Brick, a traditional paving material used by many people when it comes to enhancing their outdoor garden decor, has been used all over the world for centuries. Choose bricks and patterns to match or harmonize with the color and textural qualities of nearby architectural features. Although patio paving stones, timber or gravel is also desirable, many people opt for bricks for two important properties besides their appearance: they should be frost proof and durable. In wet or icy conditions, very smoth bricks can become slippery, making them unsuitable.
Running or stretcher bond. Depending upon the direction of the pa th relative to the direction of the uninterrupted joint lines in the paving pattern, this boind is described either as “stretcher bond”, which makes the paved area appear wider, or “running bond”, which has a lengthening effect and creates a strong sense of movement. Running bond is particularly suitable for paths with gentle curves.
Straight herringbone. This has an interesting shifting pattern. It usually needs some kind of edging to ensure that the half bricks used to form a straight edge do not fall away with use.
Diagonal herringbone. This is the same as straight herringbone except that it is set at an angle, usually of forty five degrees to the main view or to the direction of the path. It needs and edgeing to secure the small triangular bricks at the sides. The pattern is useful for patios and for curving paths. The bricks can be laid flat or on edge, producing a narrower pattern but they require a larger number of bricks and deeper excavation in order to achieve the same area and level of path.
Continuous or stack bond. This has a modern appearance, and the brick direction ncan be varied to suggest widening, with the bricks laid with the long edges horizontally, or lengthening, with the long edges leading away from the viewpoint. Alternating panels of this pattern with bricks laid at ninety degrees to each other result in a chequered effect.
