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How Do I... Choose Natural Stone Pavers?
Stone pavers add a warm, natural touch to your outdoor area, and they're low maintenance – so rock on!
In this practical series, we ask experts to answer your burning design and decorating questions. Here, Jen Stumbles, owner of Eco Outdoor, gives the low-down on how to choose natural stone pavers.
What stone types are available?
- Limestone: This will give your outdoor areas a modern look. Large-format grey limestone is popular right now – it has the industrial feel of a concrete floor, but with the beauty and rawness of natural stone. Tumbled limestone and options in sandy colours have a more traditional look.
- Travertine: This stone has quite a traditional feel. The surface features naturally formed holes that give it a beautifully textured, lived-in appearance. It comes in a range of neutral colours to suit most different house styles.
- Bluestone: This all-rounder is suitable for indoors and out, and comes in a huge array of sizes, formats and finishes. It’s neutral in colour and suits traditional and modern settings. A large-format, honed bluestone tile can be used to create a really sleek finish indoors, while a raw-edged bluestone stepper will give an organic, textured feel to the garden.
- Split stone: Durable and non-slip, split stone is ideal for high-traffic areas such as pathways and driveways. It comes in a wide range of colours, including light grey, charcoal and varieties flecked with red and gold tones (such as our Lichen variety).
How much should I expect to pay?
- Limestone: from around $99 per square metre
- Travertine: from around $88 per square metre
- Bluestone: from around $88 per square metre
- Split stone: from around $77 per square metre
Why choose natural stone over concrete, for example?
Natural stone comes from the earth, and is formed by layers of sand, minerals and oxides over hundreds of years. No two pieces are ever the same. It has a unique character that simply cannot be replicated by artificial materials. Natural stone also ages gracefully over time and feels divine underfoot.
Natural stone comes from the earth, and is formed by layers of sand, minerals and oxides over hundreds of years. No two pieces are ever the same. It has a unique character that simply cannot be replicated by artificial materials. Natural stone also ages gracefully over time and feels divine underfoot.
What looks are trending?
Large-format pavers, such as our 900 x 600 millimetre size, are a definite trend. They open up a space and look particularly good when you carry the stone inside too. Plus, they have enough surface area to really highlight the features of the stone.
We’re also seeing crazy paving being used in residential applications in both flooring and walling.
Colour-wise, light grey is particularly popular.
Large-format pavers, such as our 900 x 600 millimetre size, are a definite trend. They open up a space and look particularly good when you carry the stone inside too. Plus, they have enough surface area to really highlight the features of the stone.
We’re also seeing crazy paving being used in residential applications in both flooring and walling.
Colour-wise, light grey is particularly popular.
What questions should I ask myself?
1. Where will the stone be laid? If it’s going somewhere where it will be prone to marks and staining, a darker colour might be more forgiving than a lighter one. If it will be laid around a pool, slip-resistance and resistance to salt attack are vital. If it’s going into a curved area, crazy paving would be ideal as it can easily be designed to follow curved lines.
2. What about the style of my house? With traditional architecture, a sandstone paver might be best suited. For a modern build, a sleek bluestone or brushed grey limestone would look fantastic.
3. Is there a limited set down? ‘Set down’ refers to the height between the level of the substrate and the adjoining area left to lay the tile or paver. For example, with a 30-millimetre set down, your paver can be no more than 30 millimetres thick in order to lie flush with the surface. If the spot where you’re laying the tiles has a limited set down, you’ll need a stone product with a thin profile, such as split stone.
1. Where will the stone be laid? If it’s going somewhere where it will be prone to marks and staining, a darker colour might be more forgiving than a lighter one. If it will be laid around a pool, slip-resistance and resistance to salt attack are vital. If it’s going into a curved area, crazy paving would be ideal as it can easily be designed to follow curved lines.
2. What about the style of my house? With traditional architecture, a sandstone paver might be best suited. For a modern build, a sleek bluestone or brushed grey limestone would look fantastic.
3. Is there a limited set down? ‘Set down’ refers to the height between the level of the substrate and the adjoining area left to lay the tile or paver. For example, with a 30-millimetre set down, your paver can be no more than 30 millimetres thick in order to lie flush with the surface. If the spot where you’re laying the tiles has a limited set down, you’ll need a stone product with a thin profile, such as split stone.
How much maintenance do stone pavers need?
You should seal stone pavers after they’ve been laid. Sealing pavers protects the stone from damage and makes stains easier to remove. Look at it like scotchgarding your carpet. A good, penetrating sealer will last 15 years (although in high-traffic spots such as pathways and driveways you may need to have pavers professionally cleaned during that time). Other than that, there’s not too much else to do, which is what makes natural stone such a great flooring material.
You should seal stone pavers after they’ve been laid. Sealing pavers protects the stone from damage and makes stains easier to remove. Look at it like scotchgarding your carpet. A good, penetrating sealer will last 15 years (although in high-traffic spots such as pathways and driveways you may need to have pavers professionally cleaned during that time). Other than that, there’s not too much else to do, which is what makes natural stone such a great flooring material.
What’s good to know?
Cobblestones and filetti paving (small-format pavers) are ideal for high-traffic areas such as driveways and pathways. They are incredibly strong, not just because of the stone itself but because of the tight format they are laid in. Choose a dark colour and these stones will withstand all sorts of heavy use and staining, without showing the signs.
Another important thing to remember is that you should never use a honed tile around a swimming pool. Honing a paver makes it slippery, which means that it’s unsuitable for wet areas.
Cobblestones and filetti paving (small-format pavers) are ideal for high-traffic areas such as driveways and pathways. They are incredibly strong, not just because of the stone itself but because of the tight format they are laid in. Choose a dark colour and these stones will withstand all sorts of heavy use and staining, without showing the signs.
Another important thing to remember is that you should never use a honed tile around a swimming pool. Honing a paver makes it slippery, which means that it’s unsuitable for wet areas.
Could you share a golden nugget?
It’s worth paying more for an experienced, qualified installer. Selecting the right stone for a project is one thing, but ensuring that it’s laid correctly is just as important. Falling in love with a beautiful stone only to have it look terrible once it’s installed is the last thing you want.
It’s worth paying more for an experienced, qualified installer. Selecting the right stone for a project is one thing, but ensuring that it’s laid correctly is just as important. Falling in love with a beautiful stone only to have it look terrible once it’s installed is the last thing you want.
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