Tag: pavers

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DIY Outdoor & Exteriors

Landscaping big yards: expert tips to avoid boring!

With shrinking land sizes across the country, it’s no surprise that the majority of backyard design and gardening advice focuses on achieving great style in small spaces. However, thoughtful planning and design is just as important in large backyards where the extra space can be transformed into stunning landscapes that will add value to your home.

The 2018 Adbri Masonry Great Australian Backyard survey has revealed that 56% of respondents have a large backyard with plenty of room for entertaining and gardening. Yet, large backyards are often under-appreciated or lacking landscaping which results in big, boring spaces.

“With a little research, inspiration and planning, dull backyards can be converted into feature areas for eating, entertaining, relaxing and gardening,” says landscape expert and Adbri Masonry ambassador Jason Hodges.

Gardening and landscaping expert Jason Hodges

Jason’s tips for utilising space in a large backyard

Set the scene

Arguably the most important part of a landscaped garden is the place where you’ll sit back and appreciate it – usually this is the paved courtyard or patio area. The patio will usually come directly off the house and represent the transition point from indoor to outdoor living. While this is practical, large backyards provide the opportunity to get creative!

If the facade of your home needs work and looks dated, consider taking the focus away from the home by having a path off the house, leading to a feature courtyard in the centre of the space. This design draws attention away from the home and shows off the size and depth of your yard.

When it comes to thinking about the surfaces of your patio or courtyard, pavers are a great option for stepping stone paths and the entertaining pavement. “While I love stepping stones separated by pebbles or turf for paths, the foundation pavement should be a solid area which can house your dining and relaxing furniture as well as any shading or barbeque equipment,” explains Jason.

Build a children’s playground

If you have children, a large backyard provides an opportunity to create a space where kids can play safely, so take advantage and start planning your kid friendly yard.

“Try building a cubby house or teepee that can be used in summer as a shaded play area or as a mini campsite in winter,” says Jason. “I also love the idea of placing pavers in a hopscotch pattern and letting grass grow in between. The pavers will act as a pathway for your garden, as well as a fun activity for your children.”

Incorporate an entertaining area

There are countless ways to create an exceptional outdoor room to entertain and spend time with family and friends. Building a dining area with built-in seating helps to give the area structure and utilises available space. You can achieve this using Adbri Masonry’s Versawall blocks, which create vertical retaining and garden walls whilst doubling as bench seating.

“Alfresco areas tend to feature on the front cover shots of real estate listings and signboards – this is because they’re an asset that adds value to a home and where buyers picture themselves enjoying the home with family,” explains Jason. “In larger backyards, these entertaining areas can be multi-functional with cooking equipment, dining settings as well as breakout garden beds or bench seating around a feature fire pit.”

Change levels with a sunken patio

Add depth and dimension to your backyard with a sunken patio that will become a private retreat. Whether your backyard is flat or slightly sloped, you can create a sunken a patio – either DIY or with the help of a professional landscaper. Level changes immediately increase the aesthetic appeal and intimacy of a space. Try introducing steps, garden walls, terraced retaining walls or go the other way and create a sunken patio.

Beat the heat with a swimming pool

A large backyard is a great canvas for a swimming pool and creates an opportunity to value the space around it – whether it’s sunbaking, entertaining or relaxing.

“Avoid dominating the area with a large pool; try taking cue from the Island of Gods, with a Bali-inspired plunge pool that is small and cleverly landscaped. Pave the boundary with Adbri Masonry’s Euro Classic or Euro Stone that will give your pool a sleek finish, whilst providing a safe, slip resistant surface,” suggests Jason.

