Sandstone Paving

By Author: Stone Seller
Total Articles: 21
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Sandstone pavers can be porous and retain large amounts of water making them occasionally soft and liable to crumble and deteriorate quite quickly. When choosing to use sandstone pavers for your patio flooring you need to make the right choice of stone so always select your paving from a recognized importer or retailer.
Sandstone Paving is a unique and very elegant natural stone, easy to source and install, it is most used on residential domestic applications such as patios, pathways and pool areas. Sandstone rock was formed from heated and compacted sedimentary rock thousands of years ago, usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Sandstone pavers are formed from the splitting or sawing of sandstone blocks into acceptable sized paving slabs or paving ‘flags’ as they are sometimes known as. Sandstone paving features blends of many colours and cannot be accurately recreated by any man made coloured concrete pavers.
To ensure you are making the best choice possible, your decision should not be based solely on the colour but instead there are some important questions to ask that will have ...
... a direct effect on the longevity of the sandstone and how durable and weather resistant it is.
Firstly sandstone can turn a different shade once it is buffed, so check an unpolished version of the sandstone you are considering. If you decide to go with a buffed stone for your paving, once the sandstone begins to weather the elements will turn the stone back to its normal colour. By asking for an example of both you will be able to get an idea of how your sandstone will look once the weather has begun to wear away the finish.
Sandstone is usually porous and so it will absorb water. Most sandstone paving will absorb between 2 and 17% by weight of water. Winter freeze and thaw cycles will compromise sandstone that absorbs water over 3-4% and will reduce the durability of the sandstone pavers. Look for a stone with a lower porosity to reduce these effects. Ask the retailer or importer for assistance and advice.
Slip resistance may be an important factor to the elderly or families with young children.
Knowing these facts about sandstone paving will prove a major advantage when choosing the best pavers for your home.
The colours of sandstone vary greatly from the traditional dusky yellow colour right through to reds and even dark blues. Once properly installed the correct sandstone paving can have a lifespan of many hundreds of years.
Natural stone paving adds resale value to a property too. For most of us our home is the biggest purchase that we will make and in these times of low house price inflation it is increasingly more important that the money we spend improving our property adds value to our investment and does not just become a cost of living. Landscaping the garden and the driveway is one of the best ‘value for money’ home improvement investments that can be made and immediately creates a visual statement about your home, an impression of lifestyle and enhances its desirability.
Stone Seller is the leading natural paving stone supplier, offers massive online discounts on natural stone paving and walling, Slate Flooring, Limestone, Slate Paving, Granite & Travertine Patio paving and home flooring stone. Please visit our website for more information www.stoneseller.co.uk