Concrete Pavers Guide

One of the more interesting sizes of paving stone are 24 x 24 concrete pavers. They are related, in some way, to concrete paving slabs and paving flags, in that they are larger than typical 6″ x 9″ concrete pavers but still ‘modular’ when compared to poured concrete. Their relatively large size allows for different ideas and designs than the standard 6 x 9″ paver. Here are some general ideas for how to use 24×24 concrete pavers. Hopefully they will be useful to you, either for application to your project or as a spur for your own creativity. (There are other articles in this site that may give you further ideas for particular projects such as outdoor patio ideas and garden paving ideas.)

The Uses of 24 x 24 Pavers

• Note that 24 x 24″ pavers are only usable for certain applications. They are not usable wherever vehicular traffic may be present, as they are big enough that they could break or crack with that amount of weight. They are also probably not suitable for small installations and walkways, as the area of these projects would be too small for the paving flags to be installed comfortably. If the walkway is thick and straight, however, these kinds of stone may be useful. Overall, patios and pool decks are two great uses for this kind of slab – pretty much anywhere you have a lot of square footage to cover and don’t need to worry about the stresses of vehicles.
• These paving stones also can be used as stepping stones for a garden or walkway.

24 x 24 Paver Patterns

• There are many interesting ways to lay these 24×24 paving stones in paver patterns. One standard type is the stacked bond. This is simply laying the pavers like they were a chessboard or checkers board.
• Another kind is the running bond. This is alternating the pavers so that the edges of the pavers don’t line up. Instead, the edges of a row of stones are placed halfway in between the side of the upper and lower rows in a staggered format.
• One other kind is the diamond. This is essentially the stacked bond at a 45 degree angle to the borders of the installation. Running the pavers in this direction will draw the eye to the project, so only do this if you want to showcase your patio or pool deck and not have it blend in. It will also make the area look smaller – while this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s something you should know.
• You can also mix different sizes of pavers, including 24×24, 6×6, and 6×9, among others, to form irregular patterns. Consider adding regular pavers as a border for a 24×24 project as well.

Installation

• Though they work well with square shaped installations, these pavers can be cut in order to make curves. Read more about cutting concrete pavers here for more information on how to do this.
• Laying these paving stones is both easier and harder. It is easier in that you don’t have to put down as many brick, but it is harder in that the brick you do have to handle are heavier and more cumbersome to deal with.
• How much base you should install depends on what you’re using them for, the look you want, and how well you want them to hold up, as well as the climate around your area. Most of the time, however, you’d be best served to do the job the right way by using at least 4″ of recycled concrete or gravel as a base.

Costs and Other 24×24 Paver Facts

• Note that the other aspects of pavers apply here as well – you can get these brick in a variety of colors and styles according to your needs. Note, however, that generally the different colors and styles that are available will be much less than what is available for standard paving stone options, so plan accordingly.
• In terms of 24 x 24 concrete pavers prices, you will probably pay anywhere from $1 to $4 per square foot, depending on the brand and type. If you want to upgrade the appearance of the project, you can also get this size material in brick and natural stone varieties, though you will have to pay more. More information on pavers cost can be found here.
• It is also possible for you to make your own 24×24 brick as long as you make the right mold or forms. This process has been detailed on other parts of this website – see these articles:

http://www.concretepaversguide.com/concrete-paver-molds-buy-make-and-use.html

http://www.concretepaversguide.com/how-to-make-and-use-concrete-paver-forms.html

http://www.concretepaversguide.com/concrete-block-molds-what-you-need-to-know.html

http://www.concretepaversguide.com/ten-tips-for-finding-concrete-molds-for-sale.html

 

 

Tags: 24 x 24 concrete pavers, 24x24 concrete pavers, concrete pavers, design, other materials, paver patterns

When using brick pavers to create a patio, walkway, driveway, pool deck, or other creation, there are many patterns you can lay the brick in depending on your taste and goals. Note that the following article is based on the standard size of bricks. Differently sized bricks offer further options for design, as do irregularly shaped bricks.

There is a general rule of thumb when it comes to designs for brick pavers or any pavers. If you make the brick paving patterns simple, they will blend into the environment more. Other features of your home and landscape will thus become more apparent; the hardscaping will simply complement these features.

