Brick over existing cement Patio

[Tank21]

Hello,

I currently have an exisiting cement patio, and my wife likes the look of bricks.

Can I use the existing cement patio as a base to lay the brick down??? What would I need to put between the brick and cement patio??

Thanks in advance for your help!!!

[rg32]

You could just set them in sand or even use a construction adhesive doing the joints with mortar but I wouldn't do it these way myself.
Just use a masonry mortar and I would make sure the existing concrete is cleaned well and then use a concrete adhesive first (common and available at HD etc.) before the layer mortar and laying the brick.
After everything is set up and cleaned use a concrete sealer for protection as well as to make it look better.

[GeekMom]

From This Old House website:

"A mortared pavement provides a flatter, longer-lived surface, but it's harder to put down. Here, a crushed-stone base is topped with a 4-inch-thick concrete slab. Once the concrete cures, the pavers are pressed into a 1/2-inch-thick mortar bed troweled onto the slab. The 3/8-inch spaces between them are filled with mortar."

Additionally, Lowes has 6 examples of decorative brick patterns on their website.

The height of the brick needs to be taken into account if other architectural features (ie. a threshold or gate) are involved, too.

[wreckwriter]

Yea, it going to raise the floor level a lot... Maybe they make thin bricks, like brick veneers?

[LCHIEN]

Yea, it going to raise the floor level a lot... Maybe they make thin bricks, like brick veneers?

Oh yeah, just resaw them on your bandsaw....

[RayintheUK]

Maybe they make thin bricks, like brick veneers?

You mean like this? Wouldn't use them for a patio, though - they'd crack in a heartbeat.

Over here, we would lay the limiting course (the boundary or perimeter of the area) in mortar, then 4" of sand, raked level. Lay the pavers then compact with a flat-plate vibrator. Finally, sweep jointing sand between the pavers to lock them into place. I did a shared driveway with my neighbor several years ago and it still looks great - hard work, though!

Ray.

[TheRic]

You definitely can put brick on concrete. I put brick steps at the back door, goes onto the patio. I had the choice of layering the brick up, or pouring concrete up as a base. Went with the concrete as the base.

We just put in a new patio in the back. We wanted the brick look. We looked into putting down brick, stamping colored concrete with a brick pattern, or pouring concrete and etching / staining it to look like brick. We decided to go with the poured concrete and stamping it since we (my brother and me) had experience in doing this.

If your existing concrete is in decent shape, you may want to consider this. The top will not be as rough / uneven as brick which may be a plus. But it still will look like brick. Mix a little other stains here and there so it’s not a solid color. Helps it look more nature. The True Value store near me have various patterns you could rent, and other equipment that you could rent to help get the job done.