Sandstone or slate? - Best type of stone for patio

Wideboy · Post: # 61524Post **Wideboy** Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:13 am

Hi all.I wish to lay a stone patio but our garden is badly drained due to clay soil what stone would be best to use slate or sandstone?Any advice would be most welcome.
Thanks Wideboy

London Stone Paving · Sun Apr 03, 2011 2:08 pm

Sandstone is more porous than slate and in a wet environment this will have an effect on the patio. Is it not an option to put some drainage into the garden?

Wideboy · Post: # 61537Post **Wideboy** Sun Apr 03, 2011 2:48 pm

I'm unable to put in drainage as there are 2 problems
1,there is no where to drain the water to all the run of from the roof just goes into a soakaway that doesn't soak away!
2 The cost!

Pablo · Post: # 61544Post **Pablo** Sun Apr 03, 2011 7:41 pm

hi wideboy. Without seeing your specific circumstances i would advise that you hold off on the paving for a bit a spend your money on sorting the drainage. By the sounds of it you need to do it and either you do it now which would be cheaper and cleaner or later which Will cost more and possibly damage the paving. There Will always be a solution to your problem whether it be a bigger soakaway or a tank with a pump to lift it to the mains. Spend your money wisely now and do the paving next year when you get somemore cash together.

Wideboy · Post: # 61547Post **Wideboy** Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:34 pm

Paplo thanks for the advice perhaps I'm being a bit paranoid the garden isn't that big and the patio (if you can call it that!) will be no more than 15Msq the garden doesn't float in water just soggy in the winter so I dont need the expense of drainage just had probs with frost damage before but I believe this was due to cheap and nasty slaps think I will be alright if I have a fall so that the water doesn't sit on the slabs.
Ian

London Stone Paving · Sun Apr 03, 2011 10:12 pm

Ian

I was going to say the same thing as Pablo about getting the drainage done first.

If you are going to go ahead with the patio, definately avoid fossil mint as this is one of the most porous of the Indian Sandstones and will not be suitable for a wet garden.

If the garden is really wet then you may get problems with alage with slate or sandstone but no question slate is going to be more resistant. Would be a good idea to seal the patio as well, whatever stone you opt for

Wideboy · Post: # 61564Post **Wideboy** Sun Apr 03, 2011 10:27 pm

Would it be a good idea to have a soakaway at the end of the patio ie just a trench with gravel in although as tony has stated on the site it will be more of a sump.Having said that next doors garden is at slightly lower level might be able to get it to drain in there!lol.
Ian

Suggers · Post: # 61566Post **Suggers** Mon Apr 04, 2011 4:38 am

Welcome Ian & give us a photo - what have the neighbours done ?

Wideboy · Post: # 61584Post **Wideboy** Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:24 pm

Suggers I have no idea what next door have done Our existing patio was ripped up when we had our extension built on it.As I have already said it will only be about 15m sq just room for a table and chairs There is already about 100mm+ of type 1 down as the base,next doors garden is at a lower level so I assume some of mine drains into theirs!We will probably use slate is the peacock slate hardwearing?Also what is considered to be the best sealer for slate?
Thanks Ian

London Stone Paving · Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:34 pm

Wideboy

I would check with your supplier to see where the slate comes from. If its Indian slate then I would not touch it with a barge pole. In my experience Indian slate is flaky and of very poor quality.

Chinese is much better and also readily available at a fair price.

Buy a specialist seal, not a B&Q home brand job. Lithofin and LTP are both good quality brands

Wideboy · Post: # 61648Post **Wideboy** Wed Apr 06, 2011 10:22 pm

Thanks for advice about sealer we are most likely to use genuine welsh slate (my wife has a thing about using home sourced products were we can!Looked at the web sites for the sealers mentioned but there is such a vast range which one would be best in your experience for outdoor use on riven slate?
Many thanks Ian

Suggers · Post: # 61654Post **Suggers** Thu Apr 07, 2011 2:16 am

Ian - I'm in love with your wife - we've got lovely weather at the mo - kick on - LSP is the tops...... we want photos - just back from the pub, and it's amazing how more optimistic everybody seems to be with a little bit of sunshine....?

Isn't Welsh slate some of the best in the world...?

London Stone Paving · Thu Apr 07, 2011 7:48 am

London Stone Paving · Thu Apr 07, 2011 7:51 am

Suggers wrote:just back from the pub, and it's amazing how more optimistic everybody seems to be with a little bit of sunshine....?

And a good few ales can make a big difference too.

Nice choice on the Welsh slate. Send some pictures of it once its all laid. In terms of seal, you cant go wrong with Lithofin, but IMO LTP is just as good.

cookiewales · Post: # 61657Post **cookiewales** Thu Apr 07, 2011 8:30 am

Wideboy wrote:Thanks for advice about sealer we are most likely to use genuine welsh slate (my wife has a thing about using home sourced products were we can!Looked at the web sites for the sealers mentioned but there is such a vast range which one would be best in your experience for outdoor use on riven slate?
Many thanks Ian

welsh slate is the mutts nutts