Gone are the days where the choice for patio paving came down to concrete paving slabs in grey, buff or red. Manufactured paving is still an excellent option but there are so many other choices too. In the following article we will look at the various ranges of paving slabs suitable for patios including:
So, what are the best pavers to use for a patio?
Well, it all depends on what you want to achieve in terms of style and end use of the paved area.
Patio paving ranges from the basic but effective Peak Paving right through to the top of the range porcelain pavers, the latest material for feature patios.
There’s a wide array of other products in between such as the ever popular concrete products like Bradstone Old Town and Old Riven, imported Indian stone paving including sandstone and limestone and Chinese silver grey granite.
Budget paving for patios
Choosing the best paving to suit your budget and area can be a daunting job but the Simply Paving team are always on hand to provide guidance.
Utility paving such as Peak is not recommended for feature patios, generally due to aesthetic reasons but it is a great option for shed bases, dog runs and even somewhere to store the wheelie bins.
If budget is a factor but you want something a little more pleasing on the eye, there are options such as the Edale or Ashbourne paving ranges, both offer a decorative riven profile to replicate natural stone.
If you are looking for a cost effective patio product, check out our Value Paving category for a budget friendly means to spruce up your outdoor area. As the ranges featured here are concrete and manufactured in moulds, the products will have a consistent colour, finish and thickness - this has the added benefit of the slabs being easy to lay and great for a weekend DIY project.
A popular product amongst DIYers is Bradstone’s Textured Paving, which is an attractive and contemporary option, with square edges and a shot blasted finish. Textured is available in four shades including the on-trend grey and dark grey to give your garden a very modern look. A desirable product to make any outdoor space look tidy without a heavy price tag!
Concrete paving
The concrete paving slabs that we offer are manufactured by Bradstone largely in the UK. There are a number of finishes and colours available many of which are produced to replicate natural stone but this doesn’t mean that you’re limited to a traditional style.
Products like Bradstone StoneMaster and Panache Ground are very contemporary and available in fashionable grey shades, with clean lines to give your patio that modern look. StoneMaster is coated with surface protection to aid cleaning and generally maintenance, whilst Panache Ground has the added benefit of being manufactured from up to 83% recycled aggregate.
If you have more of a traditional style in mind then your perfect paving may be Bradstone Old Town. Made from moulds formed from flooring taken from a derelict 19th century Lancashire cotton mill, its finish looks just like authentic reclaimed stone but providing a much more economical alternative to reclaimed Yorkstone. Each of the sizes available in the range has multiple profiles for a totally random and natural look. As the paving slabs are part of a larger Old Town range, you can complete your entire garden makeover with walling, edging and even circle features.
Carpet Stones and paving setts for patios
If you are looking for a traditional style but you’re not sure that paving slabs are the way to go, take a look at our Carpet Stones.
Carpet Stones consist of a number of small cobble-like blocks attached to a plastic mat. It’s quick and easy to lay a large number of cobbles at one time and because the mats can be cut to shape, they are perfect for use in awkward or intricately shaped areas.
If you’re looking for a natural stone, we also supply a range of beautiful natural stone setts, available in both granite and sandstone. Setts can be used to cover large areas but keep in mind that this will be a labour intensive task as each sett has to be laid individually. Setts are ideal for use in smaller areas and they can be used to break up larger areas of paving, as an edging or even around the circumference of a circle.
What is the best stone for patios?
Natural stone paving is a very popular option for use on patios and there are a number of stones, colours and finishes available - there’s something for everybody’s style preference.
Our range of natural Indian sandstone is always in demand, with stunning natural colour variation, veining and a subtle riven profile. Some of the paving stones even exhibit fossilised plant life! The stone is quarried and calibrated in India to a consistent thickness, allowing for more efficient transportation and also ease of laying.
We can supply a traditional range of sandstone paving, with a riven profile and fettled edges. This paving range is available in single and mixed sizes plus additional matching features such as walling, setts, edging and circles.
If you have your heart set on sandstone but a more contemporary finish is desired, look no further than Smooth Natural Sandstone. These stones exhibit similar levels of variation but have sawn edges and a honed surface profile to provide a modern finish with clean lines.
