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.
3. 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.
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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. Whereas straight or 90 degree
herringbone has the ability to blend into existing paving and
have a natural flow to other sections of the house. |
Stretcher Bond
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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 them perpendicular
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%.
Basket Weave
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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 senseto 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.
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