The Brew Cabin

Tony,
Unbelieveable site mate - the most helpful I have found in years - top man! I have been pondering a project for a year now and only now having joined the Cabin do I feel slightly more confident. A well constructed block path looks the bee's knee's but poor ones just make you weep every time you look at them.

How's this for ambition.. I plan to run a 'classic' path from the gravelled patio by the house that gently curves between two rose arches, around the pond, then one side bleeding off to a small 3 metre patio, then continuing through the garden to the car parking area! Total distance approx 22 metres.

The idea of the small 75mm cobbles looks appealling but probably a bridge too far! I like the look of the Marshall Altira blocks (in all 3 sizes) but I thought to check first with the Cabin Crew while also having a brew... What do you think?

What makes you think the 75mm cobbles (which ones?) would be more difficult to lay than the Altira blocks? They shouldn't be!

There's no construction problem in using Altira - it's all a matter of aesthetics. I don't have any concrete paving in my garden because I think clay pavers are more natural looking and the mosses/grasses colonise them ina very organic sort of way, but then, I have what might be thought of as a 'cottage' style garden. In a modern garden, my paths and patio would look totally out of place.

So, you choose the paving to suit the property and the style of garden you have. If you like Altira, then go for the Altira. Personally, I think the Burnt Ochre (multi-brown) is more sympathetic to most gardens than the Brindle (multi-red) but again, it all depends on the type of garden and personal taste.

With curved paths, longitudinal stretcher bond (sometimes called running bond) looks superb, as it draws the eye along the arcing lines. Here's a pic of a path I laid about 7 years ago, back in the days when I could still work......



...this path was constructed using Ionica, which, at that time, was manufactured by BDC but they were subsequently bought out by RMC, who still produce this block today. Anyway, the Ionica is very similar to the Altira (and the TopPave Classico, which used to be Marley's ).

Enough of the history of CBPs in Britain - note how the blocks follow the curve, accentuating the arc and leading the eye around the corner, which is a favourite trick of all those arty-farty garden designers.

This path has never been cleaned or sealed, so you can see what a CBP path might look like a few years down the line. If you prefer the 'clean and tidy' look, then consider using a sealant.

Has that kettle boiled yet? :)

Well you were quick, I've only had time for a couple of brews yet! 'Management' will be delighted that the Site Agent can quickly see through such obvious delaying tactics that small clay cobbles may be too expensive and much too difficult for an Apprentice to tackle.. Hence the 'Altira' rationale.

Okay, I know you're right - yes I have an old cottage (built with wonderful red handmade bricks - painted white by previous owners!) with a typical cottage garden. But since the bricks are now very porous and spalling, I may need to render in the next few years. However a garden wall does run the length of the garden and will never see the sight of any whitewash - as long as I live! But I thought a pathway of small red little cobbles could be too twee? Cleary I have to call another site meeting..

The cobbles I looked at were the small 50mm Marshalls (sorry) and seeing that there were 3600 of the little buggers in just over 9m, I just thought this would be too much for an absolute Apprentice and will take many, many summers to complete.

The photo in your reply is an abolute inspiration and being an Apprentice, I would have laid the stretcher bond the other way so that I could get round sharper corners easier!I have much to learn..

I'll get the digital out and send a pic prior to any paving activity - but you'll need to be patient on the last point!

Sincere thanks, Claybrooke

I have the 56x56 Marshalls clay cobbles for my garden paths!!! Amazin', eh?

Even more amazin': that path was laid by Mrs Taz and The Reichskinder while I was laid up after first losing the use of my back, so, there's really nothing to scare an apprentice. They laid the lot, about 15m2, in a day, although, to be fair, the sub-base was already in place from the previous, nasty concrete blocks path, and so it was simply a matter of wazzing out the owld rubbish and laying the new little beauties.

Two of the Reichskinder were splitting the cobbles and arguing, while Mrs Taz screeded the bedding and laid them in place as I groaned and moaned from my sick bed (well, sick recliner, to be honest!)

There's a really crap photo of it on my garden website which you can access by clicking here but tomorrow, I'll haul meself downstairs and take a better one on the digicam and post it to this thread. :)

And there was I anticipating a supporting response that it would be just too much for an apprentice. You should post a pic of Mrs Taz - because to lay 15m of cobbles in one day commands deep respect man and worthy of pinning up on the cabin wall to remind apprentices to stop whinging.. :o

I have a small (40K) pic to post of my garden but I can't figure out how to do it.. It's raining again, so I'm off back to the Cabin for a brew and a ponder..

Yours in awe, Claybrooke

It's persisting down outside, so I'm not going out there to photo the garden path, but I have dug out these pics from my portfolio....



......................................................................................



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



###################################





....for advice on how to post pictures, click the Help link and then read the bit on "Ikoncode". If you can't upload the pictures direct, send them to me by email and I'll upload them for you. :)