Choosing the right driveway paving is an important decision and it can help to have some expert advice. More and more people in Bishop Auckland are choosing Indian sandstone as the right choice for their driveways. Here at Terraform Driveways, we have years of experience in finding and laying the perfect Indian sandstone driveway for your home. Let's take a look at why this could be the best option for you.
Indian stone paving has been popular since the 1990s. As the name might suggest, it uses sandstone that has been imported from India. But why is Indian sandstone so popular?
India has a distinct and varied geology that spans the 1, 269, 219 square miles of the country. This variety in the makeup of the mineral deposits means that Indian stone has a wide range of both colour and texture.
Sandstone, as the name suggests, is mainly made of sand. But it is sand that was deposited in the sediment millions of years ago. As each batch of new sand is blown in, or flows in with water, it adds another layer on top and the pressure from all of these layers eventually compresses the sand into rock and stone. This is what gives sandstone its distinct layered appearance.
Along with the sand, there will also be other minerals in the rock that create a cement. These usually include quartz, calcium carbonate, and iron oxide. Or even clay and manganese. The different mixes of these elements give rise to the different colours that you see in Indian sandstone.
One of the most distinctive features of Indian sandstone is that each type of stone will have natural variations in the different colours, tones, and patterns. This means that it never looks flat or boring. Its natural stone attractiveness is immediately obvious and really quite striking.
There are a few different red stone colours for you to choose from, including Sander Red, Rippon Rose, and Modak. These are vibrant and warm colours that will make your driveway (or patio) inviting and attractive. They tend to look more pink when they are dry and have an earthy red tone when wet, so they will look good whatever the weather.
There are also lots of options to choose from if you are searching for more of a grey look, including Kandla Grey, Silver Birch, and Antique Silver. As with other types of Indian sandstone, the grey is never flat or boring. There will be dark lowlights and light highlights running through that gives the stone a modern and luxurious finish.
Brown and buff coloured Indian sandstone gives a warm, inviting, and rustic look to the entrance of your property. It also comes in a variety of colours and shades, including Autumn Brown, Autumn Bronze, and Golden Bronze.
Indian sandstone shades like Fossil Mint, Antique Cream, and Imperial Cream will give a fresh, bright, and modern natural stone look to your driveway or outdoor area. So if you're looking for a clean look that's also easy to maintain and long-lasting, this is a great choice for you.
Raj Green is a unique colour combination. It consists of browns, buffs, khakis, and greys. It is a very popular and eye-catching Indian stone option. Because it has such a range of natural colours it can blend in perfectly with your garden or outside area and look like it's part of nature.
Rainbow stone is another popular colour choice for Indian sandstone. It is covered in eye-catching swirling patterns and veins which gives almost a woodgrain quality. It is usually a mix of colour, including purples, oranges, reds, and browns.
Another great design element of Indian sandstone is that there is a large range of textures available so you can really choose a stone that is perfect for you.
A popular choice for Indian sandstone paving is to have a sawn cut. This is when the sandstone is cut using a heavy-duty saw and then polished. Sawn sandstone looks modern, smooth, and clean.
This is another popular choice. Rather than using machinery, riven sandstone has been hand-chiselled which gives it a naturally rough and grooved surface. This is a great option if you want a more rustic and natural look.
Tumbled sandstone have a slightly chalky, smooth, and worn surface to them. This is created by placing the sandstone slabs in a rubber drum filled with sand and other materials, which is then turned. The sand wears down the edges of the sandstone to give it its distinctive soft appearance.
Calibrated sandstone slabs have been precisely cut to the exact same thickness using diamond saws in a mill. This is especially important for an outdoor area such as a driveway where having a level surface is a safety concern.
There are good reasons why Indian sandstone is such a popular choice for paving. It comes with a wide range of features that make it a great choice for many homeowners.
Indian sandstone is really low-maintenance after it has been laid. To keep Indian sandstone looking at its best, all you really need to worry about is sweeping away any debris and power-washing if it gets dirty.
