Tim W wrote:
I have an urge to attempt to pave an sort of patio area with wooden
blocks. does anyone have experience or advice?

My thoughts were to use oak blocks, end grain upwards. I think they
would have to be two or three inches thick and if they are offcuts
from a green oak sawmill sliced up to the right thickness they
might
be 6" x 6" or 2" x 4" across. They would be laid onto sand and
wackered just like paving blocks.

I am unsure what sort of treatment they might need: oil,
preservative,
creosote? I am concerned that in dry weather they would curl up.

I believe a lot of towns at one time had timber cobbles in the
streets. I suspect they were made of blocks which were more or less
cubes and I think they needed watering in dry weather.

tim W

Nice idea. As I remember them, the timber blocks in the street were
rectangular, grouted with tar, and, though the memory's hazier at
this point, associated with tramlines. I bet they were drenched in
creosote.

I don't think seasoned oak would change shape too much; but like you
I'm not sure, given these will be exposed to the weather. My guess --
but it's only a guess -- is that they'd need to be thicker than 2-3
inches. With the end grain exposed, any movement would be sideways
rather than upwards, but movement there certainly will be. Perhaps
some tramway website will have specifications.

The end grain would give a little grip, but would the blocks perhaps
be rather slippery when wet? I wonder, too, if it might be much
harder to get green algae off them.

Elm, of course, is famous for water-resistance: I wonder how easy it
is to get, though.

--
Mike.