In trying to achieve clearer definitions for surface=*, I’ve started two discussions, one on Portuguese pavement, and another on a more specific type of pavement technically called “polyhedral” in Brazil. But I feel like I need more feedback.
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It seems like setts are generally viewed as a type of cobblestone, as currently written in the wiki, but several sources cite that cobblestones are natural and smooth while setts are stones worked to a cuboid shape:
Based on this, it seems to me that the Portuguese pavement would be better described as a type of sett than a type of cobblestone (such as cobblestone:flattened). It has been suggested that, because gaps are tight and the surface is quite flat, that they actually resemble what in OSM is mapped as surface=paving_stones.
It has also been suggested that a surface for the Brazilian polyhedral pavement should be chosen according to its typical smoothness, with paving_stones being the smoothest and cobblestone the least smooth, which in my opinion would make the polyhedral pavement a type of sett. As such, I believe the wiki definitions could be more broadly defined as:
pebblestone: loose small rounded natural stones
cobblestone: jointed large rounded natural stones
sett: large natural stones cut to a flat top, usually jointed and forming a regular pattern
paving_stones: smooth tightly-fitting natural stones or artificial blocks, usually forming a regular pattern
This would make cobblestone no longer a superset of of sett and sett no longer required to be regular at all times.
I’m wondering what is the general opinion on this. Does it seem reasonable? Or does it look wrong?
Edit: perhaps the Brazilian “polyhedral” paving would be called in British English crazy paving (also on Wikipedia), but crazy paving seems to be flatter due to larger slabs and more even jointing, and the gaps are narrower.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Cropped and Flamed Setts.
Setts & cobbles make a fantastic alternative to block paving and can be used either to pave a driveway or garden patio or path. They are typically more expensive than blocks but the Marshalls Cobbletech paving system is very reasonably priced considering the quality of the finish and will certainly give your property a unique curb appeal.
There is a significant difference between setts and cobbles and the differences are explained below.
Setts are made from stone and have a width and depth of between 75-200mm, with varying lengths between 75-450mm. The size can often depend on the workability of the stone as different types of rock are easier to manipulate than others. They can be produced from almost any type of rock including sandstone, limestone, granite, basalt or gritstone. Setts can work really well when used to edge paving slabs on garden paths.
Cobbles differ from setts as they are rounded in shape, as opposed to square. They are basically pebbles or small boulders. Natural cobbles can be difficult to walk on, as anyone who has ever walked up a genuine cobblestone path or road would know. For an affordable and attractive option we recommend choosing Marshalls Cobbletech paving system, if cobbles are what you are look for. These aren’t genuine cobblestones but still have the same great look without being difficult to walk on.
Learn about other types of patio paving here
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