A “Brick Load” of Design Possibilities

One of the “joys” of living in the San Francisco Bay Area is the clay soil and the inevitable shifting that occurs. Especially in older homes, you begin to expect that little crack in the wall that appears in the summer and all but disappears in the winter.

Ever notice how that never seems to work for concrete?

There’s nothing more annoying (and potentially dangerous and expensive) than a giant crack in your driveway or walkway. But what’s a homeowner in Contra Costa or Alameda to do?

Consider bricking it!

While “bricking” isn’t a good thing if you are referring to your smart phone, it’s a great idea for your outdoor landscape. Brick can beautifully replace cracked and ugly driveways, patios or walks. In addition, brick can be a beautiful way to update your patio from 1980 “concrete slab” to vintage chic and sophisticated.

Using new or reclaimed bricks, you can create an endless variety of interesting landscapes. Here are some ideas to consider.

Safe and Sophisticated Walkways

If you want to create a walkway that’s safe at night, but you don’t like those solar lanterns that stick up out of the ground, consider solar bricks. These brick shaped objects store the suns energy and provide you with a light show after dark. You can use them to line the pathway or if you want to go for a fun Michael Jackson “Billy Jean look” distribute them randomly among the other bricks in the path.

Driveway That’s a Dream

Replacing your driveway with bricks will certainly help with curb appeal (especially if yours is cracked. One of the latest trends is a “greenway” or a driveway with bricks that are spaced farther apart than typical bricks. Between the bricks, a dwarf fescue or lawn is planted, giving the driveway the durability of the bricks but the eye appeal of a green scape. This idea isn’t the most drought friendly, but it can be a beautiful solution if you have decided to go “lawn-less” and miss the look of a green space

Perfectly Practical in the Garden

In the garden, there are many lovely brick oriented design possibilities. Of course you can use brick or pavers as a garden path or as the pathway between raised beds. Also consider constructing the beds themselves from brick. The beds don’t have to be “boring old rectangles” either. Consider the idea of creating a spiral garden using bricks and/or stones as the structural element. This allows you more creativity and durability than wood and will look lovely as your flowers and vegetables mature.

The Possibilities are Endless!

 Brick and stone also make lovely retaining walls, borders between lawn and garden and patio design elements. The sky is the limit as far as patterns are concerned.  . Your yard will look elegant and be easier to maintain over time – all for a reasonable price!

Of course there is one teeny, tiny problem. Laying brick is a “brick load” of hard work. That’s why this month, The Fix-It Professionals is offering to do it for you! When you hire us to do brick work (or any of our other handyman services) we’ll give you an hour at no cost when you pay for 3 hours at our regular rate!

Read on for our “Brick Load” Special for June