Paving slabs: types, shapes, texture options, colors, patterns and patterns, layout examples

Types of paving slabs

The most relevant options are:

• Plastic. In its manufacture, a sand mixture and polymer compounds are used. These polymer sand products have good strength properties and anti-slip properties.
• Based on natural stone. It is carried out by crushing various stone rocks, such as quartzite, granite, shale, shungite and others. The most expensive solution is marble-based tile finishes.
• Rubber. Contains rubber crumb, has high moisture, frost-resistant performance and sound-absorbing qualities.
• Clinker room. For manufacturing, they use a special clay that is fired at high temperatures. Clinker paving slabs have natural shades, are fire-resistant and non-slip.
• Concrete. Reinforced concrete tile finish, performed by vibrocompression and vibration casting. These cement products are highly durable and are ideal for surfaces subject to heavy foot traffic or traffic.

When choosing the type of product, you should take into account the abrasion rate, the maximum temperature differences, the expected load, and also the budget.

Pros and cons

This sidewalk finish has several advantages and disadvantages.

Selection recommendations

Basic tips:

• When choosing products, it is important to pay attention to their color, it should be uniform and not have white or dark stripes.
• You should not give preference to too bright materials that have a large amount of pigments, as they are less durable.
• When choosing the color of paving slabs, take into account the decorative features and illumination of the site. Coatings that match in tone with architectural details or matched to the color of the house will look more harmonious.
• In order to protect the tiles from damage, it is recommended to use a border frame.

Tile shapes

The tile material can have a variety of bar shapes.

Clover

It can be embossed and in the form of squares, with corners cut into a circle or smooth tiles with a complex structure and variety of shapes.

Coil

Due to its original shape, it turns out to achieve lock connections, which provide a strong adhesion of the modules to each other.

Rhombus

Allows you to decorate the surface with an original three-dimensional pattern in the form of a multi-pointed star or cube, which perfectly complements the surrounding exterior.

In the photo there is a walkway with sidewalk two-color tile cladding in the shape of a diamond.

Brick

With the help of brick imitation, you can get a flat and regular plane, characterized by a neat appearance.

Wave (zigzag or snake)

It consists of elongated elements with curves reminiscent of a wave or lightning, which can enliven the surrounding space and make it much more interesting.

Square

It is the most traditional option for paving slabs. Square models, despite their simplicity, give the surface a special elegance.

Corner

It has a unique appearance and quite interesting performance.

Mosaic

Due to its small size, with the help of mosaics, you can create a wide variety of artistic patterns when paving paths.

Hexagon (honeycomb)

This form always looks very stylish and can have almost any layout option.

In the photo there is a diamond-shaped sidewalk tile finish in the exterior.

Octahedron

It differs in a slightly strict, but at the same time exquisite pattern, reminiscent of an oriental canvas. Products in the form of an octagon can be combined with elements of a square shape or a hexagon in combination with a square.

Round

Thanks to the rounded edges, it looks very aesthetically pleasing and original. The round tile cladding is especially in harmony with the garden lawns.

Chamomile

It has a beautiful, whimsical configuration that allows you to bring to life a variety of creative ideas and achieve unique compositions.

Scales

Creates an unobtrusive, but at the same time effective design, and due to various color solutions, provides an opportunity to lay out original patterns.

The photo shows the landscape of a private house with a path decorated with gray paving slabs in the form of scales.

Maple

It has smooth lines that perfectly follow the outline of a maple leaf. When using the effect of combining shades, you can achieve a very attractive decor that will be associated with autumn leaf fall.

Lizard

It has a unique appearance and a rather complex shape that allows you to lay tile modules with virtually no gaps.

Trapezoid

Provides the ability to create really interesting combinations. Trapezoidal elements can be arranged in parallel lines, triangles, or hexagons. When using modules of different colors, it turns out to achieve an unlimited number of patterns.

Varieties of tile texture

There are also several texture options.

Cloud

The surface of this product is distinguished by a sinuous pattern, an unusual volumetric texture, which gives the cladding a roughness and matte effect.

Grid

Has a clear ribbed structure that provides anti-slip properties. Mesh tiles are often used in the design of sidewalks, steps, swimming pools, ornamental ponds or fountains.

Planks

Thanks to the natural wood texture, such a finish will give the exterior a special environmental friendliness and is perfect for decorating paths, steps or flower beds.

Under the tree

This paving slabs with an imitation of the texture of natural material, thanks to special techniques of molding and coloring, accurately repeats the saw cut of a tree with all its irregularities and grooves.

Under the stone

Elite marble-like cladding gives the design a special charm and sophistication, models with imitation of sea pebbles look no less original, have regular geometric shapes and a non-slip rough surface.

