The Brew Cabin

I am in the process of laying the blocks on job that is 120+ metres square and the customer has asked me to do a pattern in the 45degree herring bone pattern, np i said showing here the portfolio with types of diamond patterns that we have inlayed into other jobs, oh no she says i want a 9ft in diametre circle that stands out from the main brick with some sort of detailing:(, so i figure half blocks all round the circumfrence and then what?? can u help out here tony any advise would be gratefully appretiated, if u have no advise i will telling her no can do i,m affaid and back to some sort of diamond we will go, i am documenting the job as we go, so can send u some digi pics if u like when completed. as over the years i have basically learned 70% of my trade from this very excellent site :). many thx with the site m8 and long may it be here as a constant source of learning to any one wanting to go down this path.

What blocks are you using? Manufacturer/make/sizes?

I am using eaton 200x100x60 block paviours, with a charcoal soldier coarse laid 100mm wide all around the perimetre then a buff inlay laid 200mm wide and a marigold 45 degree main body. ps how do u attach piccys to the post or send them to your good self.

(Edited by suki at 10:24 pm on July 31, 2002)


(Edited by suki at 10:40 pm on July 31, 2002)


(Edited by suki at 10:41 pm on July 31, 2002)

You have a number of options. If you try to use the blocks you have then you've a lot of work in front of you.

Using the blocks to form a double stretcher course....



leaves you with big open joints, around 25mm (an inch) as shown above.

What about if you lay it as a soldier course?



Well, it's slightly better but you still have 20mm gaps - too wide for sand: too unsightly for mortar.

You could trim the blocks, of course....



...as you can see, you need to take 7.5mm off each edge, and with 82 blocks in this outer course alone, that's 164 cuts, assuming none go bad on you!

What I would do, is buy in a pre-made circle. There's the Marshalls Driveline circle - same 200x100 type of block, but as a kit and available in Charcoal or Red.



Or you could use the Tegula Drivesett circle for a real contrast, or even one of the riven flag type circles, laid on a full concrete bed, of course.

There's millions of options, but you really need to look at bringing in a kit-form circle or switching to smaller units, say 100x100mm to get the joint width down to an acceptable minimum.


If you want to post piccies, they need to be on your own server/webspace and then read the instructions in the HELP link opposite. Basically your wrap the url in a pair or img tags. If you want to post them to me for uploading, send them to info AT pavingexpert.com

thx tony for the help i spoke to marshalls about the circles and they only do it 50mm and i really need 60mm so i have talked to the customer and they are now happy to have a diamond pattern as they didnt really want to pay extra for the circle. thx for the quick responce though:)