Bricks, Masonry, Asphalt and Concrete - building brick steps???

Hello...

I have a cement patio with a brick boarder. However there is big step down to the garden, probably 18 inches.
I would like to build up just one step to make the step down more normal and use brick and mortor to match the patio trim.

Do I need to pour a cement foundation or footing for the bricks, and how deep should it be?
Could I dig down a bit, compact a few inches of crush and run then start laying in 2-3 rows of brick until I reach a good height?
I'm going the length of the patio, about 6 feet long X one brick length out, about 8 inches, right? Is that a safe step?
Our soil is hard red clay
And will I have to worry about any building codes for a step that should have been built when the first slab was poured...poorly?!?!

Thank you for any advice here.
Jasonnc

Digging out area for step to live and packing with crucher run would work fine.

But, when you said you would have to place one row of brick on top the other is the problem.

One course tamped down into crusher run might not move around so much but more them one is one two many.

Code would call for rise to be between 8 and 7 inches, and tread to be atleast closer to ten, code would not allow crusher run idea, at all, footer should be a minimum of 4 inches deep and dog out deep enough to get below the freeze line in your area.


With laying brick down with out mortar or concrete, as you already know you run the risk of stepping on brick in the wrong way and up ending it, allowing for giant law suit.

REmember the best way is usually the safe way.:confused:

Thank you for the tip.

I was thinking I would mortor the bricks in...making a permanent, proper addition to my home.
It sounds then like I should do a 4 inch footer below probably 2 layers of brick. I'm going to match the brick on the patio already that are standing on their sides.
Can I do two rows on their sides, staggering so the joints don't line up through both rows??

Yes you can lay them in this manner, but when you come to either edge with the second course (row) you will have to have a brick that is split in two to finish and attain a clean edge, it is not necessary to stagger second course as they will bond to one another enough not to have to worry about staggering joints, and if footer is strong enough cracks will not be a problem.

Great.

Now...is that Quickcrete stuff okay for the footer and mortor both? I would make the motor stickier.