Skip Concrete — This Beautiful Patio Alternative Is More Eco-Friendly, Too

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Concrete patios have served us stoically over the years, but let's face it ... they are not beautiful. Even textured via stamped concrete or colored with stain, they struggle to look stupendous. The good news is that there is an eco-friendly material that, by its intrinsic nature, creates a stunning patio surface, and that is reclaimed bricks. Reclaimed bricks are exactly what they sound like: bricks that have done their duty in buildings and walls that have been torn down. Rather than ending up in landfills, reclaimed bricks have been gathered and cleaned to make them ready for a whole new life ... this time on your patio.

Because they have been reclaimed, these bricks bring with them the testimony of their previous use. Think nicks, small chips, scratches, worn spots, and aged patinas — adding to their beauty. In other words, their character represents the antithesis of concrete's uniformity. At the same time, reclaimed bricks are extremely durable, can be laid in various patterns, and are a DIY appropriate material. 

The secret to building a brick patio is preparing the surface. You need to remove about 7 inches of material below the desired level for your patio. (2 inches of base, 2 inches of sand, and 3 inches of brick, equaling 7 inches.) The newly exposed surface needs to be compacted and then covered with the appropriate base material, a product called graded base. This material also needs to be compacted. Next up, screed rails, like the OX Tools Concrete Screed, are employed as you add a layer of sand. The rails allow you to perfectly level the surface of the sand. The bricks are installed next and are surrounded by a perimeter of edging to secure them. Once again, the entire surface is packed down. Finally, a layer of masonry sand is spread over the installation, and a final compacting step is required. Sweep the excess sand away, and the job is done.

How does the cost of a reclaimed brick patio compare to a concrete patio of the same size? If you decide to go the DIY route with reclaimed bricks, the costs can be closer to competitive. Doing some quick math using online calculators, a 400-square-foot brick patio needs around 2,030 bricks, amounting to roughly $3,960. This will obviously cost more if you hire a professional to get the job done. Conversely, to have a concrete patio of the same size poured would cost between $2,826 and $3,866, including the cost of labor. All things considered, the improved aesthetics of reclaimed bricks, combined with their durability and eco-friendly nature, might just make them a perfect flooring alternative for your patio.