Creating a 'random' patio design

[Jonboy_t]

I'm just about to lay a new patio in the back garden and am going out of my mind on how to plan the random pattern.

I've broken it down into 4 sections which will all interlink to make one patio overall - I've only done this to make the design easier, there will be no individual sections on the end product.

I am far from computer literate so CAD programs are out of the question for me - I just don't have the patience or talent to use them at all. I've begun drawing it all up to scale on Excel (I am Finance, after all!) by using each cell as 10mm and making templates for the 3 different sized slabs (600x600, 600x300 and 300x300), but I am finding that I get to a certain point and the whole pattern just goes to pot. I've included a 10mm space (i.e. one cell in Excel) between each slab to space them with mortar, and the sizes of the slabs and the way I'm doing it mean that I get to a point and there is no option but to not have a 10mm space between this and the next slab.

Does anyone know of any easier/less stressful way of planning this or am I resigned to trying to find someone that can use CAD?

[Mr GrimNasty]

Don't know if that helps, but loads of examples on Google, including some planning utilities:

http://www.pavingsuperstore.co.uk/bradstone-paving...

With 3 paving sizes, the width of the mortar joints will probably need to be varied a fair bit as necessary to keep the overall pattern accurate.

[Gav147]

Have a look on the Marshalls paving site there is an on line planner for designing your patio, has a few pre-set random patterns or (i think) you can change them around to suit.

Actually works pretty well and will give you a list of what you need


Link : http://www.marshalls.co.uk/pavingplanner/

[Mr GrimNasty]

Not worth the effort - I tried it before I posted!

[Jonboy_t]

You are saviours! I've just spend about 4 minutes doing something that I'd spent the last 3 days doing!

Thanks!!!