More on how Adbri Masonry can help create your ultimate outdoor space

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DIY Expert Tips RENO ADDICT

How to seal pavers to keep them looking their best

Photo by Jacqui Turk

We recently replaced our ancient old patio and made over our backyard with some beautiful EuroStone pavers from Adbri Masonry. And I learned the hard way, the importance of looking after them properly to keep them looking as good as the day they were laid! A few dropped icy poles and barbecue drips later, my beautiful patio was looking a little bit rough around the edges. This is when I remembered someone mentioning they could be sealed; something I’d neglected to get done. The good news is, you can do this easily yourself. I’ve now done it (all by myself!), so I can testify.

Photo by Jacqui Turk

Adbri have so many great DIY videos on their website, starring their ambassador, TV landscaper Jason Hodges. He’ll even show you how to lay your own pavers, but we felt this was a bit beyond our skills (or lack thereof!) and paid some experts to do it. This next video shows how easy it is to seal your own pavers, which is what I wish I’d done straight away.

Luckily, things hadn’t got too bad for my patio and after giving the stains a good scrub with a specialist paver and concrete cleaner, I was able to seal them. I chose a wet-look sealer because I thought it would be nice to bring out the exposed aggregate in the pavers a bit more. Probably the hardest part about sealing pavers is waiting for the right weather; not too hot and not likely to rain for a while, because you need two coats, whichever product you choose to use. You need to apply the sealer to dry pavers and then allow drying time between coats.

I used Berger Jet Dry Active Clean and Berger Jet Dry Stone & Paving Sealer Wet Look, which I bought at my local Bunnings. I used a short nap (4mm) roller (as per the directions on the can) on a pole. Each brand’s product will have slightly different application instructions.

Nothing a bit of elbow grease won’t fix!
Clean and ready to seal!

It really didn’t take long and it isn’t hard work. And once the second coat was complete, and dry, I really liked the slight sheen it gave and the way it brought out the look of the aggregates a bit more. It was a subtle change aesthetically though, and more about protecting them so they’ll stay looking good.

AFTER sealing they look slightly darker with a slight sheen and the aggregates a bit more obvious

I feel such a relief now I know it’s done and we can enjoy the rest of the sunny weather outside without stressing over every bit of dropped food (hello, toddler!).

My biggest advice though, is to do this as soon as your pavers are laid so they are still in 100% perfect condition.

There you go: I hope you’ll learn from my mistake and look after your pavers!

For more on Adbri Masonry.

For more on my reno.

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Jen's reno Outdoor & Exteriors

Jen’s back yard makeover reveal

Let’s face it, one of the best things about upgrading from apartment to house, like we did this year, is having a back yard. Not only has it been amazing for Seb, who even stopped wanting to go to the park for a while because he loved hanging out there so much, but as an extra outdoor room for us grown ups. Being a Pom, I really appreciate the outdoor lifestyle Australia affords me, so I was excited to have a decent sized paved area down one side of the house as well as a grassed lawn at the back. Only problem was, it looked like this:

BEFORE

Hot or what?!

But now we have this lovely oasis:

In the before photo, you’ll note the old and wonky, red-toned pavers (I actually hate anything red-toned in interiors and exteriors, hence my plan to paint our red brick grey eventually!), the fence that could fall down in a stiff breeze and the distinct lack of furniture. That table for two from our old apartment balcony wasn’t really cutting it!

We thought about a deck for ages, until we got a quote ($30 to $40k) and then we quickly forgot about it. Then one day, a press release from Adbri Masonry landed in my inbox and I suddenly thought: why have I never considered pavers?! It’s like everyone assumes you need to build a deck these days. But what’s wrong with pavers? In fact, there’s a lot right with them! They’re super durable, come in loads of colours, shapes and sizes, and you can lay them in myriad different patterns. Not to mention they’re a great safe option in bushfire zones. I quickly settled on their EuroStone product in a 400x400mm size and loved the mid-grey colour of Zurich. It almost looks a little Terrazzo and we all know how on trend that is right now!

As with most things, you can lay these kind of pavers yourself (Adbri have plenty of how-to’s with  TV’s Jason Hodges on their website) but we lacked the skills and the time, so we got in the professionals. All up, it was about $4,000 of pavers (including a path across the front of the house and around the side to the back yard) and about the same again in labour. A snip compared to decking!

