That Blocks Vary at www.japanese-home-gardens.com

Often no uniform set of columns was available, so they appropriated whatever columns, capitals, and architraves they could find. Some columns in San Lorenzo, f.l.m., are stout, others slender; their heights vary and are pieced out by thinner or thicker bases. Some blocks of the architraves are richly carved, but the patterns on adjacent blocks contrast, indicating that blocks vary they came from different sources. This hodgepodge of styles gives a certain naive charm to these early basilicas.

A large area of paving blocks likely to receive considerable traffic should be bedded on mortar on a prepared foundation. Start to lay the blocks in one corner of the patio and work diagonally across the surface. This makes it easier to ensure that blocks vary they are laid consistently flat. Place i/zin thick offcuts of wood between the blocks as consistent joint spaces, or simply butt up the 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, blocks, pavers, walling blocks, and paving blocks which are all suitable. You can use bricks and blocks both for the risers and for the treads; face textures may be smooth, pitted or, in the case of decorative cement blocks, resemble split stone. 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.