Patterns
Many patterns are available when using Block / Bricks Paving the most common
ones are
Herringbone 90° | Herringbone 45° | Stretcher Bond | Basket Weave
What should you buy CONCRETE OR CLAY listed below are the pros and cons:
Concrete
* Relatively cheap.
* Wide choices of shapes and sizes are available.
* Full textured blocks and patterns are available.
* Wide choice of block depths, from 40mm.
* Colours fade over time.
* Aggregate will be exposed after sometime.
* Long lasting.
Clay
* Prices are usually higher than concrete and colours do differ in prices.
* Very hard wearing.
* They are made of natural earthy colours that will not fade.
* Prone to moss, but easily cleaned.
* Offers low maintenance.
* Strong water and weather resistant properties.
* They are mostly rectangle with different sizes.
* Size tolerance is quite variable due to firing process and has been separated into two
variations thus PA & PB.
* Very hard to cut.
* Will probably outlast all of us, and our children, and probably their children as well!
Tips
Did you know that the plastic use as underlay on all paving works is not a common practice. It does not prevent weed growth, but will make the bedding sand layer a reservoir of water instead, thus causing more harm. The use of Geotextiles is recommended instead.
Maintenance
It makes no difference how well a pavement or driveway have been laid, all pavings, from the very top-of-the-range to the bottom, require some basic maintenance. There is no maintenance-free paving of one form or another. Maintenance keeps paving in prime condition, lack of maintenance allows paving to deteriorate.
Even if it's just a basic wash-down with soapy water, all types and forms of paving will look so much better, while certain types of paving tend to need a bit more care and attention to ensure they always look as smart as possible. The good news is that cleaning is usually easy and even the most decrepit, neglected or abused pavement or driveway can often be given a new lease of life with just a little effort.
Dealing with weeds
Weeds are simply plants that grows in odd places, like in between the sand filled joints and a few places more. Highly inconvenient, specially that your new paving have just cost you a small fortune. There is no such thing as a weed-free surface. When detritus is allowed to accumulate on a surface, you are creating a chain reaction. When properly constructed, weeds will NOT grow through block paving.
Ants
Now these are the real culprits, they love building their nest under your newly acquired pavers. They will slowly make there way to the top of your pavers by eating away the sand filled grouting. A few months later, a few pavers will start to collapse.
So do not blame your contractor or subby, he is not to be blame, a little insect repellent will keep them away.
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