Guide

Choosing block paving colours and patterns for your house

Pick block paving colours to suit the brickwork and the age of the house, then use a darker border to frame the drive. Brindle mixes hide dirt and suit red-brick homes; charcoal and silver suit modern houses and render; buff and honey tones suit stone and cottages.

Last updated 9 November 2026

Grid of block paving samples in brindle, charcoal, buff, silver, autumn, red clay and tumbled honey

Common colours

Brindle (red, charcoal and buff mix)Red-brick semis and terraces; hides dirt and oil
CharcoalBorders and modern homes; shows dust and dried salts
Silver or greyRendered and modern houses
Buff or honeyStone, cottages and Cotswold-style homes
Autumn or burnt orangeWarm brick and older homes
Red clayVictorian and Edwardian houses

Borders

A double row of charcoal blocks around a lighter field is the most common design. A single charcoal line can also mark parking bays or a path within a drive.

Try it before you choose

Our pattern and colour picker on the home page shows each combination in plan view. Samples at the survey are the best final check, because block colours look different in daylight and when wet.

More questions

Which block paving colour shows dirt least?

Mixed brindle colours hide dirt, tyre marks and leaves best; plain charcoal and plain light colours show the most.

Do block paving colours fade?

Concrete blocks can gradually lighten over the years; clay pavers do not fade.

Written by the Block Paving Contractors survey team
Reviewed 9 November 2026. Sources include the BS 7533 series, Interpave and manufacturer laying guidance, GOV.UK, gov.wales, gov.scot and nidirect planning guidance, and the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.
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Answer four quick questions for an instant guide price, then book a free survey to fix it in writing. Repairs and cleaning can often be priced from photos.

Hands laying charcoal paving blocks in herringbone on a sand bed
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