Everything you need to know about natural stone paving

Natural stone paving has long been a popular choice of material for outdoor patios, paths and driveways. As the name suggests natural stone paving is processed purely from natural materials including sandstone and limestone. 

The beauty of natural stone is each slab is individual in its appearance. The stunning authentic tones and colour variations along with the textures found within natural stone ensure your outdoor space not only looks fantastic but is completely unique to you, adding character to your garden. 

 

Why choose natural stone paving?

Natural stone has many outstanding qualities such as:

 

Durable

Natural stone is renowned for its durability, making it ideal for high-traffic areas and is sure to withstand the test of time

 

Minimal maintenance

Once fully installed and sealed correctly, natural stone requires minimal maintenance (apart from the odd clean) allowing you to enjoy your patio all year round

 

Slip resistant 

No matter the weather you can be safe to walk over your patio without fear of falling over

 

Natural appearance

The inherent characteristics of natural stone allow the rustic finish to improve with age, adding to its traditional charm. 

 

The different types of natural stone

The two most popular types of natural stone paving are sandstone and limestone. 

 

Sandstone paving

We know a classic when we see it, and the traditional charm of sandstone is just that. 

Our ethically sourced Indian sandstone is available in a range of colours; from cool greys to warm golden tones, offering a truly stunning palette of colours and textures that can only be found in natural stone. 

The natural durability of Indian sandstone lends itself to perfectly creating extraordinary spaces that serve as centrepieces for social gatherings, feature patios, dining spaces and driveways. 

We see many of our customers opting for sandstone project packs which offer three different slab sizes which allow for variation during laying and create a unique look. 

 

 

Limestone paving

Limestone offer s a more modern, sophisticated look in your outdoor space. Natural limestone has a smooth, flat surface offering effortless minimalism, with intricate veins that add interest and texture to the stone. 

At MKM you'll find black limestone, offering a smooth textured slab in a charcoal shade which lightens with age, and also our Dorian range, a grey limestone with sawn edges and a naturally split surface that has been partially rubbed to give a clean finish.

 

 

What to look out for with natural stone paving

 Sandstones can appear the same when displayed at a merchant or in a brochure, but they do have different properties and can perform very differently when installed. Laboratory testing gives you a full picture of the technical quality of stone. There are three key factors that must be considered when purchasing stone to be installed as paving in the UK and these are, water absorbency, flexural strength and frost resistance.

A stone with high water absorbency will not only turn green, (a common consumer complaint with sandstone patios) but may also be more susceptible to frost action which will degrade the stone.

In terms of flexural strength, a stone with poor strength means that the product could be easily damaged in transit, during the installation process, or simply by everyday use.

It’s also important to consider frost resistance. A stone that loses strength when subjected to repeated frosts is far more likely to fail. There is a British Standard that covers these issues.

The design and installation standard BS7533 part 12 covers the technical performance of stone, for example it provides guidance regarding the maximum water absorbency for product supplied to class 2 is 2.5%. But not all the sandstones on the market meet the British Standard.  To ensure you select stone which is technically up to standard, we’d advise using a supplier that tests all its products and can supply you with an in-date test certificate, or declaration of performance. If a supplier is unable to supply these details there’s no guarantee that their stone is technically sound.

Our supplier Stonemarket tests all its stone to be 100% sure that every single one meets or exceeds the British Standard. Look out for ‘The Stone Standard’ trademark which indicates the product has been tested.

 

All of our natural stone paving is available with free local delivery.  Browse the range online and visit your local branch landscaping display to see a sample.