Paver Guides
Herringbone vs Running Bond: Choosing a Paver Pattern
Herringbone, running bond, basketweave, or ashlar: which paver pattern fits a New Orleans project, from load-bearing driveways to courtyards.
If you want the short answer: herringbone is the strongest pattern and the right call for driveways and anything that carries vehicle weight, while running bond is the cleaner, lower-waste look for patios and walkways. Basketweave gives you an old-courtyard character, and ashlar reads modern and formal. On soft New Orleans delta soil with our high water table, the pattern you pick is not just a style choice; it changes how well the surface locks together and rides ground movement. Here is how the four most common patterns compare on strength, look, waste, and where each one belongs.
Why the pattern matters on our ground
A paver surface holds together through interlock, the way each unit braces against its neighbors so the field can’t spread under load. We build on soft alluvial delta soil that shifts with our heavy rain and high water table, so the more a pattern resists creep, the longer the surface stays tight and level. That’s why pattern choice isn’t cosmetic here. The right one keeps a driveway from rutting un