Patio blocks and block systems with side surface positioning and retaining structures

1. A patio block comprising:

a block body having opposed top and bottom surfaces, and at least a first side surface, a second side surface, a third side surface and a fourth side surface, each of the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, each of the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces having an irregular contour, the irregular contour of each side surface forming an irregular top edge with the top surface of the block body;

at least one first size spacer projection positioned along each one of the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, the at least one first size spacer projection extending outwardly from the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, the at least one first size spacer projection having a first contour;

at least one second size spacer projection positioned along each one of the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, the at least one second size spacer projections extending outwardly from the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, the at least one second size spacer projection having a second contour, the first size spacer projection being larger in size than the second size spacer projection

wherein at least a portion of the first contour of the at least one first size spacer projection of each side surface extends outwardly from the respective side surface beyond the block body a further distance than the entire second contour of the at least second size spacer projection of each respective side surface.

2. The patio block of claim 1 , wherein the first contour of the at least one first size spacer projection of each side surface extends a first length along the respective side surface that is greater than a second length the second contour of the at least second size spacer projection extends along each respective side surface.

3. The patio block of claim 1 , wherein the first and second size spacer projections of each side surface extend a partial height of the side surface from the bottom surface toward the top surface of the patio block.

4. The patio block of claim 1 , wherein the first and second size spacer projections of each side surface extend the entire height of the side surface from the bottom surface to the top surface of the patio block.

5. The patio block of claim 1 , wherein portions of the irregular contour of each side surface are planar and portions of the irregular contour of each side surface are non-planar.

6. The patio block of claim 1 , wherein the irregular contour of each side surface is non-planar.

7. The patio block of claim 6 , wherein the top surface of the block body has an irregular non-planar contour and wherein the top edge of each side surface formed with the top surface is irregular and non-planar in a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation.

8. A patio system comprising:

a plurality of patio blocks, the patio blocks having a block body with opposed top and bottom surfaces, and at least a first side surface, a second side surface, a third side surface and a fourth side surface each extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, each of the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces having an irregular contour such that top and bottom edges along the top and bottom surfaces where the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces extend also have an irregular contour, at least one first size spacer projection positioned along each one of the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, the at least one first size spacer projection extending outwardly from the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, the at least one first size spacer projection having a contour; at least one second size spacer projection positioned along each one of the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, the at least one second size spacer projection extending outwardly from the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, the at least one second size spacer projection having a second contour, the first size spacer projection being larger in size than the second size spacer projection wherein at least a portion of the first contour of the at least one first size spacer projection of each side surface extends outwardly from the respective side surface beyond the block body a further distance than the entire second contour of the at least second size spacer projection of each respective side surface; and

wherein when a patio is made with the plurality of patio blocks, the at least first and second size spacer projections are positioned along each side surface of each of the plurality of patio blocks such that a portion of the first contour of the first size spacer projection of a side surface of a first patio block contacts a portion of the second contour of the second size spacer projection of a side surface of a second patio block laid adjacent to the side surface of the first patio block and a portion of the second contour of the second size spacer projection of the side surface of the first patio block contacts a portion of the first contour of the first size spacer projection of the side surface of the second patio block laid adjacent to the side surface of the first patio block aligning and retaining the first patio block relative to the adjacent second patio block and creating a joint between the first patio block and the second patio block, the joint having variable widths along the length of the adjacent portions of the irregularly contoured top edges of the first and second patio block.

9. The patio system of claim 8 , wherein the first contour of the at least one first size spacer projection of each side surface of the plurality of patio blocks extends a first length along the respective side surface that is greater than a second length the second contour of the at least second size spacer projection extends along each respective side surface of the plurality of patio blocks.

10. The patio system of claim 8 , wherein the first and second size spacer projections of each side surface of the plurality of patio blocks extend a partial height of the side surface from the bottom surface toward the top surface of the patio block.

11. The patio system of claim 8 , wherein the first and second size spacer projections of each side surface of the plurality of patio blocks extend the entire height of the side surface from the bottom surface to the top surface of the patio block.

12. The patio system of claim 8 , wherein portions of the irregular contour of each side surface of the plurality of patio blocks are planar and portions of the irregular contour of each side surface are non-planar.

13. The patio system of claim 8 , wherein the irregular contour of each side surface of the plurality of patio blocks is non-planar.

14. The patio system of claim 13 , wherein the top surface of the block body of the plurality of patio blocks has an irregular non-planar contour and wherein the top edge of each side surface formed with the top surface is irregular and non-planar in a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation.

15. A method of making a patio comprising:

providing a plurality of patio blocks, the patio blocks having a block body with opposed top and bottom surfaces, and at least a first side surface, a second side surface, a third side surface and a fourth side surface each extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, each of the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces having an irregular contour such that top and bottom edges along the top and bottom surfaces where the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces extend also have an irregular contour, at least one first size spacer projection positioned along each one of the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, the at least one first size spacer projection extending outwardly from the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, the at least one first size spacer projection having a contour, at least one second size spacer projection positioned along each one of the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, the at least one second size spacer projection extending outwardly from the at least first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, the at least one second size spacer projection having a second contour, the first size spacer projection being larger in size than the second size spacer projection wherein at least a portion of the first contour of the at least one first size spacer projection of each side surface extends outwardly from the respective side surface beyond the block body a further distance than the entire second contour of the at least second size spacer projection of each respective side surface; and

forming a patio by positioning the patio blocks with a side surface of a first patio block laid adjacent to a side surface of a second patio block such that a portion of the first contour of the first size spacer projection of the side surface of the first patio block contacts a portion of the second contour of the second size spacer projection of the side surface of the second patio block laid adjacent to the side surface of the first patio block and a portion of the second contour of the second size spacer projection of the side surface of the first patio block contacts a portion of the first contour of the first size spacer projection of the side surface of the second patio block laid adjacent to the side surface of the first patio block aligning and retaining the first patio block relative to the adjacent second patio block and creating a joint between the first patio block and the second patio block, the width of the joint having variable dimensions along the length of the adjacent portions of the irregularly contoured top edges of the first and second patio block.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first contour of the at least one first size spacer projection of each side surface of the plurality of patio blocks extends a first length along the respective side surface that is greater than a second length the second contour of the at least second size spacer projection extends along each respective side surface of the plurality of patio blocks.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first and second size spacer projections of each side surface of the plurality of patio blocks extend a partial height of the side surface from the bottom surface toward the top surface of the patio block.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein portions of the irregular contour of each side surface of the plurality of patio blocks are planar and portions of the irregular contour of each side surface are non-planar.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the irregular contour of each side surface of the plurality of patio blocks is non-planar.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the top surface of the block body of the plurality of patio blocks has an irregular non-planar contour and wherein the top edge of each side surface formed with the top surface is irregular and non-planar in a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation.