He Replaced a Slippery Stone Path With Bricks, but One Design Choice Required Hundreds of Cuts
A homeowner’s old stone path had become slippery and unstable, making the route from the driveway to the deck a problem. A landscaper replaced it with brick pavers, following the same curves through the backyard.
Instead of laying the bricks in straight rows, he chose a herringbone pattern framed by two curved borders. Each turn created gaps that full bricks couldn’t fill, turning a standard paving job into a series of custom cuts.
Reddit user u/NotWokeJoke used a 10-inch wet saw and said he was exhausted after making a couple hundred cuts. The finished walkway shows how those small pieces allowed the herringbone pattern to follow every bend without breaking its design.
Two Rows of Bricks Establish the Curved Path
Brick borders follow the route from the deck stairs toward the wooden garden gate. Each border uses a soldier course, with bricks placed across the direction of travel.
Black landscape edging runs along both sides. Between the borders, the prepared base remains exposed, leaving room for the herringbone center.
The curves create the main challenge. Unlike a straight walkway, the space between the borders changes direction along the route, requiring cut pieces to complete the pattern.
Herringbone Pattern Required Hundreds of Saw Cuts
Red and charcoal pavers form diagonal rows that meet at right angles. Full bricks fit through the center, but the curved edges leave gaps that require trimmed pieces.
The contractor used a 10-inch wet saw for the cuts. He described the work as labor-intensive and said he was exhausted after cutting a couple hundred bricks.
The construction photo shows loose pavers scattered across the unfinished sections, with smaller cut pieces filling spaces near the borders.
Finished Brick Walkway Connects the Driveway and Deck
Completed path follows a sweeping curve across the yard before passing through the wooden gate. Narrow brick borders frame the herringbone center without interrupting its diagonal pattern.
At the driveway entrance, the paving meets the existing concrete surface. The path bends around established shrubs, avoiding a straight route through the planting areas.
Individual cuts allow the pattern to continue through each turn, while the soldier-course borders maintain the walkway’s outline.
Two Types of Brick Provide Color and Grip
Close-up reveals a mix of red, orange, brown, and charcoal pavers from two Pine Hall Brick styles. Rough, tumbled surfaces give the bricks a textured finish.
The contractor said the pavers provide good traction even when wet, addressing the problem with the old stone walkway. He also used polymeric sand to bind the joints between the bricks.
Rather than changing the design to avoid the difficult cuts, he carried the herringbone pattern through the entire path.
Would you choose a curved herringbone walkway if it meant cutting hundreds of bricks?
Image credits go to u/NotWokeJoke.