How can this detail be made to look better? - Second course narrowing

[David 1234]

Hello gents. Please take a look at this photo. The second course in narrows. The driveway has been built square to the house starting from the house but the driveway is at an angle. I thought that this could be hidden over two or three courses. Landscaper says that would look worse and that’s just how it goes. What do you think? Not my driveway but landscaper wants to do mine and I have about the same angle.

Many thanks

[dig dug dan]

That's bad practice to have line of thin cuts. He should have turned the row of blocks to the right round by 90 degrees and cut them in to avoid it! Its inevitable that the drive edge is not square to the house

[David 1234]

Thanks Dan. Out of shot it narrows down to even thinner. Assuming the blocks are turned around, is there nothing that can be done to even out the sizes or is that just the nature of the beast?

[dig dug dan]

Thanks Dan. Out of shot it narrows down to even thinner. Assuming the blocks are turned around, is there nothing that can be done to even out the sizes or is that just the nature of the beast?

It will look so much better cutting in as I suggest. Short of moving the threshold of the drive so its parallel with the house, there is not much can be done!

[David 1234]

Thank you very much indeed.

[Tony McC]

This image illustrates the principal....



...blocks rotated to span two courses and trimmed as required but never less than ¼ of a block. No small, flimsy pieces to break and work loose, and it looks so much better!

[David 1234]

Thanks Tony. Is no smaller than a quarter of a block a hard and fast rule?

[Tony McC]

Apologies for being late to this - had all sorts of health issues with angina during the heatwave and now an arthritic knee that is driving me mad with pain.


Yes. It's part of the British Standard.