Interlocking Paver Patterns

Provided by Pavestone

Mixing standard rectangular bricks with tumbled pavers produces a very interesting effect. The prefab inlay is hands down the easiest to install, as most of the detailed cuts have already been completed. It delivers in full, often with a setting membrane.

As a landscape design professional, homeowners turn to you time and again to create the outdoor living spaces of their dreams. It is up to you to discuss options and consider their likes, dislikes, wants and must-haves to ensure the end product is one that they will enjoy for years to come.

Creating a one-of-a-kind landscape design does not have to be a complicated process. By incorporating concrete pavers, you can create a design that will knock your client’s socks off, without knocking yourself out. The sheer ease and versatility of the concrete paver can help utilize both creativity and simplicity in design.

When using interlocking concrete pavers, there is no need to “reinvent the wheel” to create an end product that is both visually appealing and unique. These tips gathered from landscape design professionals can help you create landscapes that are both easy on the eye—and on you.

Using repeating paver patterns that can appear random can also add a lot of life. Mixing and matching colors and patterns can be achieved within separate frames using colored bricks for the outline. Mixing similar soldiers with one across the top or two-on-two-off, or even two-on-one-off as repeating patterns can work well, but plan your brick counts carefully.

Give it Curves

Designing “in the square” is a thing of the past. Unless you are forced to go linear, curves give the design life and movement. Some of the best ways to work with curves are as follows:

• Design and layout to insure you achieve a majority of full cuts.
  
• Take a piece of soapstone and line the pavers.
  
• Use a hand held chop saw with diamond blade to make a faster, cleaner cut and a water hook up to cut help mitigate any dust.
  
• Soldier or sailor the edge, whichever you prefer to stay in concert with your design.
  
• Edge the pavers with either edging strip, concrete toe, or both if you prefer.

Creating a pattern that uses turf spaces as part of the design can frame a design, but using frames of grass requires that the base be contained by paver edging to allow the grass to grow without displacing the pavers.

When creating curves, first use your edge restraint to lay out a curve to match your design. Then use a hand held chop saw with a diamond blade to make a faster, cleaner cut and a water hook-up to help mitigate any dust. Be sure to build in ample extra labor time and material costs for your bids on projects like this.

Liven it Up

Adding life and movement to your project is simple when you use the right product. Options such as the use of repeating paver patterns that can appear random as well as uniform will do the trick nicely. Formal use of single paver shapes such as the Holland Stone or Plaza Rectangles can also add a lot of life.

When using repeating patterns, consider the ratios that are required to yield your desired pattern. Some manufacturers provide “mixed sizes” in each pallet, while others provide only one shape per pallet. Precise calculations are necessary to create a pattern that meets the expectation of the homeowner.

When using repeating patterns, consider the ratios that are required to yield your desired pattern. Some manufacturers provide “mixed sizes” in each pallet, while others provide only one shape per pallet. If choosing non-standard patterns, check your delivery and make sure your estimated counts match correctly or you will lose money with left over pavers or extra deliveries.

Wind it Up

Another option to consider is the use of a winding or curved pathway with the primary purpose of creating movement. It makes little sense to lay the pattern straight and then cut the curve in. This application takes away from the movement because the straight lines clash with the curved path, confusing the brain in how it processes the two.

The use of pavers with curves, multiple patterns and inlays provide an attractive, cost effective, and maintenance free way to add splendor to any outdoor living spaces you create. When any of these applications are implemented, they provide wonderful additions to landscape designs that are pleasing to the eye of your clients.

A variety of shapes and styles of pavers are available to create an endless array of patterns. Mixing the rough hewn edges of this wall with non-tumbled pavers offers a clean walkway look into this house.

Building Blocks

8000: Psi, the average compression strength of solid interlocking paving units as mandated by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) C 936.

50: Freeze-thaw cycles. Interlocking concrete paving units must have a resistance to at least 50 freeze-thaw cycles with average material loss not exceeding one percent, according to (ASTM) C 936. Source: concretenetwork.com