Why You Should Make Your Patio Out of Natural Stone

Choosing what material to make your patio out of can be a difficult task. Most people want something that looks good and complements their home and garden. But they also need something that is practical and will last for a long time.

The great news is that natural stone paving ticks all these boxes. Keep reading to find out a bit more about why you should make your patio out of natural stone.

Benefits

Versatile

A great advantage to natural stone is that it’s versatile. It comes in so many different varieties that you are almost guaranteed to find a type that suits you.

For example, there are lots of different types of natural stone to choose from, including sandstone, limestone and natural stone. You can also get natural stone paving slabs in different shapes and sizes. So whatever the size or location of your patio, you should be able to find a type of natural stone paving that suits it.

Attractive

A big benefit to natural stone is that it’s often considered very attractive. You can use warm, pale sandstone shades with rough textures if you want a patio that blends in with the natural environment. Or if you want a bold, clean, minimalist look, try going for sawn, polished granite. Whatever your taste, it’s highly likely that you can make a natural stone patio that you like the look of.

Long-lasting

If you want a patio that lasts a long time, using natural stone is a great way to go. A natural stone patio that has been installed and maintained properly should last a considerable amount of time – at least 20 years.

Low maintenance

Another advantage to natural stone patios is that they’re relatively low-maintenance. They usually just need sweeping and washing every so often to keep them looking good. They also may need weeding from time to time. Just make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions when it comes to cleaning – it’s easy to damage or stain natural stone if you use the wrong product.

Easy to repair

Another reason to get a natural stone patio is that they’re easy to repair. Natural stone patios are usually laid in paving slabs. If any of these get damaged it’s relatively easy to remove them and replace them with new ones. This is much cheaper than replacing the whole patio and looks much better than patching, which is a technique used to repair concrete and asphalt surfaces.

So there are lots of good reasons why you should make your patio out of natural stone. Of course, it’s not for everyone and natural stone does have its disadvantages. It can be fragile if laid in thin slabs, so might not be suitable if you’re planning on putting and moving heavy things on your patio. And natural stone paving can be expensive – it can set you back around £30 per square metre.

If you decide that natural stone isn’t for you, don’t worry, there are lots of other patio materials to choose from. To find out more, take a look at our information on gravel, concrete and paving.