Is black basalt gravel any good? Which size should I get?

[Mike B]

Hello, 

 

Okay so just to say first of all that I am A complete novice at doing a patio in the garden, I've never done anything like this before. I want to create a fire pit seating area so it would get a reasonable amount of foot traffic. 

 

Basically I've dug out the area (5.7 meter diameter) and I've put in six tons of mot type 1. I'm now ready for a gravel top layer and I was thinking about getting some Black Basalt chippings as I like the look of them and also they won't show up dirt and are supposed to be quite hard wearing. 

 

Reading up online and some articles are saying to get from 12 mm to 20 mm size for gravel but other people have said to me don't go below 20 mm as anything smaller is just too small. 

 

So I guess I have two questions really:- firstly is the Black Basalt any good and secondly, what size chippings would people go for? I want it to be reasonably comfortable underfoot but I don't want to feel like I'm sinking in it. 

[SteamyTea]

I used 20mm granite chippings, on top of a weed control fabric, it was pretty good. Lasted a decade without any 'maintenance'.

Neighbours used 12mm, it went green in the first winter.

[Canski]

in my last house I did my drive in 20 mm black basalt and will be using it here in the gap between the paving and the house. 
On my previous drive I put a very thin layer on to my MOT then whacked it in then topped up to a max of 40 mm deep. It was solid. 

[Mike B]

10 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

I used 20mm granite chippings, on top of a weed control fabric, it was pretty good. Lasted a decade without any 'maintenance'.

Neighbours used 12mm, it went green in the first winter.

Did you have any furniture on it? Was it comfortable to walk on? 

[Mike B]

2 minutes ago, Canski said:

in my last house I did my drive in 20 mm black basalt and will be using it here in the gap between the paving and the house. 
On my previous drive I put a very thin layer on to my MOT then whacked it in then topped up to a max of 40 mm deep. It was solid. 

I know yours isn't  a seating area but do you think the 20mm black basalt would be ok to put furniture on? 

[SteamyTea]

13 minutes ago, Mike B said:

Did you have any furniture on it? Was it comfortable to walk on? 

Not really, sometimes put a table and chairs out, caused no problems with stability.

Walking on it was fine, even with 2 quid flipflops on. 

[Mike B]

38 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

Not really, sometimes put a table and chairs out, caused no problems with stability.

Walking on it was fine, even with 2 quid flipflops on. 

Ok that's good to know thank you.