Paving Design Ideas: Colour, Borders and Layout
Good paving designs come down to three choices: the colour blend, the border and the laying pattern. Each one has a rule behind it. Bosun recommends packing single-coloured pavers from randomly alternated packs, so that shade differences do not show up as patches. A border can be decoration only or part of the edge restraint, and the City of Cape Town lists a brick stretcher on edge as one edge restraint for residential crossings. The Clay Brick Association's clay paving guide recommends herringbone, at 45 or 90 degrees, for wheeled traffic areas.
- Single-coloured pavers: mix from randomly alternated packs (Bosun)
- Keep an agreed colour reference sample (CMA)
- Many other decorative patterns: pedestrian areas only (Clay Brick Association)
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Paving design ideas start with the colour blend
The CMA's Book 3 notes that even unpigmented blocks can vary in colour. A design that looks planned on paper can look patchy on the ground when pavers are laid pack by pack.
- For single-coloured pavers, Bosun advises laying from packs taken in random rotation, so that no area ends up as a patch of one shade.
- For multi-coloured pavers, Bosun recommends getting approximately three different samples, because colour can vary widely from one paver to the next.
- The CMA's specification says reference samples showing the agreed range of colours should be kept by the purchaser.
Revelstone explains why its own products look darker on delivery. It says they sweat and generate moisture while curing indoors, which darkens the colour, and that most will generally lighten once installation starts and they are exposed to the elements. It describes its Grey Blend as a combination of varying grey tones whose variations are intentional and cannot be guaranteed to be uniform. It points customers who want a consistent, single-tone finish to another colour.
One-off colours are limited by volume. Bosun says a minimum of 500 m² is generally required for stock that is made to order.
What each colour hides and shows
| Colour choice | Maker's note |
|---|---|
| Dark (charcoal, black) | Darker colours disguise tyre marks more effectively, though the marks are still visible, and cement staining is accentuated on darker colours (Bosun) |
| Cool greys and charcoal | For small gardens or patios, cool colours visually open the area (SmartStone) |
| Stone-coloured concrete | Bosun's Colourfast range takes its colour from stones rather than oxides, and Bosun pitches the fade-resistant finish for bold contrasts and striking borders |
| Tan | Bosun warns that tan pavers vary considerably in shade, because of the oxides used |
Borders and the edge restraint
A decorative border and an edge restraint are two different things, though one row of pavers can look like either. The CMA's Book 3 says an edge restraint exists to hold the bedding sand in place and to stop the outer units creeping outwards. The CMA's homeowner guide sets its kerb units on a 7 to 10 cm layer of concrete or dagha on the outer edge.
The City of Cape Town's roads standard lists a brick stretcher on edge or a 150 x 75 mm E1 precast concrete edging as the edge restraint for a residential crossing.
The gap at the edge counts too. The CMA's Book 3 holds the gap against the edge restraint to the same 2 to 6 mm tolerance as the joints.
Layout: size, shape and curves
Paver size sets the mood. Bosun's pool paving guide ties paver size to the pool's shape: large-format concrete pavers or porcelain tiles for a clean, modern look around rectangular or L-shaped pools, and smaller concrete pavers around curved pool shapes. SmartStone reminds garden designers that lines don't have to be straight and that curves can create a sense of flow.
Patterns have limits. The Clay Brick Association says many other decorative patterns can be laid, but limits them to pedestrian areas. SmartStone rates square bond and basket weave as not ideal under vehicles, because their long continuous joints run with the traffic.
Cuts decide whether a design looks finished. The CMA does not recommend cut pieces under about 25% of a full unit, because traffic can knock such small pieces loose. Where herringbone is used, the CMA recommends reorientating the pattern along the edge restraint, which it says eliminates the need to cut blocks longitudinally.
Where to spend a design budget
Bosun's driveway buyer's guide says that with a limited budget it is often wiser to invest in an excellent installer than to spend excessively on the pavers themselves.
Paving for Africa is one of the paving contractors in Cape Town. It lays whichever pattern the client asks for and does not sell bricks or pavers. The types of paving guide compares the materials, and the paving patterns guide covers herringbone, stretcher bond and basket weave in detail.
Paving design questions
Can I use two colours in one paved area?
Yes. Bosun says its fade-resistant Colourfast range, in Ebony, Ivory and Ash, allows you to design bold contrasts and striking borders. The CMA's homeowner guide says not to mix patterns: choose one and stick with it.
Why do some colours vary more than others?
Blends vary by design. Bosun recommends getting approximately three different samples of a multi-coloured paver, because colour can vary widely from one paver to the next.
Why does the colour appear darker when delivered?
Revelstone says its products sweat and generate moisture during curing, which makes the colour darker. It says most will generally lighten once installation starts and they are exposed to the elements.
Can we get the same colour later?
Yes, if you keep a reference. The CMA's specification says reference samples showing the agreed range of colours should be kept by the purchaser. Bosun advises buying extra pavers from the same batch because of breakages. Revelstone says its colours can be reproduced at any stage in the future, as its orders are custom made.