If you want to have your hardscape – patio, walkway, etc. – draw the eye more, or be the centerpiece to your yard, pick more complex brick paver patterns. When a pattern is complex, or different from the other parts of the yard which it goes with, it attracts more attention.

Brick Patio Patterns

Let’s take, for example, the possible patterns you could use for patios. These same patterns can also be used for driveways and pool decks or any other area that is wide and long. Some of these patterns can also be used for walkways, but more specific examples are discussed in the below section for that hardscape type.

First, you can decide whether to lay the pattern in a 90 degree or 45 degree pattern. If you lay it 90 degrees, either perpendicular or parallel to other lines in your yard, it will blend in more and even make the area look larger. If you lay the pavers at a 45 degree angle, the area will look more complex and thus attract the eye. It will also make the install area look smaller.

The first major pattern to think about is stretcher pattern, also known as the running bond. This is essentially laying the pavers is straight lines and is the easiest to install. The direction that the brick pavers are laid will determine which direction looks ‘longer.’ For example, if you lay the pavers in a stretcher pattern across the width of a patio, it’ll look longer in that direction, and the same for length if you lay it in the other direction.

The next type of brick patterns for patio is the basket weave pattern. This is an old fashioned look and works best with these brick pavers that already look ‘old’ or ‘used.’  They are laid in units of two vertical pavers side by side and one horizontal paver covering either the top or bottom. Another kind of basket weave is two vertical pavers followed by two horizontal pavers and two vertical and so on.

The final type of brick paver pattern is the herringbone pattern. This is a very popular pattern, but it is complex to install compared to other options. It is essentially the alternation of vertical and horizontal patterns in a ‘diagonal’ like shape. If laid at 45 degrees, this paving pattern is very noticeable and will attract a lot of attention. If laid at 90 degrees, it will be a little more understated but will still dominate the hard and landscape.

Another thing to keep in mind is the kind of traffic to expect on your installation. This applies mostly to driveways. Certain patterns do better with certain traffic on your driveway. For instance, herringbone works best with parked cars, while stretcher pattern is for places where high acceleration or deceleration is expected.

Keep in mind that you can pair any of these major patterns with borders of various types, using the same or different paver shapes and colors.

Brick Walkway Patterns

Many of the same patterns can be used with walkway pavers. However, since these walkways are often thinner in one direction, care must be taken when deciding upon a pattern. For instance, a running bond laying across the width of the walkway may help make it look thicker than it is. In addition, an overly complex pattern may require a ton of cuts in order to fit the bricks into the pattern correctly. This will raise the materials and labor costs of the project and is generally not recommended.

Another general pattern for any installation is a random mix. This can be tricky, however, especially when different sized bricks are mixed together. This should only be attempted by someone experienced with installing pavers, as properly installing them will require good ‘mixing’ of patterns, shapes, sizes, and colors sot hat the pattern will appear ‘random’ to the observer.

More information on concrete paver patterns can be found by following this link.

Tags: brick patio patterns, brick paving patterns, brick walkway patterns, paver patterns

Once the plan has been set and the relevant preparations (installation of the base and sand) have been completed, it is time to lay the concrete pavers. There are many different paver patterns available, all depending on the shape of the pavers and the size of the project. The number of patterns keeps increasing as new paver shapes are designed and as the creativity of contractors and landscapers continues to produce new ideas. Still, there are some patterns, like the running bond and herringbone (described below), that are classics. Picking your paver pattern may not seem as important as picking the brand of paver or the color, but you’d be surprised as to just how important it is.

The Basics of Picking a Paver Pattern

The major factor that determines what kinds of patterns are at your disposal is the shape of the paver you select. The shape and patterns of pavers go hand in hand – when you pick one, you in some sense pick the other. Thus, when you are thinking about patterns of laid pavers or their sizes, you must (by necessity) think of the others as well. You will want to make sure that the size paver you select is appropriate both to the space it will be installed in and to the implementation of the actual pattern you’ve selected. In general, smaller spaces do better with simpler patterns; larger spaces can use either simple or complex patterns.

