Patio paver sizes

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qwertee

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#289788 29-Sep-2021 11:18

I am getting a wooden macrocarpa pergola built with a paved floor area 3.5m x 3.5.
The paved area extends beyond the posts that will also act as a mowing strip.
Don't want a wooden deck. Pavers are concrete. All work is being done by a landscaper as I don't have the skills.

There will be about 12 pavers spaced out, that will provide a path on the lawn to the pergola. (Think stepping stones)
I was thinking of having these in 600x300 but the landscaper suggests that they might be smaller
and maybe look at using 2 pavers 500x500 joined to form a larger rectangle.

The size we are looking at installing are 500 x 500mm pavers as the larger 600x600mm slabs look rather imposing.

any suggestions on the 500x500 size that I have chosen
want to have a whiter colour, but the closest is a greyish colour called MIST from Urban Paving CHCH
do I need to get the pavers sealed? Once sealed, the colour gets darker.

What sized pavers do our fellow geekzoners have used for their smaller patio area?

Appreciate your feedback and other things that I need to lookout for before I turn the key
I have looked at natural stone - but they only come in 600x600. Really nice with the split surface but colour is beige and expensive

See photos: the pergola will be in the corner and beams 1m away from the fence and stained to match the raised bed.

Thanks

Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek

#2786906 30-Sep-2021 11:44

There are much whiter pavers available than what was shown as the "Mist" colour on Urban Paving's site. They use white rather than the usual grey portland cement and probably lighter colour sand, so I expect there would be a price premium over standard darker coloured pavers.

For example: 600x600 paver from Placemakers website:

Edit:

This is annoying:

https://www.firth.co.nz/paving-and-retaining/residential-pavers/courtyard-flagstone/

Annoyance - the light coloured pavers in the checkerboard layout pictured don't appear on the list of available colours.

Bung

6477 posts

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#2786922 30-Sep-2021 12:09

The colour dot by volcanic ash isn't a good match. Other Firth documents have the chequer board layout with the blocks identified as Black Sand and Volcanic Ash.

qwertee

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#2786943 30-Sep-2021 12:34

Thanks for your input.

I will pop into Placemakers , but the size for that colour above I believe comes in 600x600. Looking at 500x500
Been to Firth, but all are darker than ones seen at Urban

Whats you take on sealing them

Fred99

13684 posts

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#2787243 30-Sep-2021 17:36

I think I'd seal them - will hopefully make cleaning marks from shoe soles etc off light coloured pavers easier. Darker ones often get sealed to reduce efflorescence whitening / lightening the surface - often unevenly - which annoys some people.

Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek

#2787246 30-Sep-2021 17:41

Bung: The colour dot by volcanic ash isn't a good match. Other Firth documents have the chequer board layout with the blocks identified as Black Sand and Volcanic Ash.

That's a vast understatement - chalk and cheese look closer.

OTOH, I used to have a bit to do with that industry, there's considerable batch to batch variation in colour at the best of times, but normally nothing quite like that colour chart glitch.

qwertee

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#2790500 6-Oct-2021 13:17

We have decided on smooth natural concrete pavers from Urban 500x500

Using 400x400 to form a rectangle for the path
Plan to seal them with 2 coats,

Thanks for your input

neb

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#2790611 6-Oct-2021 14:54

Fred99:
I think I'd seal them - will hopefully make cleaning marks from shoe soles etc off light coloured pavers easier. Darker ones often get sealed to reduce efflorescence whitening / lightening the surface - often unevenly - which annoys some people.

I was going to point out the same issue, if you get very pale or white pavers you're going to be forever cleaning stuff off them to keep them looking pristine. I don't know what your criteria are for looks vs. practicality but in our case we went for rough-surface terracotta which even with, for example, clumps of dirt on them from gumboots still look fine. And you don't have to worry about slipping off them when they get wet.

Edited to add: Just saw your last post, before you go with those consider what they'll be like to keep looking white, and what they'll be like when they have a film of water on the surface...