Brick Patio Designs

by HDME Staff

Though creating brick patio designs may sound like an incredibly daunting task, when you break it down into what it truly is, then you will quickly discover that it doesn’t have to be difficult at all. In fact, it can be a rather enjoyable and convenient process. You can still hire a professional, but it is more than possible to do on your own.

This being said, once you have decided to create brick patio designs yourself, you can still consult with an expert who specializes in the process and who can offer you useful recommendations, suggestions, and other useful feedback. Don’t forget that there are also many other useful reference tools available to you to help you along the way, such as articles and the internet.

You can find inspiration for your brick patio designs just about anywhere. Look at magazine images and pictures that you can find online, but you might also want to walk around your neighborhood and have a look at the type of brickwork that your neighbors have used. There really are no restrictions to the ideas that you can have and work into your brick patio designs.

Some of the more popular brick patio designs include:

• Jack on Jack – using “stretchers” only, where the bricks are all aligned in perfect straight rows both vertically and horizontally.
  
• Running Bond – using “stretchers” only, where the bricks are in straight lines where the joins in each course (row) are centered on the row above it.
  
• Basket Weave – a square grid of brick pairs where the join the join that occurs between each pair is perpendicular to the four pairs on each side of it.
  
• Herringbone – diagonal rows made up of bricks that alternate in their direction (vertical, horizontal, vertical, and so on).

As you are coming up with your ideas, don’t forget to consider important elements like the size of the patio you’d like to create, as well as the materials you’d like to use. There are different shapes and sizes of bricks available, as well as different colors. You may decide to work with one or many of these options in combination. You could even consider an environmentally friendly option such as using restored or recovered bricks for a less manicured and more natural looking surface.

In fact, one style that is becoming increasingly fashionable is to simply obtain a large number of recovered or restored bricks and then simply spread them randomly into the shape of patio that is desired. This technique produces much more casual brick patio designs, which are quite appealing when relaxing atmospheres are desired.

Of course, if something a little bit more structured or formal is your style, you can use brand new bricks to create the shape and/or pattern that suits your personal taste. It can be quite geometrical, or you might prefer something a bit more original and artistic. As long as it appeals to you and allows you to use your patio as you desire, then the possibilities are virtually unlimited.

By creating brick patio designs that you truly enjoy, you’ll also be making a beautiful new living space and adding to the ways that you can use your home and the property around it. Do all of your planning in advance, and you’ll find that everything afterward simply falls right into place.

The Big Question for YOU!
What's the biggest challenge you're facing with your brick patio design? And if you've already built a brick patio, tell us about your project and any lessons learned.