Porcelain patio to a curved brick wall, Gloucester
A curved wall is where paving either looks made-to-measure or looks bodged. This patio was set out from the radius first, so the charcoal border follows the brickwork exactly while the full slabs in the field stay square to the house.
Key facts
- Town
- Gloucester
- Year
- 2024
- Surface
- Light porcelain, charcoal border course
- Edge detail
- Gravel drainage margin to the wall
How do you pave up to a curved wall neatly?
You set out from the curve, not from the house. The border course is marked off the wall radius and each slab cut individually on a wet saw, so the joint width stays constant around the bend instead of opening up as the curve tightens.
Why is there a gravel strip between the paving and the wall?
It is a drainage margin. Water running off the wall lands in the gravel and soaks away instead of pooling on the mortar joint, which keeps the border free of staining and stops the brickwork wicking moisture up from a wet edge.
Does a contrasting border serve any purpose?
Yes, beyond appearance. The border absorbs all the cuts, so the field stays full slabs on a clean grid. It also gives the eye a deliberate line to follow around a curve, where a single-colour patio would show every small variance.
- Border set out from the wall radius
- Field kept to full slabs and a square grid
- Consistent joint width maintained through the curve
Photographs from this job
Other projects
Gloucester · 2023
Resin bound side return
A narrow side return between two houses surfaced in gold resin bound aggregate, taken tight to the brickwork on both sides.
Gloucester · 2023
Recessed manhole cover in resin bound
An inspection chamber dressed with a recessed tray cover and filled with the same gold aggregate, so the surface reads as continuous.
Gloucester · 2024
Porcelain patio in progress
Mid-build: grey porcelain being laid on a full mortar bed with a recessed cover dressed in cut slab so it vanishes into the pattern.
Frequently asked
Is porcelain slippery when wet?
External porcelain is manufactured with a textured face and rated for slip resistance. It is not the same product as indoor floor tile, which should never be laid outside.
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