Paving Comparison: Yorkstone

04/08/2016 Plan Your Garden, Patios

Yorkstone is a naturally occurring sedimentary Carboniferous sandstone of extremely good quality. It is sourced from the quarries of Northern England and has been used in most major towns and cities in the UK including paving the streets of London. It is also perfectly suited for use in garden landscaping.

What does it look like?

Yorkstone paving in Albert Square, Manchester, and sawn Yorkstone paving at Nigel Belcher Turf and Paving Centre.

Style

Yorkstone paving has a natural strength and timeless beauty. It comes in several finishes from sawn, riven or hand fettled edges. Perhaps it is the more obvious choice for a traditional style garden which needs to compliment an older property. However new Yorkstone paving with its six sawn sides and smooth surface could equally suit a contemporary garden. The designer Matthew Wilson reminded us this year at Chelsea Flower Show of the aesthetic appeal of Yorkstone in his garden ‘God’s Own County – A Garden for Yorkshire’ (pictures on our Chelsea 2016 blog here).

Colours

Yorkstone paving does not come in as many colour choices as some of the other paving options on the market. It comes in a colour range from buff to a blue/grey depending on the bed of stone being worked and this gives the paving its distinctive look.

Maintenance

If you are looking for a maintenance free patio Yorkstone might not be your first choice. Over time the stone can become dark grey in colour due to the buildup of algae and mould which also makes for a slippery surface. This can be avoided by applying a sealant such as Drytreat which has a 10 to 15 year guarantee. (ALDA Landscapes is officially registered to administer this product by the company Drytreat).

Cost

The beauty of Yorkstone comes at a price. Currently it is one of, if not the most expensive form of paving which might explain why it isn’t a more popular choice in garden design.

Like what you see?

From planning a new border to a complete garden remodel, we pride ourselves on transforming ideas into beautiful reality, with minimum disruption. If you’re based in or around the Reading and Newbury area, we’d love to meet and discuss your project in detail – book your free no-obligation garden consultation today. We do get pretty booked up, particularly during the Spring, so plan ahead if possible!