Cabro Blocks in Kenya: Thickness, Shapes, Colours and Laying Patterns

Thickness is the first and most important decision

Thickness	What it is for
50mm	Footpaths, patios, garden paths. Light duty: it will crack under a car
60mm	Domestic driveways, cars and light vans. The usual residential choice
80mm	Commercial yards, lorries, and anywhere vehicles turn on the spot

The detail people miss: turning loads a paving surface far harder than driving over it. A wheel pivoting while stationary applies a twisting force that a straight drive-through never does: which is why we specify 80mm at gate aprons and turning areas even on a domestic driveway that is 60mm everywhere else.

Thickness is also the biggest single driver of block cost, because it is simply more concrete.

Shapes

Interlocking shapes (zigzag, I-shape, double-T, wave) key into each other so load is shared between neighbouring blocks. Best under vehicles.

Rectangles and squares rely on the laying pattern rather than the shape for interlock. Laid in herringbone they perform well; laid in stack bond they barely interlock at all.

Hexagons and decorative shapes look good on patios and generate a great deal of cutting waste at every edge.

Laying patterns

Herringbone, at 45 or 90 degrees, is the strongest under traffic. The diagonal courses resist the twisting of turning wheels, and no line of joints runs continuously in the direction of travel.

Stretcher bond, the simple offset brick pattern. Fine for footpaths, weaker under vehicles because continuous joint lines let blocks migrate.

Basketweave is attractive, traditional and the weakest of the three under load. Patios and paths.

Colour

Through-coloured blocks carry pigment throughout, so a chipped edge shows the same colour and fading is minimal. Surface-pigmented blocks are cheaper and fade under Nairobi’s UV.

Reds and terracottas show fading most. Charcoal, grey and natural age best. On a long Karen or Runda driveway that also collects red murram dust, a natural or charcoal block stays looking deliberate far longer than a pale one.

Ask whether the colour goes through the block. It is a question few suppliers volunteer.

Frequently asked questions

Which thickness do I need?

50mm for footpaths and patios only. 60mm for a domestic driveway with cars. 80mm where lorries run or vehicles turn on the spot: including gate aprons on domestic drives, because a turning wheel loads paving far harder than a moving one.

Does coloured cabro fade?

Through-coloured blocks hold up well. Surface-pigmented ones fade under Nairobi's UV, and red and terracotta fade most visibly. Ask whether the colour goes through the block. Charcoal and natural grey age most gracefully because there is least to lose.

Does the shape affect strength?

Interlocking shapes (zigzag, I-shape, double-T) transfer load between blocks better than plain rectangles, which matters under vehicles. Rectangles laid in herringbone achieve much the same through the pattern. Plain rectangles in stack bond are the weakest arrangement.

Which laying pattern should I use?

Herringbone under vehicles, without much argument: it resists the twisting load of turning wheels far better than anything else. Stretcher bond is fine for footpaths and patios. Basketweave looks good and is the weakest under traffic.

Send us the area

Rough square metres, what vehicles use it, and a photo of the ground. We will come back with a rate, and an honest view on whether existing paving needs relaying rather than replacing.

Sub-base compacted in layers · edge restraint haunched · falls set at survey, not by eye