When selecting natural stone tiles for your garden, gaining an understanding of the various products available, their advantages, and unique characteristics proves invaluable. We've compiled a straightforward overview of each material tailored for outdoor paving, providing insights into why these options might serve as the optimal patio slabs for your specific space!
What is Garden Paving Stone?
Garden paving stones, often referred to as patio or paving slabs, are durable, flat pieces of material used to create stable and visually appealing walking surfaces in outdoor spaces. These stones play a crucial role in landscaping, providing functional pathways, patios, or other paved areas within gardens. Garden paving stones come in various materials, including concrete, natural stone (such as granite or sandstone), brick, and composite materials. Homeowners and landscapers choose paving stones based on factors like durability, aesthetic preferences, ease of installation, and the intended use of the paved area. These stones contribute to the overall design and functionality of outdoor spaces, enhancing both the visual appeal and usability of gardens and other landscapes.
Natural Stone Patio Slabs Ideas
Natural stone, a material with a rich history spanning centuries worldwide, stands out for its enduring appeal. The charm of natural stone patio slabs lies in their diverse range of colors, finishes, and distinctive physical characteristics—making them a versatile choice for any garden paving project. As direct importers since 1995, we have invested significant efforts in curating the most exquisite natural stone patio slabs, ensuring that your outdoor space is adorned with timeless beauty.
Limestone Outdoor Tiles
Limestone, a sedimentary rock formed over countless years, results from the gradual compression of sediments, fractured seashells, coral, and the remnants of aquatic life deposited on the waterbed. This transformative process creates a robust rock, rendering limestone an exceptionally durable and practical material, positioning it among the top choices for garden patio paving slabs. Quorn Stone offers a premium range of limestone pavers, recognized for their frost-resistant properties, making them well-suited for outdoor applications, available in either a 20mm or 30mm thickness. Over time, natural stone exterior tiles, including limestone, undergo a subtle lightening and seasoning process, imparting a lived in and enduring appearance to your garden space. To enhance protection against water and potential staining, we recommend sealing limestone pavers upon installation, establishing a safeguarding barrier.
Large Grey Flagstone Paving
A preferred choice for numerous reasons, the Farrow Grey tumbled limestone paving stands out as a versatile option. This flagstone paver boasts nuanced tonal variations, transitioning from dove grey to soft anthracite, adorned with fossil details and warm hues that harmonize seamlessly. Its timeless allure, coupled with durability, makes it an ideal selection for patio slabs in various garden styles, be it a charming cottage garden or a modern new build landscape. The limestone, featuring a 'tumbled' texture and finish, not only exudes elegance but also provides ample grip for outdoor areas, ensuring a secure surface suitable for families with young children or pets.
Honey Beige ‘Cotswold Style’ Limestone Pavers
Whether you reside in the Cotswolds or aim to recreate a Cotswold-style natural stone patio, numerous 'honey beige' limestones can infuse warmth and a rustic ambiance into your garden. Among our top recommendations are the Dijon tumbled limestone pavers, a selection we've imported for over two decades. The mineral and fossil details inherent in this stone make it a versatile choice for both indoor and outdoor applications, featuring soft beige tones. For those desiring a warmer, honey toned tile, the Tuscany seasoned limestone paving is an excellent option. Boasting a grippier and textured 'seasoned' finish, along with rich fossilization, it delivers a patio paver with character and durability.
Sandstone Outdoor Tiles
Sandstone, a favored choice among landscapers for outdoor spaces, is renowned for its tactile surface finish and soft buff shades, seamlessly complementing gardens with lush plantings, lawns, and hardscaping elements. Commonly referred to as 'Indian sandstone paving slabs,' this versatile stone effortlessly lends itself to both traditional patio tile aesthetics and contemporary garden designs. Much like limestone paving, sandstone exterior tiles undergo a seasoning and aging process over time, imbuing a lived-in feel and enduring appearance ideal for country gardens. To enhance protection against water and potential staining, we recommend sealing sandstone pavers upon installation, serving as a safeguarding barrier.
Buff Indian Sandstone Pavers
The weathered sandstone pavers stand out as exemplary sandstone paving slabs, displaying delicate putty and buff tones along with a distinctive 'time-worn' finish. This imparts a smoothly textured surface featuring subtle chiseled worn edges and occasional riven tiles. Available in a generous 600 x FL (Free Length) x 20mm format, these pavers can be laid in a random brick bond pattern, minimizing the appearance of grout joints and drawing attention to the inherent beauty of the sandstone itself. The Abbey sandstone tile is versatile and can also be employed internally for kitchens and ground floors, achieving a seamless indoor outdoor flow.
Stone Effect Porcelain Patios
When considering stone-effect porcelain tiles for your patio, the market may seem a bit saturated. Porcelain, a synthetic material, has undergone significant advancements in recent years. It is created by combining various materials to form clay, which is then fired at an exceptionally high temperature, resulting in a durable and resilient paver. All our porcelain slabs are sourced from leading manufacturers in Italy or Spain, utilizing state-of-the-art machinery and the finest quality porcelain clay.
While some porcelain paving options may be promoted as very affordable, their tile quality and realistic print may not match those of premium outdoor porcelain pavers. Stone-effect porcelain proves to be an excellent choice, as it is nearly resistant to stains and maintains its color without lightening or fading when used for exterior paving. Additionally, the majority of porcelain tiles do not require sealing.
Tumbled Effect Porcelain Pavers
Porcelain tiles featuring a 'tumbled' edge effect are becoming increasingly favored by those seeking a low-maintenance patio while still desiring the aesthetic appeal of natural stone. These pavers with a tumbled effect maintain a rectified structure (manufactured with precise size tolerances and straight edges) but incorporate a worn edge on the top surface of the tile. When grouted, this creates the illusion of a naturally tumbled stone, providing the desired visual charm without compromising on the convenience of a maintenance free patio.
Contemporary Porcelain Paving
For individuals aiming to instill a modern ambiance in their outdoor area, numerous porcelain prints and styles stand out as ideal choices for contemporary patio designs. Many stone-effect pavers are available in expansive formats such as 800x800 or 900x600. The use of 'rectified' porcelain facilitates ultra-narrow grout joints, contributing to a streamlined appearance that directs attention to the tiles themselves.
In addition to being stain-resistant, various ranges of porcelain exhibit enhanced consistency in color and tone compared to authentic stone. This attribute significantly contributes to achieving a cohesive and contemporary porcelain paving aesthetic, elevating the overall look of the outdoor space.
LEESTE is the largest and the most advanced stone processing enterprise who can provide high quality custom size garden stepping stone pavers products which are insuranced. Choosing garden paving slabs for your design or architectural project can be an excellent decision.
