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Halfway there! Final layer – bedding.

This blog the fourth of a series of blogs designed for do-it-yourselfers. This series features step-by-step instructions for building your own heated driveway or patio using brick pavers. The process for building a non-heated driveway is the same (just omit install of heating cables).

Bedding - Just when you thought you were done with layers, another one comes along! Now that you’ve cleared the area and dug down to the formation level, put down a geothermal sheet, and a sub-base layer; the next step is bedding. The bedding is the last layer before the addition of the heat cables and brick pavers and provides support for the paving units. A quick rundown: bedding comes in either bound or unbound types. Bound bedding is suited for a rigid base surface, while unbound is best suited for a flexible base surface. Sand is the most popular form of unbound bedding materials. The main requirement of unbound bedding is for the material to be fine enough to be leveled out without leaving voids, but not so fine it retains and soaks up water.

If you get confused about how much sand to apply to the bedding layer, a general rule of thumb is applying a depth that is equal or slightly less to the depth of the brick pavers you have selected for the project.  For example: a paver with a depth of 40mm will need a bedding layer of approximately 35mm. The process for laying the bedding layer is similar to spreading the sub-base layer. Spread. Rake. Compact. Compacting can be done twice over for the DIY-er that likes to be extra careful. Use a float level to check your work before proceeding to the next step.

NOTE: A brick paver driveway can benefit greatly by creating a cement or block edge before the bedding layer is laid. This will give the paving area a more finished look to the final result. Edging is generally constructed of thicker blocks of greater depth, but you’ll want to take care to ensure the pavers and the edging are laid to have equal height. The bedding layer will give you the extra height needed for a smooth even surface.