Add a Belgian-Block Driveway Apron
Learn how to install granite pavers to add style and strength to any driveway. This illustrated tutorial covers every step, from creating a solid base to finishing the mortar joints.
Synopsis: Mason Fabiana Cruz gives a step-by-step tutorial on installing a Belgian-block driveway apron, from setting the base to cutting, laying, setting, and jointing the block, illustrated with photos from a recent apron installation. He includes details of the ratios of Portland cement to sand to create the bond bridge, mortar bed, and mortar joints for the three-layered installation, and descriptions of the tools that help get the job done.
Back in the horse-and-buggy days, it was common to see Belgian blocks paving American city streets. There’s a lot of sketchy scholarship about where these granite blocks came from and how they got their name, but this much is true: They can take a pounding and look good doing it. Despite these advantages, they were pretty much done for when cheaper and easier concrete and asphalt pavements came on the scene.
Still, Belgian blocks are a popular go-to when…
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