When considering different designs for a paving stones application, such as patio paver patterns, considerable attention should be brought to bear on the optical effects that the particular pattern will bring. A simple pattern, like running bond, where the pavers are in a straight line, will simply make the project ‘blend in’ to its environment. It will not draw the eye, and perhaps this is what you want.

However, other patterns will draw the eye more and make the paving stone project the center of attention. For example, the project will look different if the pavers are placed at  a 45 degree angle to the house than if they were parallel or perpendicular. Still another feeling may be evoked with a more complex or a random pattern. The more complex and eye catching a pattern, the more people will pay attention to the area itself over anything else, so you need to consider the aesthetics of your space. What do you want you and your guests to look at? Some complex patterns also make the space look smaller than it is, so keep this in mind when designing your project. Other patterns may make the area look longer or wider, larger or smaller. This consideration is especially important when laying walkway pavers, as the pattern will affect the relative width or length of the project according to an observer’s eye.

How Patterns Affect Paver Price

Keep in mind as well that one paver pattern may be more expensive than another due to size considerations and the amount of cuts required. A pattern at a 45 degree angle, for example, or one that incorporates curves, will require more cuts and thus affect the overall time to completion (and thus price!). The more pavers that have to be cut by hand, the more time spent on the job by contractors, and the more brick that are required. Thus, the project may be more expensive. It may pay to select a simpler design just to reduce the costs of the project.  Another feature that could increase the time and cost is any curves or special patterns (like circle kits) added to the design. While it will certainly improve the looks of your project, it will come at a rather steep pavers cost.

Other Minor Considerations

Some concrete pavers patterns are more complex than others and require more skill to install properly. A novice installer may make a mistake in the pattern and only notice it when a lot more of the interlocking pavers have been installed. If a contractor is installing the paving stone application for you, this may not matter as much, though you will want to make sure your contractor has the experience working with the design you’ve chosen. This is why it’s important to pick the right pavers contractor – follow this link for some some tips.

Keep in mind that some patterns are stronger than others. Herringbone patterns, for example, provide more interlocking than others, and may be a better choice for projects that need to withstand a lot of traffic (such as driveway pavers).

Some Example Paver Patterns

Here below we detail some of the patterns possible with bricks of various shapes and sizes. All of these patterns apply to pavers regardless of the material – concrete, brick, or natural stone (i.e. flagstone pavers). They are organized according to the sizes and styles of brick available with Nicolock pavers. Nicolock usually has the standard brick sizes available in other brands, so it’s a good stand in, but we eventually want to expand this page with more examples and, eventually, images of the most popular patterns that you can use – so stay tuned!

Note that you can also mix and match pavers patterns, adding a straight border to a herringbone or running bond pattern, for instance. We are also not considering some of the more rare and unique patterns due to uniquely shaped brick – i.e. anything outside of the ‘quadrilateral’ family. Don’t forget, also, that a ‘random’ or ‘irregular’ pattern can also be laid with particular kinds of paving stones.

Always consult with your designer, contractor, or paver manufacturer for more ideas and suggestions!

Holland Stone

Borders: Soldier Course with Herringbone Pattern, Soldier Course with Running Bond Pattern, Sailor Course with 45 degree Herringbone Pattern, double sailor course with double basketweave pattern;

Patterns: Double Basketweave, Single Basketweave, Running Bond, Stack Bond, 90 Degree Herringbone, 45 Degree Herringbone, Single Offset Herringbone, 45 Degree Running Bond, Double offset Herringbone

Cobblestone:

Runner, Parquet or Basketweave, or Herringbone

Multiweave:

45 Degree Herringbone, 90 Degree Herringbone, Running Bond Pattern, Basketweave Pattern, Stack Bond Pattern

Roma 1:

Running Bond, Herringbone, or used as border for Roma 2

Roma 2:

Running bond, installed in random pattern with Roma 1, can have circles installed as well.

Rustico Series:

6×6 Running bond, 6×9 Running Bond

More Articles

The Concrete Pavers Guide also has more articles on this and related topics, listed here:

Brick Paving Patterns: Some Information

Tags: basics, design, paver patterns