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It’s called cobblestone because it’s made of stones that are “cobbed” together. A cob is a term that refers to rounded lumps. Originally, cobblestone streets were made from pebbles and stones gathered from riverbeds that had been rounded over time by the passage of water. The term has nothing to do with a cobbler, which is the term for someone who makes and fixes shoes.

No, you shouldn’t lay bricks directly on dirt. While it might seem like a shortcut, it leads to a patio that shifts, sinks, and becomes a maintenance headache. Dirt expands, contracts, and erodes—none of which mix well with long-term stability. To build something that lasts, excavate the topsoil, compact a layer of crushed gravel, and add a coarse sand-setting bed. This layered base gives your bricks proper support, allows drainage, and helps block weeds from creeping through. Cutting corners here just means you’ll spend more time—and money—repairing your brick patio later.

You should generally drill into the mortar joints when installing shutters on brick. Mortar is softer, which makes drilling easier and puts less strain on your tools. It also lowers the risk of cracking a brick—something that’s a lot harder to fix. Mortar holds fasteners well enough for standard shutters, and if you ever need to patch the holes later, it’s a much simpler job than dealing with damaged brick. Just keep in mind that if your mortar joints are too thin or the hardware calls for brick anchoring, you'll need to check the manufacturer’s recommendations and adjust accordingly.

Staining or painting brick isn’t something to do on a whim. Make sure you really want to live with stained brick, because once you apply the stain, it’s permanent. Sure, it will fade over time, but you can’t restore the brick to its natural tones after applying a stain or paint.