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Limestone vs Sandstone Paving

There are many varieties of stone pavers on the market now and choosing between them can be difficult.  It’s useful to know that both sandstone and limestone are the top 2 most popular stone pavers for choice and for very good reason.

In our below guide, we look at the benefits of both limestone and sandstone pavers to understand the differences between these two beautiful natural stone options with the aim of helping you decide which is the best option for you and your property.

Both limestone and sandstone are renowned for their strength and durability properties making them both great choices for garden and driveway projects as well as equally being visually very appealing in any patio area, front or back garden. 

Stone pavers must be able to withstand tough weather conditions especially here in the UK of which these two natural stones do very well.  Lighter coloured shades of sandstone are naturally a little more porous than darker shades and limestone overall, meaning it will absorb a little water, however this difference is very slight and does not affect the overall durability or functionality.  Perhaps, just consider this if you live in an extremely rain prone part of the UK or if you perhaps like to wash your car every weekend on your driveway.  You can overcome this tendency by ensuring you apply a sealant regularly.  You also may need to clean the lighter shades of sandstone a little more frequently than other options as the lighter shades will show up dirt a little sooner than other pavers. 

Another reason for their equal popularity is due to the ease of cutting both limestone and sandstone pavers down to size or to a specific shape to fit your paving plans.  An important consideration if your paving conforms to a slightly off standard design which will involve some cutting work. 

The Characteristics of Sandstone Pavers

Sandstone is naturally formed in an array of beautiful colours including browns, yellows, whites, red and greys making it a wonderful choice for pavers if you are after an exciting and unusual finish.  Sandstone pavers has an advantage over limestone pavers due to its catalogue of colours, shades and tones allowing you to create a patio or paved area bespoke to you. 

The textured appearance to sandstone pavers can appear uneven on the surface, providing a stunning rustic charm to your garden area.  Perfect for any style of garden, you will find an assortment of finishes and textures of which like colour and shades are extensive with sandstone compared to limestone pavers.

If your garden or driveway is seeking a modern look then our Marshalls Indian Sandstone Grey Pavers are perfect.  With a contemporary look and feel, these pavers are available in 3 colours and will provide a beautiful natural finish to your chosen area.  

If you have a property near the sea, sandstone is fantastic for outdoor pavers as it is resistant to fading and corrosion from saline air.  Darker sandstone pavers are barely porous making it one of the strongest and durable materials you can opt for in paving as well as its rivalling limestone options.  Sandstone is often used within commercial settings for this very reason of durability. 

Uniqueness of Limestone Pavers

Limestone pavers are like sandstone pavers in so many ways.  However, they’re surface appearance are flatter and smoother which some may say makes them slightly easier to lay in a patio setting as opposed to sandstone pavers.   Due to the smooth surface, limestone pavers are the preferred option for driveways.  Its surface will be smoother to look at but does still have a texture like a grapefruit or orange skin to touch allowing it to be a good non-slip surface when wet avoiding any slips or falls.   

The availability in colours for limestone pavers is a little more limiting than that of sandstone with usually the offering only consisting of shades of grey such as grey-blue, grey-green, silver, charcoal, steel and grey-black however this will make the decision making of which pavers to go for an easier one.   In favour of Limestone, it does have a striking and natural veining effect which will look great in any chosen space.  The Marshalls Fairstone Limestone Aluri Garden Pavers are elegant and traditional style pavers perfect for any home but particularly ideal for older properties.  Available in charcoal or multi-coloured shades, the Marshall Fairstone pavers range offers a thicker stone allowing a quicker installation process and results in extremely robust pavers. 

As opposed to sandstone, limestone pavers can also be used within indoor spaces which will have a striking effect in any chosen room oozing style and a rustic interior design as seen here with our Bradstone Natural Limestone Pavers Azure. 

Marshalls Paving

At Building Supplies Online, we are proud to collaborate with Marshalls Paving.  Marshalls Paving is one of the UK’s leading specialists in natural stone and concrete paving products.  With Marshalls Paving, you will always know your product will be of the highest quality and finish and all Marshalls paving products come with a guarantee.

It’s important to make note when ordering pavers due to their natural stone characteristics there may be some variance in colours. 

As you will see from the above guide, limestone and sandstone pavers are both wonderful options for your garden, patio and driveway projects.  The choice will be narrowed down purely to personal taste and your finished design goal.