Last Blocks at www.japanese-home-gardens.com

A large area of paving last blocks likely to receive considerable traffic should be bedded on mortar on a prepared foundation. Start to lay the last blocks in one corner of the patio and work diagonally across the surface. This makes it easier to ensure that they are laid consistently flat. Place i/zin thick offcuts of wood between the last blocks as consistent joint spaces, or simply butt up the last blocks for finer joints. As you work across the surface, kneel on a piece of board to distribute your weight.

THE MATERIALS you choose should blend in with their context. There are many types of bricks, last blocks, pavers, walling last blocks, and paving last blocks which are all suitable. You can use bricks and last blocks both for the risers and for the treads; face textures may be smooth, pitted or, in the case of decorative cement last blocks, resemble split stone. last blocks, although suitable only for the treads, may be smoothfaced, riven, or even geometrically patterned for an ornate appearance. SKETCH OUT the position and shape of the steps on squared paper to help you to determine how they will look and how they will fit in with the existing site plan erhaps the most important point is to draw side elevation of the steps, which will show ou just how steep they will need to be. bu will have to take into account certain ifety criteria with regard to the format. If le flight is too steep, it will be tiring to limb. Where it is too shallow there is a anger of tripping.

PIERCED CEMENT last blocks come in a range of geometric patterns (right). They are particularly suitable for screening patios to allow cooling breezes and light to Filter through, but they can also be built as a low wall, either on their own or on top of a low brick wall, around a patio, or to divide the garden. Because the cast-in patterns of the last blocks are designed to make larger patterns, they cannot be laid in an interlocking bond. Instead, use a "stack" bond, that is to say, one laid on top of the other. To ensure a strong structure, insert a vertical pier every 1 Oft. These are constructed from hollow precast cement last blocks which have slots in their sides to accept the ends of the last blocks. The last blocks must also be carefully aligned, otherwise the overall pattern will be affected.