DURING: Cutting pavers

It took about a day to complete and thankfully, they were able to lay the pavers on top of the existing ones which saved us having to either remove them ourselves or pay someone else to. I absolutely loved watching the process as it all became so neat and uniform!

DURING

I am so thrilled with the end result. The area looks so much bigger and more modern and when we paint our red brick exterior grey and our pergola white, it’s going to look even better! It was like giving our entertaining area a brand new, clean slate to work with. I couldn’t believe how much difference it made! And now I think of it, a timber deck wouldn’t have really suited the look of the house anyway. And I love knowing this will last for years if properly maintained. And I’m all about long term in this house! Bigger, lighter, neater and more modern: what’s not to like?

AFTER!

But of course, we needed some furniture now we had a space we wanted to entertain and spend time in ourselves. I was so impressed with the range of styles available at Early Settler this summer, not to mention the quality. Whether your home is traditional, country, or ultra modern, with a small or large outdoor area, they really do have something to suit everyone. I thought about the stunning marble-topped outdoor dining table with black legs for quite a while before eventually conceding it was too modern for our space. I love our sweet, flower-filled garden, and it’s something we were really happy to inherit from the previous owner. So I decided on white and the Kanto dining table. I just couldn’t get past its handy legs on castors and it was a great choice for us because we can easily move the table around, in and out of shade, or to create more room for Seb on his trike when we aren’t using it. Genius!

AFTER

The timber top of this table is just beautiful and I think the white legs really modernise it. The Cate dining chairs are so cool. I love that they stack, they’re super easy to clean and they look modern without being too out there. They come in a variety of great on-trend colours too.

AFTER: This chillout area is getting so much use!

As well as a decent-sized dining table, we wanted a small relaxation area to just lounge with a morning coffee or an evening wine, look at the garden, listen to the birds or watch Seb on his play equipment. The Cantina chairs were a very quick choice and I love them. You can actually curl up in them with your book and there’s space for Seb to sit with me on the same chair. We finished it off with the matching Kanto coffee table (also on castors) so we have somewhere to rest out drinks and books! I really love that we can easily move the two tables on wheels, the lightweight, stacking dining chairs and the lounge chairs easily. This creates a flexible space and we can move everything to one side with minimal effort and allow Seb to scoot around the paved area, or when we need to sweep up leaves etc.

I absolutely love this floral outdoor cushion

Just like indoors, outdoor areas need accessorising too, and Early Settler have a great range of faux plants (like the palm behind me in the picture and the convincing succulents on the table ), outdoor rugs and cushions, linen, trays and more, to add those finishing touches.

Faux succulents and napkins from Early Settler
The sun umbrella, which matches the outdoor cushions, is great for shading Seb’s sandpit on sunny days and is easily moved around the garden

When we spoke to our neighbours about going halves on a new fence, thankfully they were all for it! So not only do we have a much better backdrop to our new back yard, we also have more privacy for our entertaining area thanks to a higher fence.

BEFORE fence

So while we haven’t done any major landscaping and there’s still plenty we’d love to do out the back (and will do, one day) we are over the moon with the new look and functionality of this space thanks to new pavers and furniture. And just in time for summer too. We’ll be out here on Christmas Day with our families, enjoying it to the max!

Many of the Early Settler pieces in my back yard are currently on sale! Shop online.

For more about Adbri Masonry.

My kitchen reno | My new floors | My home office

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Architecture RENO ADDICT Shopping

One of The Block’s best kept secrets: architect Julian Brenchley

When watching The Block it’s easy to forget that behind the beautiful designs of the contestants is one man: Sydney architect Julian Brenchley. The show’s architect from day one, Julian sources the houses, designs the exteriors and deals with all the necessary planning permits along the way. In other words all the stressful stuff!

