on it and then the brick again? This would mean that part of the patio would have a stone base/sand bed and part would have concrete/sand bed. I'm thinking it's best to keep it all consistent. Is this right?