Installation Patterns
Decisions about paver laying patterns are determined by two main factors:
1. Overall formality of the design.When choosing a paver laying pattern, keep in mind the emphasis or attention created by certain types of laying styles. The general rule of thumb is that laying pavers or tiles at a 45 degree angle to the lines of your house will draw attention to the area. This angle also has the effect of making the space look smaller than if is it was laid at 90 degree angles to the line of your home.
2. Cost considerations. Every time a paver has to be cut, the laying costs will increase dramatically both for the time involved and the wastage of materials.
Each of these basic paving patterns has it’s own distinctive appearance and can be varied to create a slightly different pattern, yet it still has its own unique style. Outdoor living spaces can be designed to suit different needs and are accentuated by adding designer landscape and pavers. There are various choices to make when designing with pavers. These include the paving material to be used, the shapes of the paver, pattern of paving, color and the desired finish. Traditionally there are 4 types of brick, concrete or natural stone paver patterns to choose from when paving outdoor living space. All four types of paving materials are well renowned for the excellence in providing safe, durable and elegant outdoor spaced. These patterns of paving are as follows:
1. Overall formality of the design.When choosing a paver laying pattern, keep in mind the emphasis or attention created by certain types of laying styles. The general rule of thumb is that laying pavers or tiles at a 45 degree angle to the lines of your house will draw attention to the area. This angle also has the effect of making the space look smaller than if is it was laid at 90 degree angles to the line of your home.
2. Cost considerations. Every time a paver has to be cut, the laying costs will increase dramatically both for the time involved and the wastage of materials.
Each of these basic paving patterns has it’s own distinctive appearance and can be varied to create a slightly different pattern, yet it still has its own unique style. Outdoor living spaces can be designed to suit different needs and are accentuated by adding designer landscape and pavers. There are various choices to make when designing with pavers. These include the paving material to be used, the shapes of the paver, pattern of paving, color and the desired finish. Traditionally there are 4 types of brick, concrete or natural stone paver patterns to choose from when paving outdoor living space. All four types of paving materials are well renowned for the excellence in providing safe, durable and elegant outdoor spaced. These patterns of paving are as follows:
Herringbone Pattern
The 45 degree herringbone pattern is becoming increasingly popular in feature outdoor living space as the pattern works well with stand-out borders and edging. It is a busy pattern to choose so it will definitely be noticed. A straight or 90 degree herringbone has the ability to blend into existing paving and have a natural flow to other sections.
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Basket Weave Pattern
Basket Weave is best suited to old world English landscaping themes. This style of paving can be effective if you are using recycled or old pavers as it brings out the rustic charm of cracked old textures.
A regular grid pattern looks great in formal designs and will have the least wastage (as low as 5%) as long as the designer has had the good sense to create paths and spaces sized in multiples of the selected paver’s width. A one meter wide path is hardly commonsense for a 400mm x 400mm paver.Diamond patterns can look great but will require a great deal of skill and experience on the part of the contractor – many may just not be interested in the job. Wastage increases substantially at 12% and up. |
Stretcher/Bond Pattern
This side-by-side style of paving is the plainest of all paving patterns, but it has the illusional effect of seeming narrower or wider depending on the direction in which it is laid. Stretcher Bond is good if you want to make a path look longer. If you position the pavers so that their length runs along the length of the path it will look longer. On the other hand if you want a path to look wider in a Stretch Bond pattern, lay themperpendicular to the length of the path.Stretcher bond patterns are good for a less formal design where it is not desirable for the eye to be strongly led. The pavers tend to look more rectangular and it is also the best pattern for coping with gentle curves. Again, choosing the right paver size will minimize cutting but wastage will still be higher - at least 7%.
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French Pattern
A French Pattern is a combination of 4-8 different size pavers. French Pattern breaks through the straight lines of traditional square paver installation. It is unfilled which means, once completed, it will have a pitted look. The advantage of a French pattern is that we do not have to cut each piece in order to create the pattern. Part of the appeal of the french pattern is the rough and rugged edge.
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Circular Paver Patterns & Random designs are available but to the extent your space allows. Although these are popular, they are sometimes difficult to design and to install. Creating the curves can be challenging. Random designs involves the use of about four different sizes of pavers for the one application, creating a bold effect. It is also used for walkways and driveways. There are a variety of shapes that are available for consumers to choose from. Square and rectangular shapes are most popular, but shapes such as ‘hexagon’, ‘octagon’, ‘symmetry’, ‘marquise’ and ‘uni-anchorlock’ have widened the variety of shapes to choose from.
Hints and Tips
Hints and Tips
- In small areas, use simple pavers and patterns, like the running bond.
- In large areas, you can break up the expanse with a variety of patterns or dividing bands.
- Curves add interest and grace to the overall design - but also loads of cutting and extra work.
- The inclusion of a header course in the same or different-colored paver can also be incorporated with all the patterns shown to create a feature around the pavement.
