Beautiful paving with quarry tiles

Press, 14 May 1981, Page 12

Beautiful paving with quarry tiles

LANDSCAPING YOUR HOME

Gilbert Brakev

Many an old concrete terrace has been completely rejuvenated and transformed into a very pleasant area by overlaying it with tiles of pavers. In new areas there are fewer limitations and it is possible to have this form of paving at its best. Generally, tiling is confined more to smaller areas because of its cost, while pavers can be used both in smaller and larger areas. Several types ,of tiles are on the market today. They should be selected to suit their proposed area of application.

The thinner type tiles are useful where weight is important — for example, over a timber or asbestos-decked balcony floor. The heavier, 22 millimetre tiles can. be laid over a concrete base, or a sharp sand or crusher dust base.

Tiles of your choice can be imported, but there are now a number of New Zealand tiles available.

Both tiles and pavers are clay-based. Their finishes vary, but I refer here to those made for outdoor use only. Colours vary from individual, subtle shading differences from tile to tile, to definite reds, browns, golds, and ebony.

Tile surfaces can be smooth, or have a dimpled, anti-slip surface. The antislip is exceptionally suitable for steps and ramps where safety is important. It should be remembered that under certain conditions when tiles are wet they can become slippery, so the antislip surface has advantages in the appropriate place. The shapes of tiles vary to suit the way in which they should be applied. There are cove tiles, tiles for stair treads, sill tiles, and the antislip tile. They may either have a square, sharp edge or a rounded bull-nosed finish.

A tile has been designed to suit just about every situation you are likely to encounter.

Quarry tiles range in size from 150 mm square to 200 mm square or half tiles 200 x 100 mm. Then there are the very thin tiles used over decks which range from 150 mm to 75mm square. The thickness can range from a few millimetres up to 45mm, depending on the manufacturer and over-all size.

This is a product where

shopping around can certainly pay.

Tiles do not have to be only paving, they can also be laid vertically on walls.

A variation on tiles is the cobble brick, which is part way between the tile and the paver. These come in two modules per block, measuring 230 mm by 115 mm and 76mm deep. The pavers are normally thicker and heavier, ranging around 50mm to 75mm, and they are rectangular. Some hexagonal shaped pavers are available. The rectangular pavers vary in size from 230 mm by 115 mm, 300 mm by 150 mm, 200 mm by 67mm and 217 mm by 105 mm. One such type of paver may well be known to you. -It is the brown type which has been extensively used throughout the Cathedral Square. Most people think of pavers being used in rigid, formal patterns, but it is possible to use them in flow-ing-free curves or radiating paving designs. The ground level does not

necessarily need to be tiat. The paving can be rolled over gentle mounds and undulations. However, this calls for a skilled hand in order to avoid the obvious pitfalls. Pavers are ideal for use in driveway areas, providing they are placed over a concrete base so that they can withstand the weight of vehicles. However, pavers such as cobblebrick do not require a concrete base if there is a base course construction of 150 mm depth of compacted hardfill or topcourse material, as for an asphalt driveway. Sharp sand or crusher

dust is then used as a bedding down material. No concrete or mortar is needed for this form of dry construction, which makes the over-all project much lower in cost. Both tiles and pavers are pleasant to the eye, and create a luxurious effect to any courtyard or terrace area. Their use appears to be under-rated. More of these products could be well used in new pavings and in renovation work. Manufacturers provide well laid out, technical information on laying procedures for the home handyperson.