How do I make over my brick patio into a solid concrete one?

I have an old uneven brick patio area that I want to put concrete over to make a solid concrete patio that my gas grill can sit on evenly. Is there a special way I need to do this?

  4 answers
  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Jul 15, 2019

    You can frame around the edges to pour the pad on top. It will probably need to be at least 4" above the existing but you can check to see depending on the weight it will bear. You need to check with local authorities because this may require a permit. Once framed, you pour the new ready mix on top and finish.

    Since the existing is uneven, you shouldn't have issues with it adhering. When we poured a new pad over existing for a garage (weight issues), we had to score the existing so the new would grip.

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    • Janet Barnhart-Bishop Janet Barnhart-Bishop on Aug 08, 2019

      Thank you so much Kathy and my husband was a Marine. I think I will for sure look into the boy scout idea. It is so very hard to be without him. He saved me and my children all those years ago and we created the most beautiful his, mine and ours family. They are the only thing holding me together right now. 7 children, 12 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren with another one on the way right now. God so blessed us and my husband would want us all to keep going in the same way he taught us to be. My children and everyone would help me but I don't want to have to rely on them for everything. My one son already had to build new steps on the house. I will save them for emergency stuff, lol.

  • Lorraine Lorraine on Jul 15, 2019

    Hope you don’t want to cover the entire brick area! Maybe just pull up enough bricks to place your grill onand use the ones you pulled up, to add on to the brick part. If the bricks are un even, maybe you can tamp them down to make them more even?

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    • Janet Barnhart-Bishop Janet Barnhart-Bishop on Jul 16, 2019

      Thank you for answering Lorraine. I am taking part of your suggestion as well as the others. I have a huge brick patio but I'm only going to take out enough to make a slab that my grill can sit on well. I really appreciate your answer. I will reuse or as they say, re-purpose the bricks I pull out.

  • Kelli L. Milligan Kelli L. Milligan on Jul 15, 2019

    If you are not removing the old patio you will have to build it up several inches so.it won't crack. It would really be best to just start over.

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    • Janet Barnhart-Bishop Janet Barnhart-Bishop on Jul 16, 2019

      Kelli thanks so much for your response. I am sort of taking parts of each answer to me. I am going to start over following William and your suggestions. I don't want to waste time and effort to do something that won't last. I'm also using parts of Kathy and Lorraine's answers.

  • William William on Jul 15, 2019

    Pouring concrete over the bricks will not work or last. The bricks will move as they have and the concrete will crack. A concrete slab needs a solid gravel base. Wire mesh or rebar to prevent it from cracking.

    • Janet Barnhart-Bishop Janet Barnhart-Bishop on Jul 16, 2019

      William, thank you so much for your answer. I am going to start fresh and do it right by taking out the brick from that area and starting with Kathy's suggestion of framing the area and checking for a permit and Lorraine's suggestion of pulling up just as many bricks as I need for the grill area then reusing the bricks and then Kelli and your suggestion of starting fresh. Your instruction on the gravel and rebar is extremely helpful because I didn't think of that and I really want this to last.