There’s a reason why bricks are among the oldest known building materials: in addition to their classic look, they can take a beating! We’ve been using bricks for thousands of years, and they’re just as ideal for your property today as they were for all those millennia.
Of course, today’s bricks have huge variations in color, style, and texture, making them a great way to add beauty to a functional project. Even better, popular brick paver patterns make it easy to elevate the look of any space. If you’re trying to find the perfect design for your property, let’s take a look at the best paver patterns to consider.
Stacked Bond
Also called “jack-on-jack,” stacked bond pavers create a simple, classic look. With this design, your brick pavers sit flush with each other in straight lines, each brick running parallel to its neighbors. This creates the “stacked” look of rectangles sitting right on top of each other.
The ordered alignment of the stacked bond paver pattern may not be the most visually interesting on this list, but it’s a simple design that looks great in any setting. Even better, it’s one of the fastest designs to install, making it perfect for quick projects.
If you choose one of the other designs on this list, you might still want to use stacked bond brick pavers on the edge of the design. This creates a neat line that works great as edging and keeps the bricks within the design from shifting outward.
Running Bond
Running bond patterns are among the simplest of all brick paver designs, but that doesn’t mean they should be overlooked! You may also hear them called “stretcher bond” pavers.
With a running bond pattern, your contractor will lay bricks out in a straight line. The pattern of each line is offset from the one before it, meaning that the bricks won’t “stack” in perfect alignment. In most cases, each brick sits halfway between two other bricks in the next row over, creating what’s known as a “one over two” pattern.
The staggered look of this design creates the classic geometric effect that most people picture when hear the words “brick pattern.”
Little cutting is necessary for this design, as the bricks in the main field of the pattern will remain intact. If the area you’re working with is rectangular, you may need no cutting at all, making this a faster project than some of the options below! However, experienced contractors can also create beautiful running bond patterns in unique areas, including winding walkways and patios with curved edges.
Basket Weave
As the name suggests, the basket weave pattern recreates the timeless look of a woven basket. This creates a cross-hatch effect.
To create the basket weave look, contractors work in a grid. They will lay two or more bricks flush against each other. In the next section of the grid, they will lay down the same number of bricks, but these will be set perpendicular to the blocks of bricks on either side.
The traditional basket weave pattern often uses blocks of two bricks at a time. However, blocks of three or four bricks can create a larger, more graphic design.
Other variations include the half basket weave, or the “parquet” pattern. With this design, larger sets of pavers will sit beside a single vertical brick that breaks up each grid of the pattern. This creates a design with more visual complexity.
Like the running bond pattern, basket weave patterns don’t involve much cutting. The easy installation makes it one of the more popular brick paver designs for both residential and commercial properties.
Herringbone
If you’ve ever seen textiles with a herringbone pattern, you know how elegant the design can look. Herringbone brick pavers recreate the beauty of this look in your yard, adding a subtle, refined touch to your property.
Herringbone patterns feature a repeated V in their design to make a zig-zag effect. To create the look with bricks, experts will lay them out at 90-degree angles to each other.
As you can likely guess, precision is crucial for this kind of installation. This means it can sometimes take longer than other designs. However, the finished effect is well worth the time cost!
For the main field of a herringbone pattern, the brick pavers won’t need cutting. Toward the outside edges, however, contractors will have to spend more time cutting bricks to create a straight line.
One popular variation of this look is the diagonal herringbone pattern. With a traditional herringbone pattern, the design sits at a 90-degree angle to the borders of your chosen area, meaning the bricks are flush with the edge. With a diagonal herringbone pattern, the design sits at a 45-degree angle to the edge, requiring more cuts while adding more visual interest.
Choosing bricks with slight variations in hue can give herringbone pavers a fun, fresh look. Alternatively, bricks of the same color give the design a more refined, polished appearance.
If you’re looking for a paver design for an area with heavy foot traffic or vehicular use, herringbone patterns may be your best bet. Because of their interlocking design, herringbone pavers stand up to the intense demands of driveways and similar spaces.
Pinwheel
The pinwheel paver pattern recreates the look of its namesake with bricks. This whimsical geometric design can draw visual interest, and it looks great in a range of settings.
To create this pattern, your team at Fox Landscape Supply will start by cutting a brick in half. This half brick will sit in the center of the design, with intact bricks sitting around it to create the look of a square pinwheel. As you can likely tell, the traditional pinwheel design involves a lot of cutting: there’s one cut for every two pinwheels.
Often, the center brick is a different color than the bricks around it, but a standard color scheme can create a more subtle effect. Some property owners also choose to use other paver options in the center of the pinwheel for a pop of color and texture. If you like the look of greenery in your paver pattern, leaving dirt in the center space allows you to add a pop of green grass to the design.
Grid
A grid paver design often plays with one or more of the patterns mentioned above. Stacked, pinwheel, and basket weave designs are ideal, as the grid effect needs perfect squares to work.
With a grid pattern, a straight-edged material separates the squares of the design for a more obvious gridded look. Lines of bricks, wood timber, stones, or other paver materials are also great options to try.
Random
Though it isn’t ideal for those who prefer a well-ordered design, random paver patterns can be an interesting and fun addition to any property. As you can likely guess, random layouts involve setting your brick pavers in place with no discernible pattern. No two random designs are the same, making your setting unique.
Contractors will often cut the bricks into smaller portions to create the random look of these designs. Despite the “random” name, they will often plan out the design in advance!
The look of random brick pavers is an ideal match for areas with a modern or contemporary design. It can also be a fun way to play with color variations or different types of brick pavers for added visual interest.
Whorled
Whorled designs are by far the most complex of all brick paver options. These designs require a lot of cuts, and they take a long time to complete, but they also create stunning, unforgettable designs.
With whorled designs, contractors will begin with a single brick, often cut in half, toward the center of the space. They will then lay intact bricks branching outward from this center piece to create a plus sign. The spaces between each branch of the plus get filled with smaller, cut bricks to create a circular starburst design.
As the whorled pattern expands, the contractor will work in concentric circles to create a branching effect.
Whorled designs may branch from a single center brick, or you may choose to use multiple whorls in your chosen setting. Some homeowners also choose to stack semi-circular whorls on top of each other for a mosaic look. Darker hues can even mimic the look of cobblestone paths.
No matter what you choose, be prepared to stay patient: more than half of the decorative brick pavers in a whorled pattern will need cutting.
Ask Us About Brick Paver Patterns
By now, it should be clear that the options for brick paver patterns are endless! Whether you’re looking for an elegant design, a colorful mosaic look, or a geometric grid, the patterns above are great places to start.
As you decide on a final look, don’t hesitate to reach out to Fox Landscape Supply with questions. Our family-owned-and-run company is proud to offer exceptional service and superior materials, and we’d be happy to guide you to the best paver design for your needs and aesthetic. To learn more, fill out our online form.
