A 4-size ashlar patio pattern
PatioPlanner plans an ashlar layout with four stone sizes in your browser, with no download and no signup. The preview below is interactive, so you can see how the stones fit together.
The ashlar pattern combines several stone formats, usually two to four sizes, in a repeating tile. Running bond uses one stone width and looks uniform. Ashlar looks irregular but still follows a system you can calculate.
The name comes from natural stonework, where “ashlar” means precisely dressed blocks in varying sizes. Concrete paving borrows the idea as a mix of formats.
Live preview
Rotate the pattern or change the joint width:
The four sizes in detail
The pattern uses four stone sizes that together form a 1000 × 1000 mm repeat tile:
| Format | Dimensions (L × W) | Role in Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Format A | 200 × 200 mm | Small square: accent stone |
| Format B | 400 × 200 mm | Half slab: binder stone |
| Format C | 400 × 400 mm | Large square: area filler |
| Format D | 600 × 400 mm | Large format: dominant element |
The mix prevents continuous cross joints. Each stone overlaps its neighbour’s joint, which spreads load better and stops the stones shifting sideways.
Why the 4-size ashlar pattern is popular
- Large patios look less monotonous with four formats mixed.
- Staggered joints spread loads more evenly than cross joints.
- Offcuts from the edge often fit into the next row.
- Rotating the whole repeat tile by 90° gives a slightly different look.
Installation tips
Repeat tile orientation
You can lay the repeat tile horizontally or turned 90°. Try it in the preview above with the rotate button. On narrow paths the transverse version often looks more balanced.
Joint width
A joint width of 3 to 5 mm is standard for concrete pavers in ashlar bond. Wider joints emphasise the format differences; narrower joints make the surface appear more homogeneous.
Edge cuts
Cuts occur at the surface boundary. Since the pattern uses four formats, the offcuts are more varied. That can reduce waste but needs careful planning. PatioPlanner shows you beforehand which stones get cut.
Comparison: ashlar vs. other patterns
For comparison, here is running bond with a single stone format:
And the Roman pattern with three formats:
The 4-format ashlar has the most variety. Roman bond is more compact in its repeat tile, and running bond is the simplest to install.
Try the pattern generator
In PatioPlanner you can lay the 4-size ashlar pattern on your own patio outline, free of charge. The planner calculates all four sizes, shows the edge cuts and builds a shopping list with quantities per format, which you can export as PDF for your supplier.
Draw your patio and select the ashlar pattern.