Patios And Garden Paving In Buckingham
Our patio installers in Buckingham draw from every sandstone pack so the riven shading spreads, making sure one pack is not worked dry before the next because that leaves patching effects across the flags.
Natural stone and porcelain go on a concrete bed. Semi dry or wet. Garden paving can sit on river washed sand with a little cement, compacted with a rubber pad on the plate so the slab does not crack.
On a front garden in Buckingham over 5 square metres, impermeable surfacing that does not send rainwater to a lawn or border is the case the England planning material describes. Directing water to a permeable area is the practical route.
Why Choose Natural Stone
Colour in natural stone is the stone itself, not a dye on the face. The flags can be lifted, washed, and relaid onto a new bed 20 years later. The customer keeps the original slabbing and will save on replacing the stone with something different.
Sealing for natural stone offers two benefits. Joint colour under UV is one, even on granite and porcelain joints. Porosity against algae is the other, but that only applies to sandstone and limestone faces.
Laying A Patio Properly
We always use a solid bed on a Buckingham patio instead of dot and dab, because dabbing leaves voids where water stagnates under the slab and can create ring effects on the finished surface.
Too wet and you sink the bed as you walk. Too dry and it will not go off or bond. Bedding is 30-50mm. Aim for 30mm, so the slab taps in, gets suction, and the bed creeps up the side for the joint to grip.
Average installation is 4 days. An open area with good access is 3 days. Poor access in Buckingham means materials are hand balled.
We always aim to leave the finished patio sit 150mm below the damp proof course and once the patio is laid we recommend staying off it for 24 hours, preferably 48hours to let the mortar joints set.
Which Stone Suits Your Garden
Indian sandstone is the most porous of the stones we use in Buckingham, with the widest colour range and a riven face. Limestone sits denser, with a smoother face that is easier to clean but doesn’t have the same variation as sandstone.
Granite is the hardest patio surface we lay. Porcelain is dense and vitrified at 20mm on a patio, and the face is not sealed. Porcelain comes in grades, which granite does not.
What Goes With A Patio
A cobble border or a block paving border gives a clean edge to cut into on a Buckingham patio. Steps are built in brickwork with a lip so water drips clear of the face rather than running down it.
We set a 1:40 fall so water runs off. Riven flags need a bit more tilt than a smooth face, because water sits in the texture.
If you see weeds in the joints, or if you notice plants coming through the pointing, then the jointing has failed.
Get A Free Estimate For A Patio
Call 01280 430126 first. Our patio installers in Buckingham come out and look at access and levels. They also look at what is already there, so we can estimate the labour.
Buckingham Patios talk through the stone on that visit. You get an estimate in writing that is free, with no obligation.
See our Indian sandstone patio work, our porcelain patio work, our limestone patio work and our granite patio work if you want to know about an individual style.
Commonly asked patio questions
How thick should patio slabs be?
Outdoor porcelain is 20mm on a patio and 30mm if it is going on a driveway. Concrete garden slabs are 40mm to 50mm on a patio. Drive-rated slabs run 50mm to 60mm, which we confirm during our free visit.
Does natural stone fade outdoors?
Not really. Colour runs through the stone, so a slight UV lighten comes back fairly like new with a jet wash. What fades is a manufactured product next to it, a block paving border or a coloured joint.
Whats the easiest patio surface to look after?
Honestly, every patio will require a little bit of maintenance, just a simple brush down or wash down once a year will keep it fresh, however we do highly recommend sealing a patio, this will remove a lot of moss and algae issues. From a pure low maintenance perspective, granite stone would be the hardest wearing.
What is the most affordable type of patio slabbing?
Simple concrete slabs, often referred to as council slabs are the cheapest type of slab on the market but the biggest thing is labour, choosing one type of patio over another, might save you some money but its not as big as people think.
