KEY POINTS:
The trend for today's modern patios is to use large pavers in a simple clean design, says renowned landscape designer and Ellerslie Flower Show judge, Jenny Pullar.
"It's a cleaner space visually that you get without lots of little cross-checks," Pullar says.
The larger pavers cost a bit
more and can be somewhat unwieldy to install but Pullar says it's worth it.
"The advantage of pavers is really aesthetic. The lines with pavers are really nice. The space can read differently if it's divided up into squares."
But it's usually not the aesthetics that are the deciding factor for selecting a patio surface.
"The budget is usually what determines what a client will use," says Pullar.
However, even with a concrete surface, designers can be innovative.
"You can colour it and there are a lot more options now. You can grind it and polish it and even make it look like pavers," she says.
If you want to use a real paver instead, the options are limitless.
"There are a lot of different colours and you can get different mixes with stones and shells and things like that.
'The range is actually really good with what you can get these days. You can also go for actual stone slabs which you can use as pavers. They can be lovely but that will cost you more."
Pullar advises choosing a colour and texture to go with your house. Variations of greys are also fashionable.
But it's not all going to stay the same colour unless you use a sealant.
"Another thing that you need to think about is people spilling their red wine and things like that. Whatever option you go for, it can be really good to seal the surface," Pullar says.
The sealant will need to be applied regularly.
There are other maintenance issues with pavers. Most are laid on a sand base with sand in-between the tiles. Ants love to make their way off with the sand and weeds often grow up through it. But regular use of ant poison and weed killer will help control this.
Pavers are generally more environmentally friendly than concrete because they allow the ground to absorb more water.
But Pullar says you still need to take into account water runoff.
"You've always got to have a slight gradient and think about where your water is going to go," Pullar says.
For areas with a steep gradient, pavers are probably not the best option.
"There is a limit to how steep you can go with a sand base," Pullar says.
This trend toward larger tiles is also something which Ann Jones, a specifier representative with Stevenson Building Products, has noticed.
"Until recently, the small segmental paver was very popular, around 200x100mm but now people want a larger format to represent a more monolithical look," Jones says.
To install these large slabs it's important to get the sub-base prepared properly.
The cost of installation can vary widely depending on what type of surface you're starting with, she says.
Many DIYers are happy to line up a string and lay the pavers themselves but if the site is boggy or requires a lot of filler to level it off, a professional might be needed.
"You often see a lot of sub-base failure because they haven't compacted or they haven't gotten the right depths of material for site-specific design," Jones says.
For driveways, the larger pavers are too susceptible to breaking. Jones recommends no larger than 200x100mm.
The layout design can also strengthen the surface.
"Particularly on driveways it's good to go for a herringbone or something that locks in together but it's not compulsory," Jones says.
Jeremy Robertshaw, sales and marketing administrator for Midland Brick NZ, says the patterns and colour combinations can also be used just for design.
But he warns to be careful with some textures which can be hard on bare feet.
Pavers generally range in cost from $0.75 for a 230 x 115 tile up to $8.80 for a 400 x 400 paver.
TIPS FOR TOP PATIOS
1. Select an appropriate and subtle colour. With a large surface, a little colour goes a long way.
2. Make sure the sub-base is well compacted.
3. Allow for proper drainage.
4. Seal pavers to prevent staining.
5. Poison and pesticides will help control weeds and ants.
6. Pavers will require re-sealing and other minor maintenance.
