Page 1 of 2
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 12:12 am
by vodkapavlov
I would very much appreciate some help....I am about to order and pave my garden with what is called ash grey limestone from eBay. However, someone said this is just faded black limestone and will fade further. Can anyone advise me on this and of a reputable, reasonable place to buy it? Also, I want to bullnose the paving on the steps as I cannot find ready made ash grey limestone already bullnosed. Does anyone offer a mobile bullnosing service?
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 4:47 pm
by lutonlagerlout
http://www.londonstone.co.uk/
are reputable and can do the bullnosing though not on site i believe
there is a huge list
of other stone suppliers here
http://www.pavingexpert.com/links11.htm
all are reputable companies
if you buy from ebay chances are you will have little redress if the stone fades
LLL
Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2015 11:05 am
by London Stone Paving
I have had a look on the eBay site and I dont think that it is black limestone. Its definitely an Indian Dolomitic limestone but I think its one of the grey varieties, if so its a good product, very hard wearing and robust.
You could always bring the flags to us and we could bullnose them in our factory. Were not too far from you
Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2015 9:44 pm
by vodkapavlov
Thanks for the advice. I have been searching for weeks now and the gardener has stated this week so now feeling the pressure to get the stone ordered. Problem is that there are barely any places to actually see large samples in the Harrow area.
I have now been told that all ash grey limestone is actually kotah blue limestone and will look blue when down not grey... is that correct? Feeling really disheartened as trying to find a mid grey stone at a reasonable cost as I need 100 sq m and I hate the kandla grey sandstone as it just reminds me of breeze blocks! The eBay one seemed to fit the bill at a reasonable cost too.
Thanks Londonstone for the advice on bullnosing (I see the autocorrect keeps changing that to bulldozing!) what are the costs per linear metre for this? Do you have any recommendations from your own range in the same cost region?
Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2015 11:16 pm
by lutonlagerlout
I believe slough is relatively close to harrow if my o'level geography still works?
LLL 
Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 8:38 am
by sy76uk
Saga black is actually a medium to dark grey.
I've laid it a couple of times but both times it was very heavily riven.
Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 2:30 pm
by London Stone Paving
sy76uk wrote:Saga black is actually a medium to dark grey.
I've laid it a couple of times but both times it was very heavily riven.
Yeh, its definitely not black. Its an awfully hard stone aswell. Not the sort of thing I would go for but in the right traditional setting it looks very much at home.
Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 2:38 pm
by London Stone Paving
vodkapavlov wrote:Thanks for the advice. I have been searching for weeks now and the gardener has stated this week so now feeling the pressure to get the stone ordered. Problem is that there are barely any places to actually see large samples in the Harrow area.
I have now been told that all ash grey limestone is actually kotah blue limestone and will look blue when down not grey... is that correct? Feeling really disheartened as trying to find a mid grey stone at a reasonable cost as I need 100 sq m and I hate the kandla grey sandstone as it just reminds me of breeze blocks! The eBay one seemed to fit the bill at a reasonable cost too.
Thanks Londonstone for the advice on bullnosing (I see the autocorrect keeps changing that to bulldozing!) what are the costs per linear metre for this? Do you have any recommendations from your own range in the same cost region?
One of the biggest problems you can face when buying stone is the weird array of names. Different suppliers will create names for their products to try and create some exclusivity. It can be pretty confusing for customers. We always try and call a product by its recognised name.
The name Ashen grey is as such, an invented name by a UK supplier and not a name I have every heard used by any of our Indian suppliers. I am not sure that it is Kota blue, although its hard to completely say from the limited pictures I have at my disposal.
I am certain of the finish though. Its been antiqued and half honed.
the bullnosing comes in at £32 per linear metre.
Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 10:10 pm
by sy76uk
I agree completely about the flags being hard and needing the right setting.
The brief was to find a flag that matched the roof of the house, old Swithland slate.
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 8:47 am
by London Stone Paving
Spot on SY. Stone picks up the slate roof perfectly
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 9:15 pm
by rab1
that really does blend in, doesn't look new at all
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 9:45 pm
by sy76uk
Thanks Steve and Rab.
Just posted the pics up for the OP as it might be the kind of thing he's looking for.
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2015 1:07 am
by vodkapavlov
she!
That is a fab job! Thanks! I do want a traditional paving with tumbled edges rather than a honed square edges paving. That looks like it may be right for me but am worried that it may be too dark. Asked around at local merchants but no one stocks it. I picked up 4 kandla grey pieces from one very generous supplier (i need 100 sq m so he was very kind!). The colours aren't bad except there is one 60 x 60 piece that is very pale grey and looks a bit 'cheap' ... does this colour sandstone generally come this way with very pale breeze block looking pieces? Selling point was definitely the price... £21 per sq m.
Londonstone, you are so right about the names.. am thoroughly confused and will be heading over to your showroom soon although everyone says you are a lot more expensive than everywhere else?!?!
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2015 1:10 am
by vodkapavlov
I was also offered by an online store, Kandla grey setts 100 x100 at £300 for 1000 inc of vat and delivery? Any good?
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2015 1:14 am
by vodkapavlov
sorry... adding points piecemeal....
I found a company called ATS Diamond Tools who said they can sell me a variable speed grinder and the bulldozing tool to get my builder to do the bulldozing as there is a fair amount to do. They said it is fairly straightforward. Would anyone advise this? Husband is a dentist and he says he may have a go as it is his work in miniature!!