Over the years here at Bridge Street Stone we’ve found that we tend to get a lot of questions from our customers about natural paving surfaces, including limestone and Indian sandstone. These questions range from relatively involved ones about technical capabilities and laying patterns to more simple ones like ‘is Indian sandstone made in India?’. So, if you’ve got a couple of queries of your own, we’ve answered some of the most common questions about natural stone paving below. Let’s start with the basics!
What is natural stone paving?
Natural stone paving is a catch-all term that covers a number of types of stone paving, including limestone, Indian sandstone, natural slate and granite. (Indian sandstone and limestone are two especially popular natural paving options, and ones we specialise in here at Bridge Street Stone!) Natural stone paving is the most popular choice for outdoor patios, pathways, driveways and utility areas, and is generally viewed to be far more preferable to the alternative of plain concrete paving slabs.
So why choose natural stone paving? What are the advantages? Well, the superior appearance and look is a big draw for many homeowners. Natural stone pavers like Indian sandstone have plenty of personality, with more authentic, tactile feel and a great range of colours to choose from. Here at Bridge Street Stone you can take your pick of colours ranging from Golden Leaf to Kota Black - and that’s just the start!
Whether you prefer the traditional charm of Indian sandstone or the smooth, sophisticated feel of limestone, there’s no denying that natural stone paving gives you far more freedom of expression in defining the overall appearance of your outdoor space. Over time, many natural stone paving weathers under the elements as well, gradually changing colour to give the space further personality.
As well as the beautiful look of many natural stone paving options, they have a number of practical advantages too. They’re easier to install, and generally more reliable and durable. They’re also easy to maintain, which is always welcome news for any homeowner, and highly affordable - especially our range of Indian stone paving.
What is Indian stone paving?
Indian stone paving, or Indian sandstone, is a type of natural stone paving. In a nutshell, it exemplifies many of the qualities that people love about natural stone paving. As we touched on above it’s available in a great range of colours, including Autumn Brown, Golden Leaf, Kota Black and Kandla Grey - so you’ve always got plenty of freedom when settling on what kind of look and feel you want from your outdoor spaces. You may want to use something like Autumn Brown to match the style of your Indian stone paving to the look of your property, or use something like Kota Black to cleverly contrast it, for a particularly dramatic, striking effect.
How good is Indian sandstone?
Indian sandstone is a consistently popular choice amongst the public for a number of excellent reasons. As we’ve touched on above, with its wide choice of colours, it can be easily used to create a wide variety of individual appearances and effects, and as an added bonus it’s great value for money too. It’s a perfect choice if you want to give your outdoor space a raw, traditional feel, as it weathers naturally under the elements. That means over time, certain colours will deepen to even richer golds and browns, giving it an authentic feel that looks amazing on patios, driveways and pathways alike.
While it’s tough and durable, it can also be easily cut to create a huge variety of bespoke shapes or curves, and you can lay it in neatly defined patterns, or express your individuality with more unique designs.
Is Indian stone actually from India?
Yes. Indian stone is a type of paving stone - in other words, it’s not an arbitrary brand name! India is a staggeringly large country, about 13 times the size of the UK. With a landmass that size, it’s probably no surprise that it’s home to countless quarries across various regions, each of which have their own specialties of colour. For example, there are hundreds of quarries within the Kota district in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan. As you’ve probably guessed, it’s how the Kota Black Indian sandstone got its name!
Of course, not all quarries in India are equal, and can vary widely in terms of the quality of their output and working conditions. It’s just one crucial reason why we choose our suppliers very carefully here at Bridge Street Stone, making sure that our customers only have the finest quality Indian sandstone that excels in terms of strength and durability, and all sourced in a responsible, ethical way.
Is limestone good for paving
Limestone tends to be one of the top choices for stone paving in the UK, perhaps second only to sandstone. Limestone looks largely similar to Indian sandstone but tends to have a flatter, smoother surface that makes it especially well suited to creating effortlessly contemporary outdoor spaces. It’s also frequently used for driveways, for similar reasons. Those are far from its only applications, though. Like sandstone, it’s a highly versatile material that’s relatively soft compared to many other stones. This means it can be used for a whole range of applications, from patios, walkways, pathways, courtyards, verandas and stepping stones.
Limestone tends to be available in a small range of darker colours, such as regency grey or jet black, which means that homeowners looking for a lighter or deeper range of colours tend to prefer Indian sandstone. But if you’re trying to get a dramatic or sophisticated look for your space, limestone is always worth considering.
Is limestone paving better than sandstone?
To be honest, it depends. In terms of capability, both limestone and sandstone are on a largely even kilter, so choosing between them often comes down to a matter of personal preference. Most customers tend to make their decisions based on style and appearance, as well as the intended application. Indian sandstone is an exceptionally popular choice for patios, for example, whereas limestone can be used to brilliant effect on driveways or even interior spaces like a living or dining room. (Although here’s where we should say - Indian sandstone works well for driveways, too!)
Of course, if you need any help in narrowing down your decisions, our experts are always around to help here at Bridge Street Stone! With years of experience behind us, we can make recommendations precisely tailored to how you want your space to look and feel, so you can enjoy it for years to come. Feel free to pay us a visit in our Colne showroom, or give us a call on 01282 860 571, and we’ll be happy to help!