Wood grain concrete paving slabs

A set of cast concrete paving slabs is laid in a pattern side by side and end to end to cover an area to be paved. Each of the slabs members has side and end spacer abutments to hold an adjacent slab member at a predetermined spacing. Each of the slabs has a longitudinal slot in the upper surface defining a false joint parallel to the sides so as to divide the upper surface into parallel strips. There are different types of slabs some with both strips divided by transverse slots and some with only one strip with a slot. This forms in the finished product apparent strip pieces of many different lengths to simulate wood planks. Each of the parallel strips has a molded upper surface defining a series of wavy lines recessed from other parts of the upper surface and dyed darker than the remaining part of the slab thus simulating a wood grain appearance.

This invention relates to cast concrete paving slabs and to a set of paving slabs which can be laid in a pattern to provide a wood grain appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a set of cast concrete paving slabs arranged to be laid in a pattern to cover an area to be paved, the set of slabs comprising:

a plurality of slab members;

each slab member having a bottom surface for laying in the area and an upper surface for presenting for viewing when laid;

each slab member having a first side, a second side parallel to the first side, a first end and a second end;

the slab members being arranged to be laid side by side and end to end to cover the area;

each of the slab members having spacer abutments attached thereto at the sides and ends so as to hold an adjacent slab member at a predetermined spacing to form a spaced joint therebetween;

each of the slab members having at least one slot in the upper surface defining a false joint and extending along the length of the slab member parallel to the sides so as to divide the upper surface into a plurality of parallel strips;

each of the parallel strips having a molded upper surface defining a series of wavy lines recessed from other parts of the upper surface and simulating a wood grain appearance.

Preferably each of the slab members of the set has only two parallel strips but embodiments are possible in which more than two strips are provided.

Preferably the recessed wavy lines contain a dye in the concrete which is different from that in the other parts of the upper surface. This provision of a dye material absorbed into the concrete at the recessed lines which is typically darker than the remainder of the concrete slab provides an effective simulation of the wood grain. That is the different dye in the recessed wavy lines is provided only in the recessed wavy lines so that the remainder of the paving slabs is of a common color.

Preferably the parallel strips have first ends at the first end of the slab member which are longitudinally offset and preferably the parallel strips have second ends at the second end of the slab member which are longitudinally offset by a distance equal to a distance of the offset of the first ends. This provides symmetrical arrangements which can be fitted together in different patterns.

Preferably, in an arrangement in which each of the slab members has only two strips, one of the strips of one or more of the set has a slot in the upper surface defining a false joint and extending transverse to the length of the slab member at right angles to the sides so as to divide the upper surface into a plurality of end to end strips.

Also preferably in this arrangement both of the strips of at least one other of the set has a slot in the upper surface defining a false joint and extending transverse to the length of the slab member at right angles to the sides so as to divide the upper surface into a plurality of end to end strips.

Preferably the simulated wood grain appearance of each of the strips of each of the slab members of the set has a pattern which is different from the others.

Preferably the recessed wavy lines have a depth of recess from the remainder of the upper surface which is in the range 0.1 mm to 2.75 mm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

InFIGS. 1 to 4is shown the four slabs of a set of cast concrete paving slabs arranged to be laid in a pattern to cover an area to be paved. InFIG. 8the slabs ofFIGS. 1 to 4are shown laid in patterns where the different shapes combine to provide a pleasing effect as described in more detail hereinafter. The slabs are shown in plan view inFIGS. 1 to 4 and 8so that the various shapes of the slabs can be readily determined.

The construction of the slabs is better shown inFIGS. 5, 6 and 7where each slab10has a bottom surface11for laying in the area and an upper surface12for presenting for viewing when laid. Each slab has a first side13, a second side14parallel to the first side, a first end15and a second end16so that the slab can be laid side by side and end to end to cover the area to be covered by the pattern of slabs.

Each of the slabs has a series of rectangular spacer abutments17cast into the sides so as to be attached thereto along the sides and ends so as to contact the abutment of an adjacent slab and hold the adjacent slab member at a predetermined spacing to form a spaced joint therebetween. The abutments are recessed from the top surface12and form a layer of constant thickness on the side or end surface of the slab.

Each of the slab members has a longitudinal slot cast into the upper surface defining a false joint and extending along the length of the slab member parallel to the sides13and14so as to divide the upper surface into a pair of parallel strips20and21. The slot18mimics the space between two of the slabs as defined by the spacer abutments so that the depth of the slot is approximately equal to the spacing of the abutments from the top surface and the width of the slot is constant and approximately equal to the thickness of the two abutting abutments.

Each of the slabs is arranged so that the two parallel strips have first ends15A and15B of the strips20and21at the first end15of the slab member which are longitudinally offset and symmetrically the second ends16A and16B at the second end16are longitudinally offset by a distance equal to a distance of the offset of the first ends. These longitudinal offsets are the same at the ends of the same slab and are equal to the distance of all the other slabs of the set.

In addition, at least one of the strips of each of the set of slabs shown inFIGS. 1 to 4has at least one slot in the upper surface defining a false joint and extending transverse to the length of the slab member at right angles to the sides so as to divide the upper surface into a plurality of end to end strips. Thus the slab ofFIG. 1has a slot25in the strip20and the strip21is continuous. Thus the slab ofFIG. 2has a slot26in the strip21and the strip20is continuous.

InFIGS. 3 and 4, each of the strips20and21has one slot27,28,29,30in the upper surface defining a false joint and extending transverse to the length of the slab member at right angles to the sides so as to divide the upper surface into two end to end strips. It will be noted by comparing the four figures that the slot25is spaced from the end15A by a different distance than the slot26from the end15B. Also the slots29and30are spaced from the ends15A and16B by a different distance than the slots27and28. This arrangement forms the strip portions defined by these false joints to be of different lengths, which provides a very varied appearance in the finished assembly as shown inFIG. 8. Thus inFIG. 8the four above defined slabs are used in various location through the layout with each of the four marked by shading.

Each of the parallel strips of the slabs has a molded upper surface defining a series of wavy lines40recessed from other parts of the upper surface and simulating a wood grain appearance. The recessed wavy lines as they simulate the lines in wood grain form an array of generally parallel peaks41and valleys42where the valleys42are recessed from the surface12.

The cast concrete contains a dye which colors it as close as possible to the brown wood color and the concrete material in the peaks41contains a dye43in the concrete which is different from the dye44in the other parts of the upper surface. Typically the dye44extends through the whole of the slab. Typically the dye43in the recessed wavy lines40is colored in contrast to that of the other parts, which could be lighter or darker. The different dye43in the recessed wavy lines is provided only in the concrete in the area of the recessed wavy lines40so that the remainder of the paving slabs is of a common color.

As shown inFIGS. 1 to 4, the simulated wood grain appearance of each of the strips of each of the slab members of the set has a pattern which is different from that of the others. Thus when assembled as shown inFIG. 8, the different lengths of the strips and the different patterns in the strips provides a particularly attractive appearance particularly effectively simulating the appearance of a wood floor.

In order to provide an effective wood grain appearance, the recessed wavy lines have a depth of recess from the remainder of the upper surface which is in the range 0.1 mm to 2.75 mm.