So let's provide a little background to some of the paving stone options you have for when patio laying commences:
Concrete Slabs or Flagstones
These will typically be the cheapest option, as they are man made. Essentially these are made using a mixture of cement, sand and aggregate so ideal for getting your patio laid or allowing your budget to stretch to cover a larger area. As they are made sometimes they will not be the most robust of slabs, especially if you really go for the budget options as they will have more aggregate, which will make the slabs a little weaker. However, with the additional of dyes they are available in a variety of colours, and textured finishes and if laid on a good foundation should provide an excellent patio for a good number of years.
Limestone Patio Paving
This is the first of numerous natural paving stones which can be used for pathways and patios. Limestone paving is one of the lower cost options and one of the reasons is that it will need sealing to prevent its colour from fading. Another aspect to be aware of is that it will be damaged if you attempt to clean of any stains with an acid based cleaner. Whilst there are less and less of these around it is very easy to grab any cleaning products and think it will be suitable - especially for an outdoor paving slab. It is one of the lower cost options and does provide a natural textured finish which is very pleasant to the eye.
Indian Stone Patios
This is being used more and more for driveways but is a superb choice for patios and back garden paving. Whilst more expensive than flagstones, they are competitively priced. It's worth remembering that they are a superior natural sandstone product. Since Indian stone contains feldspar and quartz it makes the stone very durable and weather resistant. As a naturally stone, no two stones will be identical which again provides a more natural finish. Talking of finishes - the other quality of Indian stone is that shouldn't need sealing, which is one of the reasons it has become popular for driveways - a strong low maintenance options, which looks fantastic. More and more Indian Sandstone options are becoming available even in terms of smooth buff finishes, which you would associate with marble or porcelain so this really is an excellent paving and patio stone.
Slate and Granit paving for Patios
Similar to Indian stone, slate and granite are natural materials with strong low maintenance finishes. Since they are naturally occurring they are limited in terms of the colour options so unless you had your heart set on a dark charcoal / grey /purple options, this may not be an option for you. However, if this was on your colour palette then these are definitely worth considering and can provide a modern feel to your garden.
Marble Patio Paving
Marble paving as you would expect, will provide a smooth, shiny finish. As a result marble paving provide you with a great looking patio, which will get your friend and family commenting. As a naturally imported material with limited sources from season to season there may be limitations in the colour and style options available though.
Porcelain Patio Paving
As porcelain paving has become more popular i the UK the number of styles, colours and sizes have broadened. They look amazing and are since they are often laid very close to one another they provide a feel of simply flowing from your indoor flooring to outdoors in a seamless fashion. Ideal for creating a contemporary outdoor setting. They are exceptionally strong and frost resistant so will continue to look amazing for a long, long time!
Cobbled Patio
Yes, whilst this may not seem like the first choice for many people, but having a cobbled patio that matches the cobblestones on a driveway can maintain tradition and keep a period property looking like a period property.
The cobblestones used for a patio can vary immensly and due to their irregular shape more often than not they will be set in a cement mortar base unlike block paving. If you want cobbled paving and a cobbled patio just let us know.
