Mixing Patio Materials in New Orleans: Design Ideas That Hold Up

A patio that mixes brick, pavers, stone, wood or gravel looks intentional when one material leads, the accents repeat, and every edge and transition is planned for water. That last part matters in the New Orleans area, where the City of New Orleans notes that Louisiana can have high rainfall totals at any time of day or year. Here is how to design borders, inlays, paths and transitions that look good and keep working.

Pick One Lead Material and a Few Accents

A simple way to keep a mixed-material patio from looking busy is to choose one field material for most of the surface and one or two accent materials for borders, inlays or paths. Consider repeating each accent elsewhere, for example a brick border that also shows up as a brick step or path.

Take color cues from what is already there. Brick on the house, the trim color and the furniture you plan to use are all good anchors. If you are still choosing the field material itself, our guide to paving materials for New Orleans summers covers the options, so this guide can stay focused on how the pieces fit together.

Plan the Water First, Then the Pattern

Plan drainage for the whole patio so every surface, including each change of material, directs water away from the house or toward suitable drainage. The City of New Orleans hazard mitigation page on flooding explains that urban flooding happens when stormwater drainage systems cannot keep pace with heavy precipitation, and it lists the extent of impervious surfaces like asphalt and concrete among the human factors that affect flooding. On a single lot, the practical question is whether rain moves away from your house or collects near it.

• Set the slope before choosing the pattern. For interlocking concrete pavements, the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute’s construction guide says slopes should be a minimum of 1.5%. Ask your installer how the whole patio, including every material change, will slope away from the house.
• Keep transitions even. We suggest asking your installer how each joint between materials will be built so the surfaces stay even and water does not collect there.
• Know where the downspouts go. We suggest planning where downspout water will discharge so concentrated roof runoff is not directed onto joint sand, gravel or a material transition.

Design Borders That Hold the Patio Together

A contrasting border is one simple way to mix materials. A band of brick around a paver field, or dark pavers around lighter stone, frames the space and signals where a seating area ends and a garden bed or path begins.

Borders also have a structural job. ICPI’s edge restraint guide calls edge restraints an essential component of interlocking concrete pavements, explaining that they hold the pavers tightly together and prevent spreading. It lists restraints made from precast concrete, plastic, cut stone, aluminum, steel and poured-in-place concrete, and notes that a submerged or hidden concrete edge can be used to restrain concrete pavers. The decorative border you see does not have to be the piece doing all of the holding.

If plastic edging is proposed, ICPI says it should be specifically designed for use with pavers. Ask what restraint your installer plans for each edge, especially where the patio meets lawn, planting beds or gravel. Our patio paving team can walk you through the options for your layout.

Use Inlays to Mark Zones

An inlay is a patch of contrasting material or pattern set inside the main surface. It is a simple way to define areas on an open patio without adding walls:

• A circle or rectangle of brick or stone under a dining table.
• A band of contrasting pavers at the back door to create a landing.
• A different laying pattern, such as herringbone inside a running bond field, around a fire feature or seating area.

Ask for inlay units to be set on the same prepared base as the surrounding field so the finished surface stays even, and keep the inlay design simple enough that it still reads clearly when furniture sits on top of it.

Plan Transitions to Wood and Gravel

Patios often meet a wood or composite deck, a gravel path or a planting bed. Decks and patios are often built on different kinds of support, so we suggest asking for the transition to be detailed for the specific materials and installation methods involved. A clean edge restraint on the patio side and a plan for keeping gravel from spilling onto pavers can help the transition age well.

Where runoff crosses paver joints, for example near a downspout or at the edge of a deck, ask about stabilized joint sand. ICPI notes that sealers or joint sand stabilizers are optional, and that stabilized sand may have advantages in areas prone to joint sand loss. If you are planning a deck and patio together, our home deck services and our comparison of composite and wood decking for Louisiana can help with the deck side of the transition.

Size Paths So People Can Use Them

Paths tie mixed areas together, and they are a natural place for an accent material such as brick, pavers, stamped concrete or gravel. For width, one benchmark is section 403.5.1 of the ADA accessibility standards, which generally sets a 36-inch minimum clear width for accessible walking surfaces, subject to exceptions and additional requirements at turns and for passing space. Whether or not those standards apply to your project, we suggest 36 inches as a starting point, and a wider path is more comfortable when two people walk side by side or when you move furniture and grills.

If you are deciding between a poured surface and individual units for the path, our stamped concrete vs. pavers comparison covers the trade-offs.

Mix Textures and Colors Without Clutter

• Contrast one thing at a time. Pair a smooth surface with a textured one, or a light color with a dark one, and keep the rest consistent.
• Repeat accents. Echo a border material in a step, a planter or a path so it looks planned.
• Test samples wet. Ask the supplier about slip resistance when wet, and we suggest wetting a sample to compare finishes before you commit.
• Check surfaces in the sun. We suggest comparing samples outdoors on a sunny afternoon, since surfaces can feel different underfoot in full sun, and planning main seating where shade will fall.
• Think about shade early. If a pergola or cover is in your future, place posts and footings in the plan now so they do not land in the middle of an inlay.

Plan a Mixed-Material Patio With TurnKey Patio

TurnKey Patio designs and installs custom patios for homeowners in New Orleans and our surrounding service areas, and you can read more about our patio paving services in Hammond. We benefit if you hire us, and the planning steps above apply no matter who builds your patio. To talk through a design, call (504) 285-2824, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, or request a free estimate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mix pavers and brick on the same patio?

Yes. A brick border or inlay around a paver field is a simple way to do it. For interlocking concrete pavements, the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute describes edge restraints as an essential component that holds pavers together and prevents spreading, so ask how each edge, including the border, will be restrained.

How wide should a patio path be?

One benchmark is section 403.5.1 of the ADA accessibility standards, which generally sets a 36-inch minimum clear width for accessible walking surfaces, subject to exceptions and additional requirements at turns and for passing space. Whether or not those standards apply to your project, we suggest 36 inches as a practical starting point, and a wider path is more comfortable for two people walking together or for moving furniture.

How should a mixed-material patio handle heavy rain?

Plan drainage for every material so water moves away from the house, ask how transitions will be built to stay even, and know where downspouts discharge. For interlocking concrete pavements, ICPI guidance says slopes should be a minimum of 1.5%.

What can be used to hold a paver border in place?

ICPI lists edge restraints made from precast concrete, plastic, cut stone, aluminum, steel and poured-in-place concrete, and notes that a submerged or hidden concrete edge can also restrain concrete pavers. If plastic edging is used, ICPI says it should be specifically designed for use with pavers.

When should I ask about stabilized joint sand?

ICPI notes that sealers or joint sand stabilizers are optional and that stabilized sand may have advantages in areas prone to joint sand loss. We suggest discussing it with your installer for spots where runoff crosses paver joints, such as near a downspout or the edge of a deck.