This season, Julian found inspiration in the architecture of Melbourne’s Elsternwick (where the show was set). Very much a traditional brick-and-tile suburb, Julian stayed true to the neighbourhood’s aesthetic, while adding elements of modernity. The result is a showcase of the hottest trends in bricks.

Jason and Sarah’s backyard

In the homes, texture has became the hero, with dark coloured bricks complemented by metal cladding and slimline roof tiles. The look is then carried over to the pavilions (as Julian calls the two-storey additions), which feature a complementary palette of dark coloured face bricks, adding a diversity of textures and finishes.

Josh and Elyse’s backyard

Three of the five Block homes have the same bricks on the exterior walls, the PGH Balmerino Blend, a dry-pressed brick, which creates harmony within the development. The other two homes keep to the same dark tones but differ in texture, adding to the palette’s complexity. Hannah and Clint’s house showcases a blend of Mystique and sandstock brick Greenway, while Sticks and Wombat’s house has a deep dark Pewter brick range, which is a semi-glazed metallic brick.

Jason and Sarah’s backyard

While in a design sense bricks look great, commercially they are also a good choice, thanks to their low maintenance and classic appeal. “That’s been the benefit of face bricks since time immemorial,” says Julian. “You put up a face brick and as long as you are happy with the colour you won’t have to touch it until you demolish it 80, 100, 200 years later. Low maintenance is a big thing nowadays.”

For more information.

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Furniture Outdoor & Exteriors

Could an outdoor office make you happier?

With more and more of us working from home, it’s no wonder the home office is growing in popularity. Why not take it a step further and set up an outdoor office?

An outdoor office can be a cost-effective way to utilise backyard space while enjoying the fresh air and warmth of Spring (those in Melbourne, be sure to add an extra throw).

Beyond the opportunity to finally finish off the backyard landscaping, incorporating nature into your daily routine has been shown to improve mental health and wellbeing – resulting in more productivity, focus and creativity and less mental fatigue. That, and the ability to escape and connect with nature in the comfort of your own home is a winning combination.

Adbri Masonry’s own landscaping expert shares his top elements for designing the perfect outdoor office.

Greenery

Vertical garden walls and low maintenance garden beds will add visual interest, create privacy and leave enough space for all the other outdoor office décor goodies.

Shade

With the days getting longer and warmer, protect yourself from the glare with shade cloths, pergolas or even umbrellas.

Pavers

Use large format pavers such as Adbri’s Euro Stone to create a solid area that with defined office boundaries. Placing pavers as stepping-stones on the lawn can create a practical and aesthetic appeal.

Water

Who doesn’t love the sound of running water? Adding a water feature will not only create a tranquil ambience, it will also act as a noise-cancelling machine, blocking out any audio distractions.

Furniture

Let’s be honest, furnishing the outdoor office is the part everybody looks forward to. Make sure you pick items that have practical features such as hidden storage space to maximise the usability of the space.

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Design Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT Shopping

Pre-patterned pavers: A cost-efficient way to add style to your backyard

Landscape design is on the up! Long gone are basic backyards with overgrown weeds, now outdoor spaces are a big part of the home; a place to relax, work and entertain.

A great way to update your garden on the cheap is with pre-patterned pavers. Subtle and stylish, they add a creative element to your outdoor space and a modern texture underfoot that needs little styling.

Available from Boral, the Cloisters range is offered in a pack of three unpatterned pavers and one patterned paver with geometric lines, to add instant dimension and visual interest. The large format pavers are available in Ivory and Slate Grey, which are ideal for creating a minimalist space that is easy to decorate and update as the seasons change. These tones provide a perfect base for bright cushions or soft outdoor lighting.

The Cloisters range also includes pavers for steps and garden edging for a complete outdoor and garden design.

For more information on Boral’s paving range.

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Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

4 reasons to consider pavers for your garden reno

If you’re in the process of updating or completely renovating your garden or outdoor area, you’re probably considering your options. From turf to tiles, decking to concrete, there’s a lot of choices to consider.

