18-Inch Pavers in Landscape Ideas

Mix Them with Bricks

• Create a patchwork path or patio floor by mixing 18-inch patio pavers with groups of paving stones that add up to 18 inches. Many standardized brick pavers come in multiples of three, simplifying the task of measuring and calculating the number of bricks you'll need. When you add in the array of color choices available for most brick pavers, you'll have a palette of blocks in various sizes and colors to create a design for your patio floor. Alternating 18-inch pavers with squares made up of smaller sizes gives you nearly as much flexibility as you have designing a floor with mosaic tiles.

Think Outside the Blocks

• Square pavers don't have to add up to a rectangular path. Accent the center of a curving gravel path with an inset row of 18-inch pavers laid diagonally, corner to corner instead of edge to edge. Lay out and excavate the path, add a layer of fine sand to stabilize the pavers and keep them from sinking, then lay out your line of paving stones along the center of the curve. Fill around the stones with gravel or river stones and rake it smooth to finish the path.

Step Along the Path

• Eighteen square inches provides a broad enough place for all but the largest feet, which makes 18-inch pavers just the right size to create a stepping stone path across your lawn or through a garden. Choose gray or brown stones for a subtle pathway that blends into the surrounding plants, or add a striking color accent by choosing red brick or creamy white slabs. Place stepping stones within easy stepping distance, about 24 inches from the center of one stone to the center of the next.

Plant Between the Lines

• Greenery softens the edges of pathways and adds a natural touch to stone patios. Irish moss and other creeping ground covers root readily in spaces between paving stones. Keep them neatly trimmed to accent the grid pattern, or let them grow to create a softer, more casual look. For more formal plantings, leave openings in your grid design and fill them with annual flowers or herbs. Choose plants with shallow roots and low water requirements to keep the maintenance needs low.