How to Lay a New Brick Patio | This Old House

Roger Cook and crew is out back at the Arlington house, laying a new brick patio. First they decide on the pattern, then they start laying the brick
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The front yard of the Arlington house house has been a total mess with all the work going on around the house, but now it’s landscape contractor Roger Cook’s turn to put it back together. From landscaping to hardscaping, he has a lot of work ahead. Today he and his crew are working on the large side patio. The homeowners chose to use the same bricks that are used for the new chimney. These bricks are not modular, meaning twice the width of a brick is not equal to the length. Roger shows Kevin O’Connor different types of common brick patio patterns, starting with a running bond. The homeowners like the look of a 45-degree herringbone pattern, which makes the work harder with brick that’s not modular. Adjustments have to be made by cutting the bricks in smaller pieces. But before the brick can be laid, a lot of prep work is needed. The base has been dug out prepped and compacted with layers of stone and crusher. Using a main line at the exact grade and pitch, a screed runs down rails to level off stone dust. A sailor course of upright bricks starts the patio off at the edges and then Roger’s crew can finally start to lay in the herringbone brick pattern. Once the brick is down, they sprinkle in sand in to fill in-between the joints.
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This Old House is America’s first and most trusted home improvement show. Each season, we renovate two different historic homes-one step at a time-featuring quality craftsmanship and the latest in modern technology. We demystify home improvement and provide ideas and information so, whether you are doing it yourself or hiring out contractors, you’ll know the right way to do things or the questions to ask. Our experts including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor give you the tools you need to protect and preserve your greatest investment-your home.
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How to Lay a New Brick Patio | This Old House
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[@MajorDrama1]

Great to finally hear from someone on YT who actually really knows the detail of this art and can articulate simply and quickly! Awesome

[@JW-so4fc]

We MISS you ROGER! God Bless!

[@2loco]

Thats one beautiful waaaakway.

[@JustinL614]

Lmao

[@robertbamford8266]

“With no-one bothering us”. A hint?

[@EsteemedMentality]

My kind of thinking!

[@dirtyhairy8884]

"Did they tell you, you couldn't work with a saw or you can't use shovels, and you got to work at night...", hilarious!!!😂😂 Great video, gents!

[@makaveli087]

It's funny because it's true. There's people like that- & lots of em. Caught up with an old friend of mine the other day who's a roofer. He did a house that the roof had to be taken right down to or past the plywood (yknow. Whatever that all means) & the Home Owner came out completely livid because "there's too much noise getting in the house!" & tried to send him off without his tools or payment.

[@kevinjk27]

I have a brick walkway and thought I wanted to add a patio with normal paver, but, after seeing many old patios in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard with real bricks in that 45 degree pattern, I want the same. It just looks so classic and timeless. Thanks Roger and Kevin! And TOH!

[@hmutandadzi]

Bricks or Pavers? I have been struggling with that question for quite some time.

[@kevinjk27]

@@hmutandadzi bricks for the classic look I want. In reality though paver are much better to work with and look great too. I've done a couple patios. I think I'm a gluten for punishment wanting real bricks

[@bigjake55555]

This video help us appreciate all the work and items used to make it perfect

[@Debandy6379]

We love you Roger

[@keithboyd8020]

Love the way you gave the customer what that waunted great job as always.

[@nascarnate326]

We learned something new today!

[@kristinalowe8627]

I would like to see the finished patio!

[@bosse641]

Love brickwork. ...very nice.

[@IndepenisDay]

Lol one more whole day with nobody bothering us

[@ZRawr1]

You skipped the results. I would have really loved to see how it looked at the end.

[@photoguyjames4522]

they showed a wide shot at the very end.

[@IndepenisDay]

They actually never finished, ran out of money...

[@Guardducks]

Running bond pattun. Miss you Rogga.

[@ShyShySchullie]

To be fair to the owners, they chose the most beautiful pattern.

[@jej3451]

Roger says "these brick" instead of "these bricks", just like Mark McCullough. It must be a Massachusetts dialect thing.

[@bbtank3000]

I guess I'm just a basic guy, because I prefer the first pattern. Simple and not busy like the fourth one.

[@alexpatrick8885]

who cares what the client wants...if you adjust your estimates for the job, and the client is willing to pay what you quote, everyone wins

[@nowirehangers2815]

That’s not how it works

[@tjcollins242]

The way this is done by Roger and his crew it looks like it will last for a mileanina 👍

[@canadalandinmichaelolsen802]

Actually he went above standard in one department but probably boosted the price of the job an extra 3grand. But then the way they were hand tamping on that strip idk….. If they had to do some repairs I wouldn’t be surprised… When you tamp for a reason…. He might as well have been just screeting it.

