Porcelain and natural stone patios, built to be lived on
A patio is the most-used room in the house for four months of the year. We design and build porcelain, sandstone and limestone terraces across Rutland, with the falls, steps, lighting and seating walls that turn paving into an outdoor room.
Porcelain has changed what a patio can be
Twenty-millimetre porcelain is the biggest shift in garden paving in a generation: it does not stain, fade or grow algae the way natural stone can, it cleans with water, and the large formats make even modest gardens feel architectural. It is also unforgiving to install, which is where most cheap porcelain patios go wrong.
- Full mortar bed with priming slurry on every slab — spot-bedding causes the hollow, drummy slabs that crack later
- Accurate falls away from the house, designed around door thresholds and damp courses
- Brushed-in or flowable jointing compounds rated for porcelain
- Steps, planters and seating walls built in brick, stone or sleepers to match the house
Natural stone still has its place. Against weathered limestone in a village garden, Indian sandstone or tumbled limestone often looks more at home than porcelain ever will, and we lay plenty of it. The right answer depends on the house, and we will say so at the design visit.
DESIGN Questions we ask first
- Sun: where is it at 6pm in June? That is where the seating goes
- Levels: a 300mm slope is a feature to design around, not a problem
- Use: dining for eight needs ~3.5m of clear depth; we measure for the furniture you own
- Edges: how the patio meets lawn, planting and fence decides whether it looks designed or dropped in
Is porcelain slippery?
Exterior-grade porcelain is textured and rated for slip resistance (look for R11), so it is generally less slippery wet than smooth sandstone or old concrete slabs.
How much does a patio project involve?
More than paving. Most of our patio projects include excavation, drainage, steps or retaining, jointing and making good the lawn and beds around it — it is closer to a small landscaping project than a paving job, and we quote it as such.
Porcelain or natural stone?
Porcelain for low maintenance, crisp modern gardens and shaded plots where algae thrives. Stone where the house and garden call for something softer. We bring samples of both to the design visit.
Patios near you
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Picture next summer
Patio projects booked over autumn and winter are ready for the first warm weekend of the year. The earlier we visit, the better the slot you get.