There’s also Bradstone Blended Natural Sandstone available with a wider range of colour variation and a riven profile, ensuring that no two sandstone pavers on your patio are the same.
Another Indian stone paving product well worth considering is Natural Limestone, which works well in both traditional and contemporary settings. Limestone paving exhibits very consistent colouring between the stones, with a low riven profile and hand fettled edges.
Limestone can be prone to weathering giving the effect of fading and it is worth considering sealing this paving to keep it looking “as new”. For more information on sealing please live chat or call a member of our team on 0800 032 6306.
Honeymede Limestone is a lighter alternative to the Blue-Black or Azure colours with subtle warm variations and tonal shades, its craggy profile can give a more traditional look. If you’re looking for a fashionable grey shade, look no further than Riverwashed Limestone in Steel Grey. A split stone with a riven finish that has been lightly rubbed to give the effect of aging by surface water, Riverwashed has sawn edges enabling tighter jointing and a more contemporary feel.
If a contemporary grey is what you’re looking for, then granite paving delivers minimalist style with maximum effect! It’s clean cut edges and flamed textured surface provide the perfect backdrop to architectural planting.
What’s more is all our natural stone is ethically sourced by Aggregate Industries and you can find out more information in Our Environmental, Ethical Trading and Community Promise.
Porcelain pavers for patios
Porcelain paving is the new kid on the block with qualities ensuring that it will become an ever increasingly popular choice. With designer looks, exceptional strength and resistance to staining, a porcelain patio will transform your outdoor space and look as fresh as the day it was laid for years to come.
Sealants are a thing of the past when it comes to porcelain! Say goodbye to expensive sealants, this non-porous product needs nothing more than a quick sweep and occasional hose down to make it look as good as new and there's no need to worry about colour fading.
With a product range that’s increasing year on year, Bradstone have some excellent options for any style of garden. If you’re looking for slate paving, why not take a look at Bradstone Vetusto with it’s profile of aged slate to give a more traditional feel than many other porcelain pavers. With three colours and a three sized patio pack you can replicate a random slate patio but with the added benefits of the exceptional durability of porcelain.
If it’s contemporary flair you’re looking for, Bradstone Manzano and Bradstone Manzano Mosaic certainly provide that. Combine the blended shades of Manzano with the Manzano Mosaic, featuring twelve different mosaic designs, to truly express your creativity whilst being totally on-trend.
What size are paving slabs?
Our patio pavers are available in a wide range of sizes from the smallest 300x300mm in the manufactured Old Town and Old Riven right up to the Silver Grey Granite in the oversized 900x900mm.
Another large size paver is the Bradstone Romeli Porcelain Paving, available as an 800x400mm slab, in two blended shades with fettled edges and a riven surface to recreate the look of natural stone.
For something a little different, why not consider the long aspect plank paving of Bradstone StoneMaster in the 800x200mm size or the wood effect paving Madera Antigua in 900x150mm.
Madera Antigua with its rugged profile exhibits all the attractive advantages of real wood without the risk of warping or degradation.
Block paving for patios
Whilst perhaps not your first thought for patio paving, block paving can be a very attractive solution.
With units smaller than your average patio paver, you can be really creative with patterns and even colour mixes. Block paving is super versatile and can fit any design as the main feature paving or even just to create a border around an area of paving slabs. Available in a wide range of colours, finishes and sizes, there’s something for every style of garden.
All this with the advantage of a highly durable product, designed for trafficked areas and capable of withstanding the weight of vehicles and even large wooden structures and garden buildings.
Paving for commercial areas
If your patio is for a commercial area, perhaps a beer garden, we have a number of Charcon products available. These commercial pavers are designed to withstand heavy footfall but ranges such as Moordale Textured are still pleasing on the eye.
For larger commercial enquiries please contact the Simply Paving team on 0800 032 6306.
Patio paving samples
We understand how important it is for our customers to be able to see and even touch the products that we supply prior to purchase. As such, Simply Paving provide a free of charge sample service, whereby you can order up to three samples for delivery straight to your door.
These samples can be ordered directly through our website but if you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to give our friendly customer service team a call on 0800 032 6306 or start a live chat.