What our patio work covers
A patio is often the part of the garden that gets used the most. It is where the table and chairs go, where the washing gets hung out, where the barbecue lives and where you sit on a summer evening. Getting it right means choosing the right spot, the right size and a stone that suits the house, and then laying it on a base that will stay flat for years.
Affordable Gardens & Landscapes lays new patios, including Indian stone, and can lift and relay old patios that have sunk, cracked or started to rock underfoot. We can also extend a patio that has become too small, or reshape it as part of a wider landscaping and garden makeover.
A common mistake is making a patio too small. A table and chairs need room for people to pull their chairs out and walk around, and a barbecue or a couple of loungers take up more space than you might think. Setting out the furniture you plan to use on the lawn, or marking the shape with a hosepipe, is a simple way to see whether the size feels right before anything is dug. Think too about where the sun is at the times you are most likely to sit out.
Why Indian stone is so popular
Indian sandstone is a natural stone that has become one of the most common choices for patios in the UK. A few things to know when you are choosing:
- Colour. It comes in a range of shades, from soft buffs and greys to warmer browns and mixed tones, and because it is natural, every slab varies a little.
- Riven or sawn. Riven stone has a natural, textured surface with good grip and a traditional look. Sawn stone has smooth faces and crisp edges for a cleaner, modern finish.
- Sizes and patterns. Slabs come in mixed sizes that can be laid in a random pattern, or a single size for a more regular look.
- Sealing. Some people choose to seal sandstone to help it resist staining, which is something you can talk through when choosing your stone.
If natural stone is not for you, there are other paving options, and we will talk through what suits the house and how much care each one needs.
Signs your patio needs work
- Slabs rock or have sunk, leaving trip hazards.
- Puddles sit on the patio after rain, or water runs towards the house.
- Weeds and moss grow through the joints.
- Slabs are cracked, broken or flaking.
- The patio is too small for a table and chairs, or in the wrong part of the garden for the sun.
How a patio is laid, step by step
- Choosing the spot and the size. We look at where the sun falls, how you get to the patio from the house and how it links to the rest of the garden.
- A quote. You get a quote for the stone and the work agreed.
- Marking out and digging. The area is marked out and dug out to the right depth.
- A firm sub-base. A layer of compacted hardcore gives the patio a solid foundation, which is what stops slabs sinking later on.
- Setting the fall. The patio is set with a gentle slope so rainwater runs away from the house, and kept well below the damp-proof course.
- Laying the stone. Slabs are bedded on mortar, checked for level and spacing, and cut where needed.
- Pointing. The joints are filled for a neat finish that helps keep weeds out.
- The tidy up. The area is cleaned down, waste is cleared away and the patio is ready to use once the mortar has set.
When to lay a patio
Patios can be laid for much of the year, but the weather matters. Mortar should not be laid in frost or heavy rain, so the coldest spells of winter can hold work up for a few days. Spring is a popular time to get a patio in before summer, while late summer and autumn often bring settled conditions and leave the patio ready for the following year. If the patio is part of a makeover, it is usually built before new turf goes down, so the lawn is not damaged by the work.
What affects the scope of a patio
- the size and shape of the patio
- the stone you choose and the laying pattern
- whether an old patio, lawn or concrete has to be removed first
- the levels, including any steps or slopes, and where rainwater can drain
- access for materials, particularly if everything has to come through the house
- cuts around drains, manholes, walls and corners
Family run, fully insured, and where we work
Affordable Gardens & Landscapes is a family run business based in Knottingley, and we are fully insured. A patio is usually joined to the rest of the garden by a path, and our gravelling and pathways service can link a new patio to the lawn, the shed or the side gate.
We lay patios across Normanton, Wakefield, Castleford, Pontefract, Featherstone, Knottingley, Outwood, Altofts, Stanley, Rothwell, Ossett and Horbury. Call 07347 572509, Monday to Friday between 9am and 6pm, or send a message with photos of the area, and we will come and measure up and send you a quote.
