Paving Slabs – Natural or Man Made?

Thinking about laying a new patio? Then consider all your options before committing to one paving style or another. These days there are so many paving slabs available to Irish gardeners. You can choose anything to suit your budget and there is a stone colour to match with almost every paint colour so that you can create the perfect patio that blends with your home & garden

First thing to consider when buying paving is the choice of stone or material. You can choose a natural or made made slabs. There is truly no greater paving than natural paving slabs – Natural stone offers gardens a timeless quality that, with some general care will age well and continue to perform for years to come. natural stone has some limits too, and here are all the pros & cons of natural stone

 

Natural Paving Slabs

Pros:

• Durable product – Will last years
• Pattern – Natural paving slabs offers details & character unmatched by man made alternative
• Colour – The are many natural stones & paving slabs. Each offering a specific colour, and becuase these are natural products the colour will last forever
• Blending – to achieve a seamless blend between your garden & the surrounding landscape, then natural stone is the only option, If you can match the same stone that is found in your area your garden will instantly blend into the landscape
• Texture – While natural paving is full of colour, these stones have added character in the form of texture ranging from smooth, rough, chipped, pitted & more
• Fossils – the presence of fossils adds another quality & dimension to natural paving.
• Care – Natural paving slabs are far easier to care for and offers great results if cared for well. Simply staying on top of algae, mould & moss on natural stone will ensure that your patio looks as good as new for decades to come

Cons:

• Installation – Because natural paving is so heavy it can be difficult to lay & install. Large flags can weight of 40Kg and will require two men to lift into place
• Callibration – While man made stone is cut to an exact thickness, natural paving slabs often come in various depths. This means that natural stone can not be laid on a screeding bed of sand & instead have to be laid on a wet mix or each flag painstakingly positioned & leveled one by one
• Cost – Because natural stone needs to be quarries, cut & transported the cost of this pavnig option can be more than most man made options