Indian Sandstone Paving Reviews 2024 – Pros Vs Cons

Are you thinking about buying Indian Sandstone paving in the coming days or weeks? If so, then make sure to check out our Indian Sandstone Paving review which will also outline 3 of our top picks to browse through so at least you have more than just 1 choice when it comes to making your own final decision. Included in our top 3 picks will also be a series of layout pattern designs to give you some guidance and each of these are outlined further down on this page.

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Balanced Review

To give a fair review, we have outlined 10 pros and equally 10 cons for Indian Sandstone which we hope will give a balanced review of both the advantages and disadvantages when it comes to sourcing Indian Sandstone paving. Hopefully after reading through them all, you will have a clearer picture if indeed Indian sandstone is for you and your home or not.

Indian Sandstone Paving Review Content

• Part 1: Overview of Supply
• Part 2: Advantages & Disadvantages to Note
• Part 3: Our 3 Recommendations
• Part 4: Comparison Table – Dimensions
• Part 5: Conclusion & Feedback

Read also: Suggestions on Bradstone Paving Patterns here

Part 1: Overview of Supply

Part 2: Advantages & Disadvantages to Note

Advantages or Pros for Indian Sandstone Paving (10)

1. Resistance: While it still absorbs water, it absorbs less water than other natural paving slabs which in turn makes it more resistant to anti-fading, stains and frost.
2. Human Traffic: They are a durable and strong solution for high levels of human traffic and there is a vast range of different finishes and colours to choose from to blend in with your own particular garden settings.
3. Variety: Various pack size dimensions are available and also mixed patio pack dimensions where more diversity can be added to the layout patterns. Instead of getting just a 450mm by 450mm slab, you can integrate various sized slab dimensions to add your own unique appearance.
4. Flexibility: They can fit into various home types be it natural, contemporary or traditional, so you get a great range of flexibilities throughout.
5. Importers: There is a good selection nowadays of ethical importers of Indian sandstone paving who make sure that the practices involved from quarrying and manufacturing are to the highest possible standards – always double check that they are sourced using an ETI base code
6. Prices: When comparing prices elsewhere, Indian sandstone is one of the best lowest priced solutions you will find anywhere which is ideal for people seeking a bargain or the lowest possible price. There is also work ongoing with UNICEF to support the Indian quarrying industry’s conditions to improve work practices and safety site conditions
7. Colours: The colour arrangements that they can offer can really brighten up the back yard especially when it comes to the cold and miserable wet Winters that set in. They are much more eye catching than boring concrete slabs
8. Yorkstone: If you don’t want to source sandstone from India, then sandstone is also available in the UK as it is quarried here also and many people call it Yorkstone instead such as some of the sandstone installed at Trafalgar Square
9. Extra Features: There is a wide range of Indian Sandstone varieties to choose from and many offer a quartz crystal effect that stands out from the crowd and offer a brighter sheen especially in the evening or night-time.
10. Trade: Natural sandstone comes highly recommended across the market by various landscapers, garden designers and tradesmen to develop a high-quality paving solution with attractive colours and a fresh unique appearance and the setts can be used as an edger or interspersed in the paving pattern itself.

Disadvantages or Cons for Indian Sandstone Paving (10)

1. Absorption: It tends to absorb more water than porcelain paving so you will need to treat and seal it annually – otherwise moisture or stains can set in and it will start to fade and lose its “new look” appearance very quickly.
2. Porosity: Some of the Indian sandstone varieties from cheaper brands can tend to be more porous than others so more work of sealing or treating them will be required. They may be cheaper starting off, but it will cost you more in terms of maintenance in the years ahead.
3. Standards applied: You are sourcing a paving slab from India who may not have the same level of ethical standards and regulations as the UK. Some larger companies can be trusted I’m sure but there are no guarantees. Plus think about the added cost of transport and the level of carbon footprint being generated when compared to native paving slabs being made in the UK.
4. Fading: Some of the more attractive colours on offer from the very start which lures you into buying them can often fade off a lot quicker so you are better off choosing a variety that will stand the test of time for longer.
5. Environment: You are environmentally better off sourcing a paving slab at home in the UK rather than going to the great lengths of sourcing them from so far away. Some of the practices of sourcing Indian sandstone may not be all that ethical which in turn has a negative social and environment cost as well as an economic cost for home based manufactured paving slabs
6. Workers: There has been reports of very poor levels of pay for workers in Indian quarries which adds to the exploitation of workers. Plus, they don’t get the same level of working conditions as other countries which goes some way of how the Indian sandstone sourced so far away is cheaper than your local or UK made paving slabs.
7. Safety Precautions: While this is not truly factual, we would be concerned about hearing of reports of poor onsite quarry safety precautions, poor health and wellbeing reports and also child labour issues in India which would also make us think twice before we made our final decision.
8. Testing: Lack of testing in Indian quarries to minimise their environmental impact and damage such as the responsible disposal of soil, wastewater, dust and contaminants. Plus, more could be done in terms of landscape rehabilitation and the plantation of more trees.
9. Maintenance: You need to be extra careful with the maintenance and cleaning as patio cleaners that are anyway acidic will cause stains. You will most likely need to invest in a sealant for protection and a power pressure wash or scrub brush to keep the algae, stains and dirt away. Sealants also are a lot more expensive than you think
10. Consistency: Some lower priced cheaper options tend to have poor uncalibrated thickness and dimension consistency so the lowest prices on offer doesn’t always offer the best value for money.