For a low maintenance space that can be used year round, you really can’t go past paving. Paving is the perfect way to freshen up the backyard and create a multi-function area that can be enjoyed by the whole family. With the right design and good lighting, it can be used day and night throughout the whole year.

Landscape expert and Adbri Masonry brand ambassador, Jason Hodges, is a big fan of pavers for a backyard reno. “Whether you’re looking to create a feature zone for dining or entertaining, complete a poolside area or build a garden path, pavers are a clever and effective way to make the best use of any space and they’re a lot easier to lay than many people think,” explains Jason. “Time-poor home owners are looking for practical ways to bring the family together, while showcasing their individuality and personal style and DIY pavers fit this bill perfectly.”

Here are our top 4 reasons why you should consider pavers for your garden reno.

reasons to consider pavers for your garden renoImage source: Inside Out

4 reasons to consider pavers for your garden reno

1. Pavers are DIY – While certain landscaping methods require a professional touch, paving is a job that you can DIY. Jason recommends Euro classic, traditional 400x400mm large format pavers and Havenbrick traditional brick pavers for a DIY job. Bunnings also has this handy guide to walk you through the process.

2. Pavers are low maintenance and easy to repair – For the renovators who want all the style with minimal upkeep, pavers are a great choice. Available in a wide range of colours, materials and even textures, once they’re laid, you’re pretty much done. Yes, you might need to give them a hose down or twice yearly pressure wash but compared to maintaining a lawn, you’re way ahead of the game.

3. Pavers provide good drainage – Drainage in your backyard or entertaining area is something not to be underestimated! Good drainage can prevent a myriad of problems from occurring down the track. When installed properly, pavers are self draining meaning no pesky water build up.

4. Pavers are cost effective – Thanks to the wide variety of options available, pavers are a relatively cost effective, long term solution for the majority of outdoor areas.

 

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Architecture Design Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

5 ways to use bricks creatively

Brick is back! Homeowners, architects and designers are embracing brick’s inate durability and aesthetic flexibility to build the homes of tomorrow. Using PGH Bricks & Pavers’ range, the broadest on Australia’s East Coast, homeowners are embracing varied textures, shapes, colours and finishes to inject life into their home’s design. Below are five ways to use bricks creatively.

pgh

1. Interior feature walls add texture and visual interest for entrances and bespoke interior spaces. Bricks can create any look from crisp and contemporary monochromatic or glassy finishes using glazed bricks, to industrial and warehouse inspired interiors with dry pressed bricks.

pgh 3

2. Create a recycled look by blending bricks with different textures and colours. Complement with timber joinery and flooring for a truly rustic style.

3, Maintain privacy without sacrificing design with a brick screen. Pierced brick walls allow light and air to easily flow through the building, connecting interior living spaces with the outside world, while protecting the home from prying eyes.

pgh 1

4. Go against the grain with wire cut bricks. Exposing the inside of a brick on exterior walls adds contrast and character, as well as creating jagged edges to protect walls exposed to general public areas from the rigours of urban living, such as graffiti.

5. Demonstrate artistic flair by incorporating pattern work. Alternating brick laying directions, brick size and depth can all contribute to unique designs that change the style of exterior walls as the sun moves – or make a statement indoors by embracing favourite colours or shapes.

pgh 2

— Michelle is the general manager of marketing and strategy at PGH Bricks & Pavers. For more information or to find your nearest PGH Bricks & Pavers display centre, visit their website or call 13 15 79. 

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DIY Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

Paving made easy with our simple step-by-step guide

Whether you’re looking to create a feature zone for dining or entertaining, complete a poolside area or build a garden path, pavers are a clever and effective way to make the best use of any space, and they’re a lot easier to lay than many people think. Time-poor homeowners are looking for practical ways to bring the family together while showcasing their individuality and personal style and DIY pavers fit this bill perfectly.