Checkers

It will undoubtedly decorate and revive the surrounding exterior. This paving stone can also have a multi-colored paving option.

Carpet

It is an incredibly sophisticated yet durable coating that provides comfortable use, stable movement and a non-slip surface.

Paving slab colors

With the help of the correctly chosen shade of the product, it turns out to achieve not only the transformation of the paths and the landscape, but also to emphasize the design of the buildings on the site. Colored paving slabs can be made in gray, black, yellow, red, white, beige, green, brown, have a two-color or three-color design.

White coatings look very impressive and, due to their brightness, are well visible in the dark. Quite often, materials of a pleasant dark orange, brown, brick or cherry shade are chosen for finishing, which are the most practical to use.

In the photo there is a path leading to a private house with brown paving slabs.

Cladding in a gray shade becomes a universal solution, which adds sophistication to the design, harmonizes with a wide variety of colors and favorably emphasizes the architectural merits.

In the photo there is a black paving slab of a rectangular shape in the design of the path near the house.

Examples of outdoor tile designs

A rather unusual design move is luminescent, transparent or frosted glass luminous paving slabs, with built-in LEDs, this solution allows you to achieve a truly fabulous and unique atmosphere. Also, cladding with decor in the form of small colored inserts looks no less interesting in the exterior.

Tiled facing "Gothic", is distinguished by a special ornament, in the form of zigzag lines located between parallel stripes and has an individual emphasized style. Finishing "Gzhel" allows you to assemble the pavement from curly elements of different sizes and shapes and thereby achieve an extraordinary coverage.

Options for drawings and patterns of paving slabs

The paths paved with tiles with various patterns and ornaments will undoubtedly endow the surrounding space with a special fabulous atmosphere.

The photo shows the landscape of the courtyard of a private house with a pattern of paving slabs.

Due to a variety of geometric shapes in the form of large squares, rhombuses, rectangles, in the form of a circle or semicircle, it turns out to set the pavement design dynamism, or vice versa, to soften it.

In the photo there is a path in front of the house, decorated with sidewalk street tiles in the form of ornaments.

Layout of paving slabs

There are many styling options with which you can create a harmonious and aesthetic composition.

Schemes for rectangular tiles

Main types:

• Staggered. It involves the use of two elements of different colors, most often black and white. The chess layout, despite its simplicity, allows you to achieve a very effective surface decoration.
• Herringbone. In this case, the modules are located at an angle of 45 ° or 90 ° to each other, creating a fairly dynamic pattern.
• In a runaway. It is a standard decoration look reminiscent of brickwork.
• Network. It has a weaving shape formed by arranging rectangular elements perpendicular to each other.
• Zigzag. It is a rather complex pattern that involves laying a zigzag pattern.
• Arbitrary order. Has no specific placement. The chaotic order looks especially advantageous with the use of multi-colored products.

The photo shows paving multicolored rectangular tiles with a spacing layout.

For curly tiles

These products are distinguished by a rather complex layout, in which it is necessary to take into account the color gamut and the direction of the individual module. Unusually laid out curly elements in the form of stars, leaves, flowers and other figures will give the landscape a special zest.

Photo of the use of paving slabs

Popular use cases.

Photo of tracks in the country

This design will be an excellent replacement for simple concrete paths in the country. Due to the original compositions, a variety of shapes and colors of pavement finishes, it turns out to complement any landscape. For small garden plots, ornate paths with smooth lines will be an excellent solution, and for large areas, clear straight paths.

In the photo, the path at the summer cottage, decorated with paving slabs of different colors.

Photo in the courtyard of a private house

The path paved with paving slabs contributes not only to the connection of different objects to each other, but also to the highlighting of certain buildings. This covering can be located around the house, in front of the house, in a gazebo, on an open veranda, or framing flower beds, thereby allowing you to keep the surrounding area clean.

On the site of a private house with the help of street cladding, it is also planned to design a parking lot for a car. For this, reinforced concrete products are used that can withstand the load from the movement of the machine.

Paving slab porch

The porch can be decorated with a single-color or multi-colored tile material that has almost any shape, or even mosaic can be used for decoration, allowing you to create a truly elegant design.

In the photo there is a street threshold with sand-colored paving clinker tiles.

The porch, lined with paving slabs, combined with paths and blind area, looks very impressive.

Ideas for facing stair steps

Stair steps are heavily stressed and therefore require the most durable, wear-resistant and non-slip finish.

Photo gallery

Paving slabs provide an excellent opportunity to bring any design ideas to life and thereby achieve the perfect landscape design.