The stretcher-soldier bond alternates two rows of pavers laid lengthwise, the stretchers, with one row laid crosswise, the soldier course. The second stretcher row is offset by half a paver and closed with a half stone at each end of the repeat. The template uses 200 × 100 mm pavers and 100 × 100 mm half stones.
Why it suits garden paths
A garden path is long and narrow. Plain running bond makes it look even longer, and a stack bond quickly looks like a sidewalk. The soldier course adds a cross line at regular intervals, which breaks up the path and makes it more pleasant to walk.
It is stable enough for foot traffic and wheelbarrows. For areas that cars drive on, patterns with stronger interlock are better, such as herringbone.
Pavers per square metre
One repeat measures 400 × 400 mm and holds seven full pavers and two half stones. Per m² that is 43.8 pavers at 200 × 100 mm and 12.5 half stones, without joints or waste. A path 10 m long and 1 m wide needs about 438 pavers and 125 half stones.
Recreate the template in PatioPlanner
The “Open template in planner” button selects “Mixed format (various sizes)” and the Stretcher-soldier bond pattern.
- Draw the path with “Draw polygon”. Click the corners one after another and close the shape with a double-click. With Snap on and Dimensions shown, you hit the path width exactly. If the path bends, add another point there.
- Line up the pattern. If the path runs left to right on the drawing, leave the rotation angle at 0°. If it runs top to bottom, set 90° so the soldier course crosses the path.
- Check the curbstones. The shopping list works out curbstones for the whole perimeter and the mortar in 25 kg bags. On narrow paths the edging is what keeps the paving in shape.
- Check the base. For the Pedestrian load class the planner uses 20 cm of 0/32 mm crushed stone plus a 20% compaction reserve and 4 cm of 2/5 mm grit as bedding. The excavation depth adds base, bedding and paver height, so about 30 cm with 6 cm pavers.
- Pick the joint filler. The shopping list offers quartz sand, joint gravel, polymeric sand against weeds and epoxy mortar, each with quantity and bag count.
Tips for laying
- Set the curbstones first and measure the clear width. If it does not match the paver grid, you end up with a lengthwise cut along the whole path.
- Lay each soldier course against a string line at a right angle to the edge. A crooked soldier row stands out on a straight path.
- Build in a cross fall so rainwater drains to the side. One to two percent is enough for most paths.
FAQ
How deep do I dig for a paved garden path?
For foot traffic the planner uses 20 cm of crushed stone, 4 cm of grit and the paver height. With 6 cm pavers that comes to about 30 cm. You find the value in the shopping list under excavation depth.
Do I really need half stones?
Yes. In this template the second stretcher row ends in a half stone on both sides. Many paver lines sell half stones ready-made. Otherwise you cut full pavers in the middle, which gives two half stones per cut.
Can I lay the soldier course in a different colour?
Each surface in the planner has one colour. To test the look, draw the stretchers and soldiers as separate surfaces. For quantities the template works as it is, since the shopping list shows full pavers and half stones separately.