Here, are my step-by-step instructions for tackling any paving job.

1. Excavation

Step 1 - Excavation

Mark out the area to be paved allowing a little extra for working room. Remove any soil, grass and all loose debris and vegetation and ensure to excavate deep enough to allow for selected paving and sub base construction. For pedestrian paving projects, you can work off 100mm of road base, 30mm of sand plus the thickness of your paver. (This is not applicable for driveway paving).

2. Preparing the base

Step 2 - Preparing Base

It’s all about the base! Getting the foundation right is the key to your long-lasting and low maintenance paved area. Start by distributing road base evenly over the excavated area. Compact the road base with a plate compactor (whacker-packer) at least twice – remember your hearing protection for this part of the job. Spread washed sand over the compacted road base to a thickness of 25-to-30mm. Screed the sand with a timber float or straight edge and ensure it is on the same plane – check with a spirit level.

3. Laying the pavers

Step 3 - Laying the pavers

Set up a string line running along the edge(s) of your paved area. The string line will help ensure your edges are straight and pavers are flush. Begin laying pavers starting at one end of the project and working your way across. Leave a 3mm gap between the pavers for the jointing sand (you will sweep this in later). Ensure each paver is square with the string line and level using the spirit level. Wriggle pavers into place and tap with rubber mallet where required to ensure level.

4. Edging and locking in the paving

Step 4 - Edging and locking in the paving

This is another really key step; you have laid your pavers and now you need to make sure they stay in place. Utilise a sand and cement mix to ‘haunch’ or lock-in around all sides of your pavers. This is achieved by making a small sand and cement mix in a wheelbarrow and then screeding this mix along the edge of your paver from the base to approximately 75 per cent of the paver’s height on an angle. This helps to ‘lock in’ the paved area and to help pavers stay in place. It does not hurt to also use a little of the sand and cement underneath the outer header course, as this will create even more strength.

5. Locking sand and sealing

Step 5 - Locking sand and sealing

Finally you can now add the locking sand. Sweep this sand in dry and it will fill the 3mm gaps you left in the pavers. Once the sand is settled you can use a whacker-packer with an old piece of carpet beneath it to compress and settle the pavers into the sand bed ensuring a great finish. Hose down area upon completion. Although not a must, sealers can enhance the look of the paver as well as protect it from both the elements and day-to-day wear and tear such as food fats and general staining.

— Jason Hodges is Australia’s well-loved celebrity landscaper, most notably seen on the Channel Seven lifestyle TV show Better Homes and Gardens. Jason is also a brand ambassador for Australia’s leading masonry manufacturer Adbri Masonry.

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DIY Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

Getting the most from your pavers

Paving is one of the most durable and long-lasting options for transforming the backyard, driveway and pathways around the home. It’s the perfect choice to transform any outdoor space and requires very little maintenance meaning more time to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. If looked after properly, paved entertaining areas can last for many years to come.

Euro Stone

To preserve the colour and condition of your pavers and keep your paved area looking pristine for longer, some maintenance is advised. Here are my top three tips:

1) Clean pavers periodically

IMG_8847_LR

Leaves and other materials like oils and food from barbecues can stain or discolour pavers if they are allowed to remain in contact with the surface for prolonged periods. Concrete segmental pavements can be routinely cleaned just like any other pavement, however; precautions must be taken during the very early life of the pavement to avoid removing the jointing sand during cleaning operations. For the first three months, pavements should be cleaned with soapy water and a stiff broom, after which time pressure cleaners can be used.

