Multicolour sandstone patio outside a white rendered house with arched French doors and lattice screens

Patios

Porcelain and sandstone patios

We lay new patios in 20mm outdoor porcelain, Indian sandstone and other natural stone, from a small terrace by the back door to a full tiered garden. Each slab goes down on a full mortar bed with a fall away from the house, so it does not rock and rain runs off.

Full mortar bed, no dot and dab
Falls away from the house
Old patio taken up and removed
Steps, walls and lighting too

Get a free quote 03300 433699

Free site visitMeasured and quoted in writing
Fully insuredPublic liability cover on every job
Itemised quotesEvery stage priced separately
Bournemouth basedWorking across the south

Before: an old stained patio relaid in multicolour sandstone outside a white rendered house

After: an old stained patio relaid in multicolour sandstone outside a white rendered house

BeforeAfter

Before and after

An old mossy patio relaid in sandstone

The old slabs outside these arched doors were stained, uneven and growing moss. We lifted them, dug out, laid a new sub-base and bedded multicolour Indian sandstone in a random pattern, then pointed the joints.

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Choose your stone

Porcelain, sandstone or natural stone?

All three make a good patio. They differ on upkeep, price and how they age. We bring samples to the site visit so you can see them against your house.

Lowest upkeep

Porcelain

20mm outdoor porcelain in large formats like 600 x 600, 600 x 900 and 1200 x 600mm. It is not porous, so spilt wine, barbecue fat and wet leaves wipe off rather than soaking in. Finishes copy stone, timber and concrete, and the colour does not fade. It costs more to lay than sandstone because every cut is made with a diamond blade and each slab needs a bonding primer.

Doesn't stain or grow moss easily
Frost-proof, colour stays put
Stone, wood and concrete looks
Sweep and an occasional wash

Finished terraced garden with pale porcelain paving, rendered raised planters, steps and an artificial grass strip

Grey large-format porcelain paving leading to a lawn and a large house in the distance

Small garden with dark grey paving, artificial grass, closeboard fencing and a raised bed

Most chosen

Indian sandstone

Riven natural stone in buff, fawn, multicolour and pink tones, usually laid in a random pattern of mixed sizes. No two slabs are the same, and it softens and weathers in over the years. It is the cheapest natural stone per m², which is why most of our patios are sandstone.

Warm colours that mellow with age
Every slab different
Lower cost per m²
Seal it and clean once a year

Buff and fawn sandstone patio laid between a red-brick house and a closeboard fence

Buff sandstone patio and path behind a red-brick house with a conservatory and lawn

Pink-toned sandstone patio with fresh turf and new fencing behind

Cooler tones

Grey sandstone and other natural stone

Grey sandstone, like the patios above, suits brick houses and modern render alike, and looks darker and richer when wet. We also lay limestone, slate, granite and York stone. They cost more per m² than sandstone, and they suit period houses where a patio needs to look as if it has always been there.

Silver and grey riven sandstone
Limestone, slate, granite, York stone
Good for period and listed houses
Heavier slabs, priced per stone

Grey sandstone patio beside a red-brick house with a lattice fence

A grey sandstone patio beside a red-brick house

Grey sandstone slabs freshly laid against new closeboard fencing, with soil still unfinished at the edge

Laying patterns

The same slabs can look completely different

The pattern changes the feel of a patio as much as the stone does. We'll lay a few slabs out dry at the visit if you can't decide.

Stack bond

A straight grid. Clean and modern, and the usual choice for large porcelain.

Stretcher bond

Rows offset by half a slab, like brickwork. It adds movement and hides small level changes.

Herringbone

Slabs set at right angles in a zigzag. Busy and traditional, best with smaller slabs or setts.

Random

Mixed slab sizes in no set order. The natural look for riven sandstone in a traditional garden.

Recent patios

Patios we have laid

Terraced garden at dusk with wall lights, pale porcelain paving and a glass balustrade — Porcelain patio

Buff sandstone patio with a black line detail and a timber sleeper edge by the lawn — Sandstone patio

Sandstone path edged in charcoal blocks beside a raised stone pond bed — Sandstone patio

Cream sandstone patio laid in a random pattern against a brick wall — Sandstone patio

How we lay a patio

The steps behind a patio that stays flat

Set the level. We keep the patio at least 150mm below the damp course and set a fall away from the house so water runs off.
Dig out and sub-base. Topsoil and roots out, then at least 100mm of Type 1, compacted. The fall is about 1 in 60, enough to shed rain without you noticing the slope.
Full mortar bed. Every slab bedded on a full bed of mortar, never on five dabs. Porcelain gets a bonding primer on the back.
Joints. Porcelain joints are kept tight, 3 to 5mm. Once the bed has set, you choose how they're filled: a brush-in resin compound (quickest and weed-resistant), a cement slurry, or traditional mortar pointing.
Edges. Open edges are haunched in concrete so the outer slabs can't creep or tip.
Extras. Steps, raised beds, retaining walls, drainage channels and lighting are built in as we go rather than added after.

Want the patio as part of a bigger change? See garden landscaping, or add walls and steps.

Where we lay patios

Dorset

Hampshire

South Wiltshire

Salisbury

West Sussex

FAQs

Patio questions

How much does a new patio cost?

It mostly comes down to the stone and the size. One 2026 UK installer guide puts a laid Indian sandstone patio at about £85 to £120 per m² and porcelain at about £120 to £160 per m². Steps, walls, drainage and taking up an old patio are extra. We give you a fixed figure in writing after the visit.

Porcelain or sandstone: which is better?

Porcelain is the lower-maintenance choice. It does not stain or grow moss easily and keeps its colour, but it costs more to lay because it has to be cut with diamond blades and bonded properly. Sandstone costs less, has natural variation, and weathers in over time. If you want a crisp, modern look and little cleaning, go porcelain. If you want warmth and texture, go sandstone.

How thick should porcelain patio slabs be?

Outdoor porcelain in the UK is normally 20mm thick. Thinner indoor tiles are not made for frost or for laying on a mortar bed outside, so we only lay 20mm outdoor slabs.

How long does it take to lay a patio?

A straightforward patio of 20 to 30 m² usually takes about a week from dig out to grouting. Steps, walls and drainage add time. We give you the dates with the quote.

Do patios need planning permission?

A back garden patio does not normally need planning permission. Raised patios and decking more than 30cm off the ground can, and listed buildings have their own rules. We will flag it at the visit if it applies to you.

Can you lay a patio over an old one?

We do not recommend it. Laying over old paving raises the level, often too close to the damp course, and copies any movement in the old slabs. We take the old patio up and start from a proper base.

Get a price for a new patio

We bring slab samples, measure up and send you a written quote with the dig out, base, slabs and extras priced separately.

Get a free quote 03300 433699