Looking at some paving for our new patio and the landscaper has recommended Indian sand stone.

I’ve done a bit of reading up and apparently it has an issue with delamination over time and starts looking old pretty quickly.

However…. We’ve seen a smooth and honed version and was wondering if this does the same.

Anyone got this as there patio and can give me some feedback please.

Or failing that suggest some alternatives.

Mine has been great for 15 years or so and you are hard pressed to see where it blends into the original local Old Red Sandstone slabs

Ours looks fine, only 4 years old though.

Sandstone always weather’s off in flakes. Just don’t use it on its side on vertical surfaces. You can see it on old buildings where the masons put blocks in the wrong orientation and the layers weather off as a result.

A few years ago, we went for York Stone (£ ouch!) but about the same time a house round the corner used Indian Stone. Both seem to be weathering well enough. Our York Stone is delaminating a bit so clearly not immune. The York Stone was supplied in much thicker slabs than the Indian appeared to be if that makes any difference.

Edited – thinking back I think mine was limestone, not sandstone!

Had it, no problems after 3 years.

I did some at our old house about 12 years ago – absolutely no problem

Just had an Indian sandstone patio laid, looks great. I wanted to go for sawn and honed sandstone but was firmly warned off it by this group on Facebook https://m.facebook.com/groups/111972096145990/
Get yourself on there, plenty of advice to be had

I’ve noticed that most landscapers recommend sandstone for the basic reason that it’s easy to cut, so if you’ve got plenty of curves it’s the go-to slab. Ask for porcelain slabs and many landscapers will run a mile.
I personally like sandstone as it tends to hold its colour well, and an annual jet wash/stone cleaner brings it up nice.

Just laid some, it’s not going to rot like decking.

https://www.cheshiregardenproducts.co.uk/store/Mint-Ivory-Smooth-c80846114

10 yrs no probs

we’ve got quite a lot, in various places. Been fine for 10 years, looks good

just bought a load more.

Weathers well, looks old but will powerwash up.

Just sprinkle it with Patio Magic solution now and then, keeps the green mould and liverworts at bay – stays looking nice and clean.

Ours is just over 10 years old, after a jet wash in spring, it’s still looking like it used to.

FWIW the “Indian” bit is just where it comes from, like “Chinese” (or Indian) slate.

They also come in more colours as it’s a bigger country. Whereas all ours comes from the same bit of geology, and hence mostly what you’d think of as typical sandstone colour.

Dam foreign prehistoric sedimentary geological formations coming over here and stealing out patios.

It’s worth doing a bit of research to make sure it’s ethically sourced. Importers who are signed up to the ETI ensure that the stone is not quarried with child labour and that working conditions are safe

thisisnotaspoon, you get loads of different coloured sandstone here in the UK. Look at St Magnus Cathedral for example.

Just laid some, it’s not going to rot like decking.

Sister swapped her decking for a patio at the end of last year. Garden now floods with heavy rain much quicker than it did with the decking. All the water runs off and can’t soak in.

Something to bear in mind:

https://www.naturalpaving.co.uk/news-article/public-sector-housing-and-ethically-sourced-stone

Edit: I see hairychainsaw beat me to it

10 years no problems, no flooding, no delaminating, used in very high traffic areas. Cheaper than the alternative. Can be slippy under the trees in winter.

That Natural Paving stuff is what we used, lot better quality than some stuff we looked at, much thicker. Best place to buy was Brickability in Cardiff. Nice outdoor display as well.

Paid £4000 about 6 months ago for some to be laid. I wish i hadnt. I really dont like it. It marks, it looks dirty quickly and it only really looks like it does in the pictures when its wet.

I am moving house now so its someone elses to like/disslike but i wont be having it ever again.

In that price we got some lovely block paving laid which i much prefer.

Each to their own but try to have a look at some dry. There is a reason they spray them down before taking a picture

This is ours dry. As I say been down about 10 years. Is this the same stuff? I thought it was. And no I don’t care about any random maintenance jobs that anybody spots that may need doing…

While we’re on pavingtrackworld, I DO care about random maintenance jobs that need doing. The pointing or whatever you call it on my paving is totally falling apart (bit like timbog’s :P) – what’s the best method to redo it, do I need to remove all the crumbly stuff? If I hose down the patio it all starts breaking apart, and that’s just with a regular hose not a pressure washer.

Don’t hose it! Problem solved 😀

Have a look at porcelain as an alternative, a lot harder wearing and doesn’t stain or mark. Possibly a bit more expensive.

Just make sure it’s laid on a full bed of wet mortar. Many contractors won’t because he can’t be bothered.

If once the patio is laid, you have any hollow sounds under the stones, then you will run into problems with stones coming loose within a couple of years. Also try and make sure that your slabs are wet pointed – don’t let anyone use any of that sika self bonding pointing shite.

I would majorly recommend using SBR slurry on the back of slabs aswell.

The chap doing the job has already quoted for the sbr slurry stuff you mention so that’s a good sign I guess.

We have decided to go porcelain. I’ve been reading that Facebook page that Houndlegs linked to and it’s put us right off to be honest. Seems everyone is going porcelain now. Initial cost is higher but it looks newer for longer and doesn’t stain etc.

I did what Joe said. Laid on a bed of mortar, painted some SBR on the back. I then pointed it with a sharp sand and Tradiblanc mortar dabbed with a sponge to give it the aged and weathered appearance.

Just make sure it’s laid on a full bed of wet mortar. Many contractors won’t because he can’t be bothered.

@Joe

What depth of bed roughly?

Has anyone laid themselves or had porcelain slabs laid on tile pedestals? Certainly looks an easier option for diy but wondering if there are any pitfalls.

Surely if you are going for a natural material that has been underground for millions of years, the fact that when you dig it up, slice it and cut it into neat little oblongs, one of the appeals should be that it weathers and changes with time?

If not just buy some concrete slabs…