How to Install Brick Edging Around a Patio

Last Updated on July 8, 2023 by lindseymahoney

Brick edging is a great way to add a polished look to your garden or even your patio. With a few simple steps, you can install brick edging yourself and transform your outdoor space.

I wanted to add a little oomph to the concrete pool skirt and decided to install a brick edging border. The flower beds had already gotten a brick border so this cute detail would tie the backyard landscaping all together.

Outdoor DIY projects seem to have a domino effect in our household. What started as a simple tree removal project quickly devolved into my installing brick pavers around our pool. We are always guilty of project creep and this time was no different!

It all started with the removal of two large pine trees behind the pool.

Backyard pool makeover with affordable DIY projects | Building Bluebird

Because the trees were now gone, we had to landscape that section of the yard. The backyard was looking so good, that I became inspired to add the brick edging detail around the pool. As I said – our projects have a domino effect!

Here is another angle of the pool when we purchased our house.

Here is that same area today.

How to install brick pavers around your pool skirt - Easy DIY | Building Bluebird

Installing the brick paver border around the pool skirt was surprisingly easy and definitely doable for beginner DIY’ers.

How to Install Brick Edging Around Your Concrete Patio

Affiliate links used in this blog post, thanks for supporting Building Bluebird! For a complete list of materials used for this project, scroll to the bottom of the post.

Our home came with a pile of unused bricks in the corner of the backyard. I used many of them to create a brick border around the garden, but there were still many left. Luckily, we had just enough to border the concrete patio around the pool!

Brick Edging Inspiration

Here is an inspirational image from my friend’s backyard. Their pool has brick pavers bordering their pool skirt and it looks so beautiful. I knew I wanted to create a similar look using the materials we had on hand.

Backyard makeover inspiration | Building Bluebird

Here is another image with the bricks next to the white stone border and a garden full of green perennials.

Brick paver pool border inspiration | Building Bluebird

1 | Dig Around Concrete Pool Skirt

The goal is to install the brick edging to be flush with the concrete pool skirt. To achieve this goal, I dug a trench slightly lower than the height of the brick to allow for screening or a paver base to be added between the brick and soil.

For this project, we pulled up all of the rocks surrounding the pool and planned to lay sod and mulch around the brick border.

A garden edger or flat-edge shovel are great tools if you only need to create a trench around the pool skirt.

I laid out the bricks we had to ensure there was enough to border the patio edge.

2 | Choose a Starting Point

How to install brick edging around your patio - Easy DIY | Building Bluebird

I began the brick edging at the back of the pool near the diving board. It is kind of a weird corner angle – more like a 100-degree angle instead of 90 degrees.

This left a small triangle that I planned to fill with sand screening. If I want to fill it with a brick later on, I can always do that when I have the proper tools.

The end of this section is at the path from the pool to the fence gate. This gave me some flexibility with the endpoint and I could end it with a full brick.

If a section of the border begins and ends with definite stopping points, I would recommend ending your border at the least noticeable corner.

On the other side of the diving board, I started a border again and it ends behind a large planter in an area that is not often seen. The final gap is a little larger than normal but I filled it with more sand and it looks just fine.

3 | Add Brick Paver Base Layer

I leveled the soil so it was slightly deeper than the brick, then I added a layer paver base for the brick to sit on.

The paver base helps with drainage and protects the brick from the soil which can cause the brick to erode faster.

3 | Lay the First Brick Pavers

I placed the first few bricks on the paver base and used a rubber mallet to make each brick flush with the concrete pool skirt.

Next, I used a small level to check that each brick was slightly angled away from the pool skirt. This allows water to run off the edge of the bricks and not get trapped between the bricks and concrete.

4 | Install Plastic Edging Behind the Brick Border

If your pool edging is curved, cut the plastic connectors on the garden edging before attaching it to the ground.

Align the 6-foot plastic edging tightly to the back of the brick and hammer a spike into the first hole. I added 4-5 stakes for every piece of 6-foot edging.

Continue to lay the bricks and attach the plastic edging around the entire pool.

5 | Brush Sand Between the Cracks to Stabilize Brick Border

Once the brick pavers and plastic edging were installed, I added paver sand to all of the cracks. The sand helps to stabilize the border and keep everything in place.

First I added the sand by hand, rubbing it into the cracks.

Next, we used a push broom to push the sand around the border to get more sand into the cracks. I repeated this process 2 more times around the pool as the sand settled and cracks opened up again.

6 | Add Material on the Other Side of the Plastic Edging

Once the border was secure, it was time to fill in around the pool. I mapped out the new flower bed where the pine trees once stood and laid sod where the rocks previously surrounded the pool.

The grass feels so good on our toes!

We added mulch to the other side of the pool to create a large flower bed. Whatever material you choose, you want something to cover the bottom of the plastic edging.

Brick Edging Patio Reveal

Chris installed new fence panels in this section of our yard and I love how they turned out.

Here is the odd angle where I added extra sand to the corner, it looks great!

I took some of my brother’s bluestone he stored behind his garage to define the new flower bed edge and the mixture of natural elements looks so beautiful.

This summer we are hoping to replace the broken fencing behind the new flower bed.

We are going to plant some shrubs and trees that create privacy and screening from our neighbors now that the pine trees have opened up the side of our yard.

Brick Edging Materials List

More Outdoor DIY Projects You Will Love

I hope you found this DIY for how to install brick pavers around your pool helpful! I really enjoy working in our yard and have lots of affordable DIY projects for you to try at home.