The pattern you lay pavers in is not just a look. It changes how the paving locks together, how strong it is, and how much cutting and waste you end up with.
The common patterns
Most brick and clay paving comes down to a handful of bonds:
- Herringbone: pavers laid at 45 or 90 degrees in a zigzag. It locks tightly and resists shifting under load, which makes it the first choice for driveways.
- Stretcher (running bond): rows offset by half a brick, simple and clean, good for paths and patios.
- Stack bond: a straight grid. Modern and tidy, but it does not interlock, so it is best kept to light foot traffic.
- Basketweave: pairs of pavers turned in alternating directions. A traditional look that suits period Melbourne homes and garden paths.
Matching the pattern to the job
The right pattern depends on what the paving has to carry:
- Driveways: herringbone, every time. The interlock spreads the load of a car and stops the pavers creeping and rutting.
- Paths and courtyards: running bond or basketweave both work and look settled.
- Formal or modern areas: stack bond looks sharp where the traffic is light.
Laying on 45 degrees gives the strongest interlock and looks good running off an angled boundary, but it means more cuts at the edges. A 90 degree layout wastes less. That is a real cost on a big area.
Getting it to last
The pattern only holds if the base is right. Good paving is mostly the work you cannot see:
- A compacted base and bedding sand to the correct depth for the traffic.
- A solid edge restraint so the pattern cannot spread sideways.
- Joints filled and the falls set so water runs off, which matters in our heavy downpours.
Get that right and herringbone paving will sit flat for decades. Get it wrong and even the best pattern will rut and lift.
Send us a photo of the area you want paved and your suburb, and we will suggest a pattern and tell you what the base needs to last.