Anthracite/black porcelain/limestone patio slabs

[Happy Valley]

We are looking at 600 x 900 size slabs of anthracite/black for our patio, steps and walkways. Will need about 85 to 100 sq m.

 

Limestone appears cheaper than porcelain but is it best avoided?

 

Does anyone have any preference of brand or supplier.

 

Cheapest currently found some is £22.50/sq m ex VAT for Limestone black from Stone Pavings Direct

[Steve247]

I've done limestone, porcelain and granite. 

Limestone is porous so gets slippery but can be sealed which makes it a slip hazard imo.

Porcelain is great and dimensionally spot on so you can work with 3mm joints with no issues. No need to SBR the backs.

Flammed Granite gets my vote. cheaper than porcelain and if you get rectified sizes they're very precise dims. I use Nustone'.  Does need SBR coating or slurry if you prefer on the back to avoid staining from adhesive below - same as limestone actually. 

 

[LLOYD]

On 23/03/2022 at 08:09, Happy Valley said:

We are looking at 600 x 900 size slabs of anthracite/black for our patio, steps and walkways. Will need about 85 to 100 sq m.

 

Limestone appears cheaper than porcelain but is it best avoided?

 

Does anyone have any preference of brand or supplier.

 

Cheapest currently found some is £22.50/sq m ex VAT for Limestone black from Stone Pavings Direct

I did a porcelain patio last year year 600x600 anthricite and i remember them being around £25per m2. Have a look at tilemountain.co.uk. Decent Spanish Porcy, shop;d for months to get quality at a decent price, as some merchant prices are £70-80 pm. If you doing it yourself you will need a decent bridge saw to cut them, Rubi ect 👍

[Critical Path]

Just finished a 100 meters of Kota Black Indian Limestone with sets, paid around same price, try Stone and Porcelain in  St Helens I had good service from them. The Limestone was only a third of the total hard landscaping cost, slot drains, kerbs and edges, recessed covers, lighting, stone, sand cement, brush in grout at £45 a tub( x 10) machine hire and labour. We did some Porcelain too this was much more labour intensive and slower to put down in herringbone pattern than the limestone. All looks great but its only really black when its wet or you apply the sealer. Well worth spending the money on what you want though.

[Happy Valley]

Thanks for the responses. SWMBO has now decided she wants a stone colour!

 

I think we will be going for porcelain as house is built into a slope and there are steps up either side. Want the best grip in poor weather plus don't won't any major maintenance.