Paver Brick Styles

Types

• Pavers come in two different types -- concrete and clay. Clay pavers are traditional bricks. They are more expensive than concrete pavers, but unlike concrete, they are fade-resistant and long-lasting, as opposed to a 20-year life span for concrete pavers.

Color

• Pavers come in all sorts of colors. When choosing a color, look at the surroundings and choose a color that complements, rather trying for a true match of color. It should be a color that goes with the style of your home as well as the surrounding landscape. Once you pick a palette, you need to decide if you want a single monotone color or multihued pavers, which come in two to four complementary shades. The advantage of multihued surfaces is that it is easier to hide any stains that might occur on the paver surface.

Shape and Texture

• By a wide margin, the favorite shape of pavers is a rectangle, but they are available in squares or S- or W-shaped pavers. In recent years, tumbled pavers have become popular. Tumbled pavers have been tossed in a drum until the sharp edges are worn down, giving them an antiqued look. Technology has now made it easy to imprint a pattern into the surface of a paver. These imprinted patterns do have a tendency to wear away in high-traffic areas.

Layout Patterns

• A wide variety of looks can be achieved simply by laying out the pavers in a different pattern. The most common is a running bond, but you can also choose a herringbone, basketweave or your own design.