Bricks and pavers may be laid in several different ways to create attractive patterns.

A selection of the most common examples are listed below:

Stretcher Bond

Stretcher (or running) is the same pattern as can be used in a wall, made up of stretchers offset by half a brick length. This gives a surface 'directional emphasis'; laying it across a path will make it seem wider, whilst laying it down the path's length will tend to lead the eye on, making the path seem longer. This bond is easy to lay, but requires cutting bricks to start and end each row with a half brick.

Soldier Courses

This is a variation of stretcher bond, where the joints coincide to provide a more static and often architectural pattern. This is probably the easiest style to lay.

Basketweave

Basketweave is an easy pattern that can be laid without any cut bricks. It is a traditional style, laid in groups of two flat (or three on edge), each group forming a square. Each block must be of equal size, and the joint sizes arranged so that the two or three bricks set in one direction equal the length of the brick.

(left: Basketweave 2; right: Basketweave 3)

Herringbone

Herringbone is a decorative style, in which the bricks are laid on alternating angles. The units can be laid either flat or on edge, and either at right angles (square herringbone) or at 45 degrees (diagonal herringbone) to the path or terrace. The diagonal pattern can be complicated to lay, and involves a considerable number of diagonal cuts where the paved area meets the edge restraint.

(left: Diagonal Herringbone; right: Square Herringbone)