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Part 3: Our 3 Indian Sandstone Paving Recommendations

After reviewing prices, product quality and durability, we have come up with a short list of 3 Indian Sandstone paving solutions for you to browse through. Guide prices can only be published at the time of this review so please make sure to view the price checkers provided below to ensure you have the most accurate up to date price information

1, Bradstone Blended Natural Indian Sandstone Paving in Rustic Grey

Indian Sandstone Paving Overview

Our first Indian sandstone on our recommended list is the Bradstone Blended Natural Indian Sandstone Paving which comes in a rustic grey colour and they come in 4 selected colouring blends. The patio kits are calibrated throughout, hand cut and dressed for the rustic appearance to flow more naturally.

There are 4 different sized slabs in the patio pack namely 16 slabs of 900mm by 600mm, 15 slabs of 600mm by 600mm, 18 slabs of 600mm by 290mm and finally 16 slabs of 290mm by 290mm. The thickness of these slabs is 17mm to 20mm, the joint width is 10mm to 15mm and each patio pack offers coverage of 19.52m2

Price Guide: Less than £35 per m2

Layout Pattern Bradstone Indian Sandstone Paving (Rustic Grey)

As there are 4 different sized slabs in this patio pack, you can take a look at the Layout pattern below which can guide you for an area of 19.52 meters squared.

2, Bradstone Natural Indian Sandstone Paving in Silver Grey

Indian Sandstone Paving Overview:

Our second Indian Sandstone paving solution for you to consider is the Bradstone Natural Indian Sandstone Paving in a silver grey colour which again comes with 4 different sized slabs in the patio packs. This paving offers a soft pale grey colour with subtle shade variations so you get a nice blended and contemporary look that can fit into various home settings and garden landscapes.

The packs offer riven profiles and exquisite natural veining throughout each slab and there are 4 sets of dimensions to note which are outlined further down in the comparison table below. The joints here are 10 to 15mm, the thickness is 22mm on average and the patio pack offers coverage of 15.3m2

Price Guide: Less than £40 per m2

Layout Pattern Bradstone Natural Indian Sandstone Paving (Silver Grey)

Again, there are 4 different slab dimensions in this patio pack and the layout pattern below can help give you some guidance which offers coverage of approx. 15 meters squared.

3, Bradstone Blended Indian Natural Sandstone Paving in Burnt Umber

Indian Sandstone Paving Overview

Last on our short list is the Bradstone Blended Indian Natural Sandstone Paving in a burnt umber colour arrangement and the price level is generally less than £25 per peter squared and in some cases, less than £23 meters squared when seen at the time of this review There are 4 different colour blends giving a beautiful rustic darker appearance that can fit in naturally to back yard patio areas or garden landscapes.

You get 4 different slab dimensions which are outlined in detail in the comparison table below and a layout pattern guide is also outlined further below to give some guidance on how they should be laid. The thickness of these slabs is 17 to 20mm, the joint width is 10 to 15mm and the patio pack offers coverage of 19.52 meters squared.

Price Guide: £30 - £25 per m2

Layout Pattern Bradstone Natural Indian Sandstone Paving (Burnt Umber)

As there are 4 different slab dimensions in this patio pack with different dimensions, feel free to check out the layout pattern below which will guide you in an area of 19.52 meters squared.

Part 4: Comparison Table – Indian Sandstone Paving Dimensions

To help you compare each of these Indian Sandstone paving dimensions and coverages, then check out the comparison table below outlined below which will add further clarity of what each patio pack can offer you.

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Part 5: Conclusion & Feedback

Would we buy Indian Sandstone paving slabs? Sure, they look great, but we would rather support the industry on our own home soil and buy UK branded and manufactured paving slabs instead. Plus, some of the work practices over in India may not be at the level we would like which in turn explains some of the lower prices on offer. We can’t fault the quality, durability or colour options but our preference at the end of the day would be to support our own in the UK – even if it meant paying a little bit extra to be honest.

If you still wish to explore premium Indian Sandstone paving solutions at competitive prices, then check out the official website below from Simply Paving who are based in the UK and who carry a vast range of options for you to browse through.

Feedback - Educate Others in the UK

Have you any experiences yourself in the recent past with Indian Sandstone Paving? Anything positive or negative to say or report about them?

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! (email addresses are not published)