Because it is a natural stone, Indian sandstone is able to withstand just about every weather condition. It is heat, cold, wind, acid, and scratch-proofed. So it is definitely suitable for the huge variety of weather we get in Britain.
Indian sandstone paving is also very hard-wearing. The high levels of quartz and silicon make it a hardy stone, even when it is cut thin. It is unlikely to scratch, crack, or peel so it is usually a long-lasting option for your driveway or patio.
An important concern with any outdoor paving is safety. People will be walking on it and, with some other surface types such as concrete, slipping in wet weather can be a problem. Because of its porous nature, Indian sandstone naturally doesn't get very slippery even when it is raining.
Of course, one of the main reasons why most people are drawn to Indian sandstone is its attractiveness and beautiful patterns. And it is also very adaptive. You can have large stone slabs laid for your main driveway, but you can also create paths and edges with smaller slabs (and the edging won't require a big sub-base to create). Creating a truly unique driveway and garden is easily doable by using a clever combination of Indian sandstone.
Another big draw for Indian sandstone paving is its price point. It is generally cheaper for the square metres you will use than other similar types of stone, such as Yorkshire stone. And, even though its price is lower, you still get the durability and attractiveness that you would expect with more expensive paving options.
There is a common misconception that stone paving isn't suitable for driveways because of the amount of weight that it will have to bear. While it is true that you may need to be careful when using material such as porcelain, for example, Indian sandstone paving is a great option for driveways.
Indian sandstone paving is strong enough to withstand the pressure from multiple heavy vehicles and cars. An Indian stone slab has a hardness of 6-7 and a compression strength of 95.00 N/mm2.
And it doesn't necessarily have to be cut thicker than you would have it for a garden. The overall thickness should generally be around 50mm, but this also includes the base technical levels, so as long as the sub-base is dug deep enough you are able to use a standard slab thickness for the slabs.
And all of the pros for Indian sandstone paving that we have already mentioned hold true for driveways just as much as they do for any other part of your outdoor space. It is:
All of these things are important considerations for laying driveways. Indian stone paving is a high-quality paving material that suits all sorts of property styles and will stand the test of time at a low price.
But why should you be updating your driveway anyway? Well, of course having an appealing driveway will make you feel happier every time you come home, but it can have even more of an effect, specifically on your home's value.
Laying a new driveway can add, on average, around 10% to the value of your home. And with an average UK house price of around £250, 000, you could be looking at an increase in the tens of thousands. Of course, the exact amount will vary but, at the very least, you can expect your new driveway to be paid for by the increase in the value of your home if you choose to sell it.
There is no one paving material that is perfect for everyone and they do all have their own pros and cons. Let's take a look at how the different options such as concrete, granite, limestone, and porcelain compare to Indian sandstone.
Concrete is a popular choice for driveways because it is hard-wearing, relatively cheap, and easy and quick to lay. It doesn't have the same texture and colour options as Indian sandstone and some people don't find concrete as appealing to look at.
The durability of granite is one of its biggest draws. It is the most hard-wearing of paving options for your driveway. It is also very low maintenance. It isn't porous in the same way that sandstone is, however, so it won't naturally drain the water and moisture away. It is also a more expensive choice.
Limestone is very similar to sandstone in a lot of ways. It also has a range of colour options available and it is easy to maintain and ong-lasting. It has a smoother finish to sandstone and doesn't have the same textural options, such as a riven surface.
Porcelain is a high-end paving option for driveways. As long as you pick the right stone, it is very hard-wearing and unlikely to develop stains, cracks, or moss. It is at a much higher price point than sandstone, however.
Indian sandstone can be a good choice for your driveway in Bishop Auckland that will look great and is both low-maintenance and hard-wearing. Get in touch with Terraform Driveways today and we will work with you to create the perfect Indian sandstone driveway for your property. We are experienced Indian sandstone pavers who will be able to give you the best advice and guidance when choosing the right Indian sandstone driveway for you.