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Brick Steps/Walkway

Question
I am planning a walk forty feet long and four feet wide. Should I use second hand brick or concrete bricks? I planned to use a granite border and brick paving to complement the granite steps.

Answer
Your idea is great! I think second hand bricks can be pretty good, but you can run the risk of getting soft bricks than can break in a short period of time. Salmon color bricks are the worst. You are better off using City Hall Pavers, a very hard brick that will last beyond the next millennium and lends itself to laying dry in sand. Concrete Pavers are also good, but do not yield a natural look. Your plan to make the walk four feet wide is also great; anything narrower and two people will have trouble going up that walk way side by side.

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Question
I have a brick front walk that leads to one brick step in front of the door. The front row of the bricks hangs over the edge of the steps about two inches. On several bricks, the part that hangs over has cracked and broken off. Should I re-do the step so there is no over hang, or just replace the broken bricks? How do I replace the broken bricks?

Answer
Good questions. The over hang is too long. A brick should over hang the step by no more than 3/8 inch. To rebuild the step without an overhang would be a lot of work, but instead of no overhang, do it just 3/4 inch. The overhang brick will last a lot longer. Just to replace the brick is possible, too, but with a 2-inch overhang you are bound to get more broken bricks. It sounds easy to replace a broken brick; just chip out the old brick and put in a new brick with mortar. It is not easy, because it takes a great deal of chipping with a cold chisel and a mason's hammer, much heavier than a regular hammer but necessary to get enough power behind it to chip that tough, tough mortar. With all that mortar out, buy brick that matches the old brick in color, texture and especially size. Also buy mortar mix, a ready-mixed mortar made by Sakrete or Quickcrete. Mix the mortar mix with water to make a non-soupy mix, and cover the sides of the brick with the proper amount and insert the brick. It will take a few tries to do it right. Wear cotton gloves. Another hint: the mortar must be very heavily compacted if you expect it to last. Done right, it will last 20-plus years. One more little hint: Doing this work, you will get mortar on other bricks and other places you don't want. Scrap it off with a trowel; don't try to wipe it off, as it will smear and make a mess. To get rid of any mortar that remains, let it set for a day or two, then treat it with muriatic acid. The mix is one part acid with one part water. Wear skin and eye protection. Always use great care. Brush the acid mix onto the mortar; it will attack the lime in the mortar and fizz. After the fizzed stops, scrub carefully with a wire brush. Repeat as necessary. You can also leave a two-inch overhang, but to reduce it, glue a pressure-treated board one inch thick to the riser. This will reduce the over-hang to 1 inch, which will, prevent, or a least reduce, the tendency of the overhang bricks to break.

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