[@EsteemedMentality]

I wish I knew the link for the sand/concrete finish because I see that to be wayyyyyyy easier for me as a DIY gardening project to understand. I love the idea of the plywood base. I'm happy I paid attention to this video with my Home Depot cart still open!

[@daveyjones7391]

They just had them on the plywood because it's nice and flat and an easy place to set up the patterns on.

[@lgcpaving]

Pros and Cons of Paver Patios To Consider. Want to know more about paver patios? Our construction professionals are here to help answer any questions you have. Read the full article for insights! limitlessgoldenconstruction.com/paver-patios-pros-cons/

[@donaldlee6760]

I'm about to build a similar paver patio. What's the best source to learn about how to do this for a first timer, particularly the prep work before laying down the pavers, which seems like the easiest step.

[@augustreil]

KZbin.

[@bazjr86]

Prep work is the most important part. These blocks look bad compared to U.K. standard lock blocks. The herring bone effect is little bit more tricky than the standard method just have to keep an eye on the blocks every 3 or 4 square metres using a line to make sure they are square. My favourite most satisfying job doing ground works has to lockblock driveways. Good money if u can get price work on it. Unfortunately price work is dying out with a lot of company's nowadays. Some still see and pay groundwork as a labourer when it's a skilled trade. Painters are often payed more which is not right considering a good gr oundworker can do concrete finishing, drainage, kerbing, slabbing, lockblock, tarring plus driving dumpers and rollers and able to operate a concrete saw to high standards. There is more kids actually getting apprenticeships nowadays whereas it was seen as a labourer when I started out and all learning was on the job.

[@toltec13]

Is that clay brick? Is it durable enough to place a metal table with 6 metal chairs?

[@kyleshootz44]

Sweep it into all those craaàaacks use a broom lol

[@hmutandadzi]

Which is better, paving with red brick or using actual pavers?

[@IndepenisDay]

Red brick, it's timeless.

[@mangomd]

Does the polymeric sand prevent drainage through the bricks?

[@KentDiego]

They sloped away from the house for drainage.

[@mangomd]

Thanks

[@MrRich-yp7eu]

I don't understand the bricks on the plywood. Then using the expensive polymetric sand. Was that just an expensive example?

[@daveyjones7391]

They just had them on the plywood because it's nice and flat and an easy place to set up the patterns on.

[@TheRaker1000]

yeah, i was thinking the same, kind of a waste.

[@daveyjones7391]

@@TheRaker1000 It was set up strictly to show homeowners all the potential patterns they could lay out so the home owners/viewers could see. The mild costs are not anything more than .5% of the total cost.

[@ukeedge2761]

Didn't even show the finished product

[@rebeccaramirez-]

❤💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

[@MOONRAK3R23]

I’ve seen this vid already

[@t1n4444]

But to be fair a lot of people haven't. It's not a process that can go out of date so will always have some currency with youngsters buying their first homes. As mentioned to another commenter earlier, you may have outgrown this particular program? Plenty of other programs online and fwiw I would point you to UK or European construction programs ... not better just different.

[@qwertymorty]

Don't sweat it 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@socomm203]

Okay

[@Zarrin28]

Omg talk about over kill. Hopefully 20k for 1 patio is worth it.

[@Undermeman]

Nice work with hose and water Roger. When Mark did this last he asked the homeowner to wait for a rainfall , what a jackass that guy is. He can't even wash your boots Roger.

[@rawbacon]

Let me guess "How".....You pay a bunch of money to some guys that are really good at it.

[@dantecamilli2625]

How’s yah Lobstahh

[@teslaandhumanity7383]

WoW disrespecting the client . 😮

[@Alex.AL_26]

These customers seem like a nightmare to work with.

[@MB-wq8cp]

well they are blowing around 40k just for a patio...it's their right to be picky.

[@tehutimes1]

Polymeric Sand keeps out ants & insects, er ants are insects.

[@heitorcaramez]

He was just giving an example.

[@cynthiabroockman1752]

The color of the house is gosh awful imho. Unh.

[@abcdefgh-rq3gq]

That is probably just the colour of some construction material that is going to be covered up.

[@WhamBang]

There’s a video where Tom shows how to install cedar shingle siding. Same house I think.

[@manillafresh57]

That’s just the house wrap and cedar breather. They haven’t put on the cedar shakes yet.

[@savesheikhjarrah1480]

The house is gorgeous. There’s a nice shot at the end. Looks like three story modern Tudor style

[@MichaelResznekiTrolling4Truth]

Have you heard? They are over 3000+ Architects and Engineers calling for a new investigation into 9\11?

[@bazjr86]

Are they opening up a new investigation ?

[@teddybear9723]

First.

[@scorpiuswireless1]

That’s absolutely horrible and disgusting work.

[@nowirehangers2815]

Why?

[@heitorcaramez]

Said the guy that plays with miniature cars.

[@Yorkie285]

looks like crap..