2) Protect your pavers

Euro Slate

Maintain the jointing sand to protect the pavement’s structural integrity. Check pavers for small, localised problems and repair them promptly – this can help you avoid having to undertake major maintenance of large areas. One of the many advantages of segmental paving is that individual pavers that become chipped or damaged can easily be picked up and replaced. It’s advised to purchase more pavers than required for replacements over the lifetime of the project, about 5 per cent more should be sufficient and having the excess stock from the same batch will reduce colour matching challenges in the future

3) Sealing Pavers

Havenpave Oatmeal

Although not essential for structural purposes, sealing your pavers at the beginning of the project can help preserve the colour and surface of the pavement as well as guard against chipping or dulling, particularly during extreme weather conditions. The sealant maintains the brightness of the paver surface. You can re-seal a paved area every few years if necessary.

Although pavers generally require very little maintenance, choosing the right pavers will require even less maintenance. Dark coloured pavers won’t show stains as easily and as such are a great choice for families or keen entertainers. A good quality paver will also last longer so won’t need to be replaced for years to come. If in doubt about how best to maintain your pavers, visit the Concrete Masonry Association of Australia and download the fact sheet.

— Jason Hodges is Australia’s well-loved celebrity landscaper, most notably seen on the Channel Seven lifestyle TV show Better Homes and Gardens. Jason is also a brand ambassador for Australia’s leading masonry manufacturer Adbri Masonry.

Categories
Design RENO ADDICT

PGH’s collection of distinctively designed Dry Pressed bricks

Australia’s leading brick manufacturer, PGH Bricks & Pavers have introduced a new collection of exclusively designed and highly desirable house bricks: the Dry Pressed range.

PGHDryPressedBricks-TheBlockBBQ
Barbecue area from The Block featuring Dry Pressed Bricks

As the latest addition to their comprehensive range, the collection includes nine bricks in an assortment of natural Australian tones which includes: Belgenny Brown, Gledswood Blend, Hawkesbury Bronze, Livingston Gold, Macarthur Mix, McGarvie Red, Megalong Valley Grey, Mowbray Blue and Wolverton Cream.

PGHBricksDryPressed-GledswoodBlendHouse2-LOWRES

Focusing on design and construction, Dry Pressed Bricks are architecturally solid and epitomise brick manufacturing excellence. The high-compression used as part of the manufacturing process provides a grainy, yet smooth and velvety appearance and their extremely square arris is also an important part of their aesthetic appeal; allowing infinite possibilities when it comes to innovative architecture in both traditional and contemporary building.

Like all the bricks PGH produce, the Dry Pressed range is:

  • Sustainable – bricks are made from natural materials and are recyclable
  • Energy efficient – bricks create thermal and acoustically efficient homes
  • Low maintenance – the colour of the bricks are enduring and do not require painting
  • Flexible when it comes to design – the comprehensive colour range and smooth finish of Dry Pressed Bricks are easy to use in any building design
  • Strong and safe – durable, non-combustible, termite resistant and will not rot or decay
  • Cost effective – low maintenance means virtually no ongoing costs

PGHDryPressedBricks-GledswoodBlendHouse-LOWRES

For more information on PGH Dry Pressed Bricks visit their website.

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Interiors Addict

It may look and feel like timber floor, but it’s tiles!

They may have the look and feel of timber but Amber’s newest range of timber-looking tiles and pavers have the durability to last for years indoors and out.

Amareno Timber
Amareno Tile

With its intricate natural wood design, the new Amareno Tile Range has the resilience of glazed porcelain and is available in White, Birch, Grey, Walnut and Blackbutt. The range is the newest addition to Amber’s existing collection of popular timber-look products including the Italian Atelier tile, Doga Sandal tile and the Timberstone paver.

Affordable and suitable for all areas of the family home, the richness of details, knots and shades is evident within each tile. Easy to maintain and with a high slip resistance, they are the perfect solution to avoid aging wood surfaces and potential fire hazards in bushfire prone areas.

timberstone - sleeper look
Timberstone Paver

The collection also translates to the outdoor area with the Timberstone paver proving a popular option in Australian homes. Perfectly recreating the intricate details of aged timber it can also withstand the harsh Australian weather.

Amber’s new timber-inspired products are available on special now in stores across Australia. For more information.