Best Paving Slabs UK 2024 🏠

Are you looking to start laying Paving slabs but don’t know which one to choose? If so, then check out our review and list of some of the best paving slabs which are available in the UK at present and which can all be ordered online and delivered to your home hassle free. The last thing we wanted to do is to give you a long list which could add more confusion to the situation so we have come up with our number 1 recommendation in each of the separate categories be it Block driveway paving, Limestone paving, Sandstone paving, Granite paving and also Porcelain paving.

Navigation

That way we hope we can narrow down the search for you which can hopefully benefit you in some small way and save you some time in the process of endless reading and research. For easier navigation, our review is split into 6 different parts so please feel free to skip to whatever part interests you the most.

Best Paving Slabs UK Review Content

• Part 1: Supply Overview plus Brief FAQ’s
• Part 2: Best Driveway Block Paving 
• Part 3: Best Limestone Paving 
• Part 4: Best Sandstone Paving 
• Part 5: Best Granite Paving 
• Part 6: Best Porcelain Paving

As guide prices can only be published at the time of this review for the best paving slabs in the UK, please make sure to view the prices checkers provided below to ensure you have the most accurate up to date price information.

Read also: Our Driveway Paving Sealant review here

Part 1: Supply Overview plus Brief FAQ’s

FAQ’s about Paving Slabs:

Q. Can concrete paving slabs be used for driveways?
A. No, concrete paving slabs are not suitable for driveways, only concrete made block paving is suitable so please be careful when making your final selection

Q. What designs work well on driveways?
A. The most popular designs used are generally the herringbone design or a cobbled mix driveway to add a little charm.

Q. Can you buy permeable block paving for better soakage and drainage?
A. Yes, for better drainage and natural water soakage, permeable block paving is available and is highlighted in the first option outlined further below.

Q. Can the paving be delivered as pre-treated to prevent stains and contaminants?
A. Yes, when browsing you will see that the driveway paving in particular are pre-treated to protect their appearance well into the future.

Q. Do you need to apply sealants to natural stone such as Limestone?
A. Definitely yes, you should apply 2 coats of a sealant to limestone to protect it from fading and stains setting in

Q. Do you need to add sealants also to Porcelain paving?
A. No, Porcelain paving does not require any sealants as they are already pre-treated to resist stains and fading.

Part 2: Best Driveway Block Paving – Our Top recommendation

If you need paving for your driveway or for other areas that deal with heavy traffic, then the thicker block paving solution is the way to go. These are stronger and thicker than normal paving slabs and they can be made available in brick size slabs or cuboid shape to withstand the weight of cars and vehicles. Concrete plays an important role in the make up on blocking paving but never confuse concrete paving slabs with concrete block paving as the former is not suitable for driveways.

Bradstone Woburn Rumbled Infilta Permeable Block Paving in Graphite

Block Paving Overview

• Our top recommended paving solution for driveways is the Bradstone Woburn Rumbled Infilta Permeable Block Paving in Graphite which is designed specifically to meet all the necessary legislation for driveways at the front of homes.
• The one thing that stands out here is the fact that this is a permeable solution in that rainwater can filter to the sub-base below where it eventually soaks into the ground naturally supporting a natural drainage system.
• It offers a cobble traditional look to your yard which will improve the entire appearance of your home and this must be laid using permeable aggregates. This solution originates in the UK, so you are supporting your own and the thickness of the slabs is 60mm
• There are 3 dimensions to choose from 100 by 134mm or 134 by 134mm or 200 by 134mm and each patio pack offers coverage of between 8.3m2 and 8.5m2

Price Guide: £30 to £35 per m2 @ Simply Paving UK

Read also: Our Driveway Paving review here

Part 3: Best Limestone Paving – Our Top recommendation

Limestone is a very popular choice among home proud owners, and it has a strong history in construction and building in the past. Even today, limestone continues to be a great option for patios as it is quite dense, tough, scuff free but it can also be crushed and be laid for high traffic levels or for heavy duty foundations. In our opinion, Limestone is one of the better options when it comes to durability as others tends to crack when under serious pressure.

They hold their colours quite well, they come with attractive textured riven profile surfaces which guarantees you won’t have any issues with slippery surfaces when wet. These will need a sealant for protection against fading and dirt stains and you should never use an acid based cleaner when cleaning. Overall these are great for both contemporary and classic type garden designs.

Bradstone Natural Limestone Paving in Honeymede

Limestone Paving Overview

• Our top recommendation if limestone is what you are after is the Bradstone Natural Limestone Paving in Honeymede which originates in India and is designed for patios rather than driveways.
• This is a textured stone with a traditional aesthetic and rustic look and they work well with Old town limestone edging to give an eye catching colour contrast. A sealant will need to be applied for protection and you should never use an acid based solution when cleaning.
• This colour is suitable for various seasons throughout the year and it comes with attractive natural veining and lighter type shades. There are 6 different slab dimensions included here offering layout pattern diversity be it large, medium or small and these slabs originate from India.
• Joint widths range from 10 to 15mm, the thickness of the slabs is 22mm and each patio packs offers coverage of approx. 10 meters squared.

Price Guide: £27 to £36 per m2 @ Simply Paving

Layout Pattern Suggestion

If you need some guidance on the layout pattern for the Indian Bradstone Limestone in Honeymede, then check out the diagram provided below which can help you in planning it all out. In the patio pack you get 600 by 600mm x 6, 600 by 450mm x 10, 600 by 300mm x 10, 450 by 450mm x 10, 450 by 300mm x 5 and 300 by 300mm x 4.

