Can You Place Brick on Top of a Concrete Driveway?
- Although this permanent type of paver installation sounds tempting, there are a few drawbacks to consider before beginning your project. Using a pre-set concrete base may restrict your ability to alter the existing design and create new shapes. Installing brick over existing concrete will raise the level of your driveway and may create drainage problems. Water easily drains through sand but may simply run off a raised driveway and flood your basement.
- Brick set on concrete, and not adequately mortared and sealed, can shift when water penetrates the surface installation and reaches the concrete pad. The freezing and thawing of this moisture may result in cracks in the concrete that may, in turn, cause the brick to settle and crack. An experienced contractor may be required to do the installation work to avoid any problems that the changing seasons can cause later on.
- Rather than disturbing existing grades with regular brick pavers, you may want to look for thin pavers that give you the look of thicker material without the inherent problems that thick bricks can cause. Installing thin pavers combines the sturdiness of concrete with the look and flexibility of sand-set brick. Instead of using solid grouting for thin brick pavers, sand can be swept between the bricks to create the interlock.
- It is best to adhere the thin border pavers and coping to your concrete with thinset mortar or concrete adhesive. The coping should be set with a 1/4-inch space for grout and grouted solidly into place. This solid perimeter will ensure that the interior bricks, which will be set with a fine layer of sand, will stay put. The bricks must be leveled with a straight edge and tapped gently into place with a wooden or rubber mallet. Fine-sweeping sand added to the surface and swept into the joints will complete the installation process.
