Block paving also known as brick paving
is a commonly used decorative method of
creating a pavement or hardstanding. The
main benefit of bricks over other materials
is that individual bricks can later be lifted
up and replaced. This allows for remedial
work to be carried out under the surface of
the paving without leaving a lasting mark
once the paving bricks have been
replaced. Typical areas of use would be for
driveways, pavement, patios, town centres,
precincts and more commonly in road
surfacing. Bricks are typically made of
concrete or clay, though other composite
materials are also used. Each has its own
means of construction. The biggest
difference is the way they set hard ready
for use. A clay brick has to be fired in a kiln
to bake the brick hard. A concrete brick
has to be allowed to set. The concrete
paving bricks are a porous form of brick
formed by mixing small stone hardcore,
dyes, cement and sand and other
materials in various amounts.
Many block paving manufacturing methods are now
allowing the use of recycled materials in
the construction of the paving bricks such
as crushed glass and crushed old building
rubble.
There are many different laying patterns
that can be achieved using block paving.
The most common of these is the herringbone pattern. This pattern is the
strongest of the block paving bonds as it
offers the most interlock, therefore making
it a good choice for driveways and road
surfacing. A herringbone pattern can be
created by setting the blocks at either 45
degrees or 90 degrees to the
perpendicular. Other popular types of
pattern include stretcher bond and
basketweave; with the latter being better
suited to paved areas that will only receive
light foot traffic, due to its weaker bond.