Part 4: Best Sandstone Paving – Our Top recommendation

Sandstone is also a very popular choice among home owners and to be honest it was very hard to pick just one top recommendation here as they were so many to choose from but we hope you like our top recommendation outlined further below. These Indian Sandstone paving’s are ethically sourced from India and they are naturally resistant to frost as well as being better fitted for traditional type homes to give a rustic authentic appearance.

They will also need a sealant in time, but they do tend to hold their appearance for longer and they are slightly easier to keep, maintain and clean.

Bradstone Blended Natural Sandstone Paving in Rustic Grey

Indian Sandstone Paving Overview

• Our top pick when it comes to Sandstone is the Indian Bradstone Blended Natural Sandstone Paving in a rustic grey colour arrangement which will not disappoint you, especially at the great price level seen at the time of this review.
• These slabs are lighter in weight, so it makes the job of carrying and laying them that bit easier to do. There are 4 different selected colour blends included and these are hand cut to perfection and also hand dressed which adds to the overall rustic appearance that you get.
• They are sourced in India, the thickness of the slabs are 17 to 20 mm and the joint widths are 10 to 15mm. There are 4 different dimensions included in the patio pack to offer variety and each patio pack offers coverage of approx. 19.5 meters squared.

Price Guide: £23 to £30 per m2 @ Simply Paving

Layout Pattern Suggestion for the Indian Bradstone Sandstone

As there are 4 different dimensions included in this pack, the layout pattern outlined below will help you manage this project and how each of them should be laid out. In the patio pack you get 900 by 600mm x 16 slabs, 600 by 600mm x 15 slabs, 600 by 290mm x 18 slabs and 290 by 290mm x 16 slabs which in total will cover an area of 19.5 meters squared approx.

Part 5: Best Granite Paving – Our Top recommendation

Instead of going for a Granite slab, here we are recommending an attractive Granite sett that works great around borders, edging and can be full as a cobbled effect on standard patios for a truly authentic appearance. Despite what you make think, Granite is very affordable nowadays even when it is cut from crystalline rock.

You get a denser natural stone with Granite along with a textured and earth-like finish which comes with its characteristic flaming method to bring a sudden expansion to the stones exterior surface. The flamed sparkled side should be laid facing up so that the sparkles can be seen across the garden areas.

Bradstone Natural Granite Setts in Silver Grey

Granite Sett Paving Overview

• These granite setts have the flamed finish to give off their characteristic sparky appearance which will brighten up your patio and garden giving a touch of class for people who have a higher level of disposable income.
• The price on the granite slabs in general can vary from £30 to £50 per meter squared and these Granite setts will set you back around £50 per square meter or slightly less.
• When laying them, the flamed textured side needs to be placed up to ensure you see the unique sparkles.
• These Setts are an ideal partner as a border to granite paving stones or can be used as a cobbled effect patio area on their own with various type of layout patterns available be it stepped, circle or arc type patterns.
• You will like the upper-class premium quality of these setts and they also can be used for Driveways as well as patios. The thickness of the setts is 50mm, they originate from Portugal and a patio pack of 900 units offers coverage of approx. 10.8 meters squared.

Price Guide: £48 to £50 per m2 @ Simply Paving

Part 6: Best Porcelain Paving – Our Top recommendation

If you don’t want the hassle of sealants, ongoing maintenance of cleaning and stains, then the Porcelain Paving slabs is the way to go. Yes, they are more expensive due to the superior non-porous hardwearing finish but the big attraction is the way these slabs hold their appearance for years and years well into the future.  They are made from sand and clay but come very close to the appearance of natural stone without the need for sealants and the hard work needed to keep them maintained.

The prices on the higher end can be on par with Granite but these are waterproof and resistant to stains, algae, moss and scratches. For cleaning porcelain paving, all you need is water and a mop type brush or a lightweight jet wash to get the job done.

Bradstone Mode Textured Porcelain Paving in Graphite

Porcelain Paving Overview

• Our recommended Porcelain paving here is the Bradstone Mode Textured Porcelain Paving in Graphite which comes from Spain and it offers a really sleek and professional look that your friends and neighbours will be envy of.
• This paving from Bradstone is scratch free, maintenance free and resistant to any stains and this is the ideal solution if you definitely don’t want any added maintenance work or sealant work.
• These slabs are available in 600mm by 600mm or 600mm by 300mm and they have an amazing crystal sparkle type exterior that really does put other paving slabs to shame.
• The joint width used is only 5mm, the thickness of these slabs is 20mm and the 60 units in a pack offer coverage of approx. 21.6 meters squared.

Price Guide: £44 to £53 per m2 @ Simply Paving

Read also: Our Porcelain paving reviews here

Conclusion

After coming up with all these different paving solutions, we hope our review has helped you out in some small way and given you some guidance on which direction you should follow. We have included a driveway paving solution that is water permeable, several natural stone paving solutions be it limestone, sandstone and Granite and also a Porcelain Paving suggestion for those of you who need a maintenance free solution. Further information on the supply of all these Paving slabs is available from their official website below. Or if you prefer, check out the lower prices from Amazon here

Feedback for Others

Was our suggested list helpful in anyway? Is there any Paving types or brands that you would recommend instead in particular?

If possible, please share and let us all know by leaving a comment in the comment box section provided below – so that others across the UK community can learn also!