What Are the Different Options for Brick Paving Designs?

Landscape architects offer a myriad of brick paving designs to suit virtually anything a client can dream up. Even the do-it-yourself homeowner can create the most intricate design with a bit of planning and know how. The most common types of brick paving designs are basket weave, herringbone, and running bond.

When designing a brick patio, brick driveway, or general landscape design, there are several things to consider when determining which brick paving designs work best for the space. The first thing a homeowner should do is set a budget. The budget should be decided with thought to whether the property is being staged for resale, in a desirable neighborhood that will increase in property value, or the new design is merely for the homeowners enjoyment. Once the budget is established, the brick paving design options that fall within the budgeted range can be reviewed.

The next requirement is to measure the area where the brick patio pavers will be installed. If the area is not level, materials will need to be brought in such as soil, sand, or gravel to level out the path and make it easier to install the brick pavers. A piece of equipment called a tamper is then used to compress the base material and create a firm, level surface for brick installation.

Once the area is prepared, the landscape architect or homeowner will then determine what brick paving designs to use. Traditional patios and walkways are constructed using regular, rectangle bricks. Though the colors may vary, the overall style is linear. The bricks are laid directly onto the prepared surface and placed in either a basket weave, herringbone or running bond pattern. The cracks between each brick are then filled in with sand and tamped down.

The running bond brick paving designs are the easiest and most cost effective to produce. The rectangle shaped bricks are merely laid end to end in a horizontal fashion. The next row is laid with the brick offset so each end is placed in the middle of the brick below and above. The result is every other row has the brick on the edge that is half the length of the normal size brick.

The basket weave brick paving designs involve placing two bricks side by side in the same direction. The next two bricks are then placed side by side in the opposite direction. The design is repeated in each row making sure the two bricks being placed are always in an opposite direction from the two sets of bricks around them. The result is a style that looks like a basket.

There are two options for herringbone brick paving designs. The first option uses both square and rectangle bricks set in an offset "L" pattern. The second option uses the "L" pattern also but requires the bricks to be set in a zigzag. The zigzag pattern is much tougher to produce and may require bricks to be cut, which is a more expensive and time consuming option.