A Guide To Choosing The Right Paving Slabs For Your Garden

By Author: Base Driveways
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When it comes to planning your garden, every step is daunting as not only the aesthetics and the outcome are important but the cost involved is also substantial. Every step of the design and build is confusing. Unfortunately, with new paving slabs Kent being added every day to the mix by the manufacturers, the choice has become more tough and confusing for the buyers. Ideally, when choosing the right paving slabs for your garden, four main factors come into play. They are -

1. Style - Your house can be designed in a contemporary, traditional, rustic riven or any other style. The garden paving style should complement and blend with the home's style and not look out of place.

2. Color - Here you can opt for contrasts or complements, but the composite effect should be pleasing and not jarring.

3. Function - Functionality of the garden paving is also another crucial consideration. The weight, traffic, and footfall it will need to will decide the slabs that would best for the purpose yet retain the curb appeal.

4. Cost - The cost of the paving slabs is just 20 percent of total landscaping cost. The significant ...
... cost comes from other materials and labor cost. Thus, even if you are choosing slightly more expensive slabs, it will not dramatically affect your total cost.

Choosing the right kind of slab

The basic golden rule for selecting slabs is to choose the smaller size for small areas and vice versa. The deviation would ooze an entirely wrong look proportionally. Second consideration is to look into how the slab will weather. The higher porosity it will have, the more chances it would have of green algae growing on it. Concrete slabs tend to fade while natural slabs darken with weathering. Broadly, these stones are of three types, i.e. natural stone, reconstituted stone, and porcelain.

Natural stones

These mostly come from UK quarries and include York sandstone, Portland stone, white and blue lias and Welsh slate. The biggest advantage of these slabs is its cost effectivity. Even if you import natural stones like Indian sandstone, they prove cheaper than indigenous stone because of its more economical production method. You can easily get them from an authentic supplier.

Reconstituted stone

There are numerous varieties available with reconstituted stones. They are -

Wet cast - These constitute a premium product with a smoother look. They tend to weather slowly and thus are a luxurious choice.
Pressed concrete slabs - Not only are these slabs highly economical but the give an elegant and uniform look as well. You can select between the smooth and the textured variety.
Blocked paviours - These are not only strong but are a preferred choice for various patios because of their decorative effects. Predominantly made of concrete and clay, they are available in varied sizes, finishes, and colors.
Impressed Concrete - These are made such that it looks like natural stone. These are mostly colored using dyes.
Porcelain Paving

It is the latest produce designed for outside use. Available in numerous sizes, they are quite robust, are comparatively less slippery than concrete or stone and are available in finishes ranging from smooth to texture. They also show an above decent resistance to staining and are moderately priced.

Lastly, one must consider how much 'give' needs to be there on the surface. One must avoid large slabs on drives as they may crack due to their rigidity and often need to bear significant uneven weight over the surface. Smaller elements like block paviours prove more advantageous as they flex slightly due to base makeup and thus are less likely to crack.

Today, one is spoilt for choice for choosing patio and garden slabs. While the foremost importance is its practical elements, its aesthetic features are also essential. Thus you not only pick up the right stone but are also bound to find the slab with the right texture and in the right color.

Working from Sittingbourne Kent since 20 years and offering services today in the whole of Kent and South London, Base Driveways is the place for all your groundwork needs ranging from resin bonded driveways Kent to paving slabs Kent for the garden, fencing and all other types of ground work. Our fully guaranteed work at exceptionally economical pricing and superb customer service makes us a dream find for our clients.