Granite will tend to be silver grey to charcoal grey in hue (with sparkly flecks), whilst slate will be in the blue-grey to black range.
In terms of patterns, natural stone will have tonal changes, swirls, spots and flecks, seams and striations that could all make an appearance on the surface of the slab. You can even see fossils embedded in sandstone and limestone, as these are both sedimentary rocks created on the seafloor millions of years ago.
The character of natural stone slabs also changes when wet. After it rains, you often see the colours brighter and more vividly than before, with different hues and tones unlocked to the viewer. It is this unique variation and character that makes natural stone so appealing for patio paving.
Porcelain paving is printed before its protective glaze is added. So, its colour and pattern possibilities are only limited by the skill of the graphical artists and imagination of the manufacturer to create the slab.
If you’re looking for stone-effect slabs, the printed graphics on porcelain paving are able to emulate the intricate character of granite, marble, quartzite, limestone, and sandstone.
Wood-effect porcelain paving captures the grain and character of timber uncannily, even incorporating subtle textured relief to give the grain a more realistic feel.
There’s plenty of possibilities with porcelain patio paving, from wood- and stone-effect to unique patterns. Not all designs and patterns are of equal quality, so we always recommend getting samples before you buy.
Once you’ve considered the colour of your new patio paving, spend some time thinking about its texture and finish. Below, we’ve outlined your options when it comes to concrete, natural stone and porcelain paving slabs.
If there’s a particular texture or finish that you feel would be suited to your patio, get in touch and we’ll be more than happy to recommend paving slabs that meet your needs.
Concrete offers you a wide range of options in terms of texture and finish. This type of patio paving can either be wet-cast or pressed – and your choice of manufacturing method will have an impact on the texture of your paving slabs.
Wet-cast concrete paving is manufactured in moulds to allow different finishes and surface patterns to be created. Usually these are designed to mimic stone (a style referred to as “decorative concrete”). This type of patio paving often includes riven-effect gentle ridges on the surface, or the orange-peel like dimpling found on natural limestone.
You also have the option of choosing pressed concrete slabs. These offer a more uniform texture and finish. Pressed concrete paving tends to have straighter edges and near vertical sides, whereas wet-cast slabs will have a slight chamfer (angled) edge which is wider at the base to make removing them from their moulds easier.
A riven surface is where the mason has hewn and then split the stone, which will leave small ridges on the surface (sandstone is the most common example). Explore our selection of riven natural stone patio paving to see how this looks.
Light riven follows the same process, but the surface ridges are smaller. Some stone types like limestone have inherently smaller ridges, but this finish can also be produced by processing the slabs in a tumbler to soften and “weather” the stone. Take a look at our light riven natural stone slabs.
A texture surface is achieved by machining the stone surface, leaving a granular or dimpled effect. This process provides a flatter surface with more grip, so is often used in higher foot-traffic areas and public spaces. We offer several different types of textured natural stone paving.
The fourth finish is a honed surface, where the stone is milled to create a flat, smooth surface. You’ll find examples of honed natural stone slabs on our site.
Hand-cut edges are exactly what the name suggests. The mason dresses the stone edge by hand to create the edge. These will be an inverted chamfer, with the widest point on the upper surface of the slab.
Tumbled edges are hand-cut edges which have then been “tumbled”, a process designed to mechanically age and weather the slab so it looks timeworn and antique in appearance, with softer, rounded finishes on the edge profile.
Sawn edges are the third type of edge that are generally available with natural stone. With this edge type, the slabs are table sawn in the factory to give them straight edges that are vertical. This allows sawn stone paving to be laid closer together than a hand-cut edge, so more contemporary narrow jointing (4-8 mm) is possible.
PHOENIX PAVINGAs porcelain paving is formed in moulds, surface textures that resemble riven sandstone, limestone orange-peel dimples and even granite’s granulation are possible. Porcelain also has the added advantage of anti-slip technology on its surface, offering better slip-resistance than other forms of paving.
Whilst there are some “antique” style porcelain slabs available, they are not as common and the choice of surface finishes is more limited than you’d find with concrete or natural stone patio paving. This is likely to change as porcelain manufacturers seek to provide a wider range of paving for more rustic and traditional properties.
Watch the video below to learn more about the variety of surface textures that are possible with Pavestone Dolomite Porcelain Patio Paving:
Unsure which type of material offers the texture and finish you’re after? Here, we’ve outlined the main differences between the three main patio paving materials:
Concrete offers the best range of choices when it comes to finish and texture. You can choose between a pressed, smooth finish or a wet-cast stone-effect finish – and this material can capture the effect of different stone types.
Natural stone can be engineered to offer a ridged or smooth surface, with straight or chamfered edges, depending on your preference. This tends to come at a price as they require additional production processes.
Porcelain offers a range of different surface textures to mimic different stone types, with excellent anti-slip performance. That said, if you’re looking for a weathered or antique effect, you may be better off choosing a different material.
Porcelain offers a range of different surface textures to mimic different stone types, with excellent anti-slip performance. That said, if you’re looking for a weathered or antique effect, you may be better off choosing a different material.
Your new patio paving will last for years to come, so it’s worthwhile considering how your chosen material type will weather and age over time. If you’re keen on the idea of antique-style patio paving, you can also find pre-weathered concrete, stone, and porcelain slabs.
Concrete colours will tend to fade faster than natural stone – it is unlikely to appear like it did on the day you laid it five years down the line. You can slow this process by treating the slabs with an appropriate sealer that will help protect them from moisture and UV sunlight bleaching.
Decorative concrete mould designs are often specifically made so the slabs appear more rounded and aged, like antique flagstones. This means you can more easily achieve the look and feel of time-worn and weathered paving without waiting for nature to take its course or sourcing reclaimed antique flagstones.
Natural stone will age and weather over time. Like concrete, it is also porous, so this patio paving material is susceptible to environmental conditions. Certain stone types such as Black Limestone (Kadapha) are well-known for the speed at which they fade in UV light. You can easily fix this with a UV protecting sealant if you don’t want to go for the weathered appearance that many people are looking for.
Looking for a more time-worn look and feel? Tumbled stone processing will give the stone that aged appearance, with the edges and surface being softer and more rounded. Alternatively, you can source reclaimed flagstones (although this can be pricey).
Porcelain is impervious to most environmental conditions and will not age or fade as stone or concrete might do. This is ideal if you’d prefer patio paving that will look similar to how it did when it was first installed in 10 years.
That said, if you are looking for something a bit more antique and distressed, it will need to already look like that when you install it! Look for “porcelain flagstones” or similar to find these antique-style slabs.
Looking to create a seamless transition between your patio and indoor space? You could choose to match your indoor flooring with your outdoor paving, producing one continuous surface that connects the inside of your home with your terrace or patio.
This contemporary indoor-outdoor living style is best achieved with either natural stone or porcelain slabs. We would not recommend looking at concrete paving slabs in this role. This is primarily due to the inherent thickness of the concrete slabs. This makes them unsuited to underfloor heating and their thickness is awkward in most cases as they require an extra 30-40 mm of depth over 10 mm interior stone or porcelain tiles.
