Patios Sheffield

There are a number of decision to make when deciding on a patio and that can make a big impact on how you end up utilising and enjoying your outdoor space.

Clearly you will need to consider the overall size of your patio. This may sound a straightforward aspect to decide on but can become a more complex decision making process - especially is you have a sloping garden. For instance, will you simply want one continuous section of paving making up your patio or will you want to have a couple of stepped sections? Will you want these stepped sections, or platforms, next to each other requiring steps, or have a path leading from one section to the other? How will you want your patio edged off? Will you want it to to go as far as possible up to your house or fence, or will you want it to run up to your lawn, artificial lawn or boarders? Perhaps some gravel sections will create more visual depth to your garden providing a mix of colours and textures. Will you want to raise your boarders with sleepers, or a small wall allowing for a botanical surround to your patio?.

As we're discussed, some though needs to be put into the size and positioning of your patio and how it will be finished off or enclosed. However, the choices of materials, colours, shapes, textures and sizes can be vast and you could be a little overwhelmed by the amount of options available. This is when budget will play a part in helping narrow down some of the options but certainly having a good visual idea perhaps at least of the colour pallet is an excellent start point. We've included a selection of some jobs we've done which may help give an initial visualisation of what you do or don't want for your patio space

So let's provide a little background to some of the paving stone options you have for when patio laying commences:

Concrete Slabs or Flagstones

These will typically be the cheapest option, as they are man made. Essentially these are made using a mixture of cement, sand and aggregate so ideal for getting your patio laid or allowing your budget to stretch to cover a larger area. As they are made sometimes they will not be the most robust of slabs, especially if you really go for the budget options as they will have more aggregate, which will make the slabs a little weaker. However, with the additional of dyes they are available in a variety of colours, and textured finishes and if laid on a good foundation should provide an excellent patio for a good number of years.

Limestone Patio Paving

This is the first of numerous natural paving stones which can be used for pathways and patios. Limestone paving is one of the lower cost options and one of the reasons is that it will need sealing to prevent its colour from fading. Another aspect to be aware of is that it will be damaged if you attempt to clean of any stains with an acid based cleaner. Whilst there are less and less of these around it is very easy to grab any cleaning products and think it will be suitable - especially for an outdoor paving slab. It is one of the lower cost options and does provide a natural textured finish which is very pleasant to the eye.

Indian Stone Patios

This is being used more and more for driveways but is a superb choice for patios and back garden paving. Whilst more expensive than flagstones, they are competitively priced. It's worth remembering that they are a superior natural sandstone product. Since Indian stone contains feldspar and quartz it makes the stone very durable and weather resistant. As a naturally stone, no two stones will be identical which again provides a more natural finish. Talking of finishes - the other quality of Indian stone is that shouldn't need sealing, which is one of the reasons it has become popular for driveways - a strong low maintenance options, which looks fantastic. More and more Indian Sandstone options are becoming available even in terms of smooth buff finishes, which you would associate with marble or porcelain so this really is an excellent paving and patio stone.

Slate and Granit paving for Patios

Similar to Indian stone, slate and granite are natural materials with strong low maintenance finishes. Since they are naturally occurring they are limited in terms of the colour options so unless you had your heart set on a dark charcoal / grey /purple options, this may not be an option for you. However, if this was on your colour palette then these are definitely worth considering and can provide a modern feel to your garden.

Marble Patio Paving

Marble paving as you would expect, will provide a smooth, shiny finish. As a result marble paving provide you with a great looking patio, which will get your friend and family commenting. As a naturally imported material with limited sources from season to season there may be limitations in the colour and style options available though.

Porcelain Patio Paving

As porcelain paving has become more popular i the UK the number of styles, colours and sizes have broadened. They look amazing and are since they are often laid very close to one another they provide a feel of simply flowing from your indoor flooring to outdoors in a seamless fashion. Ideal for creating a contemporary outdoor setting. They are exceptionally strong and frost resistant so will continue to look amazing for a long, long time!

Cobbled Patio

Yes, whilst this may not seem like the first choice for many people, but having a cobbled patio that matches the cobblestones on a driveway can maintain tradition and keep a period property looking like a period property.

The cobblestones used for a patio can vary immensly and due to their irregular shape more often than not they will be set in a cement mortar base unlike block paving. If you want cobbled paving and a cobbled patio just let us know.

Since there is such a wide choice please feel free to get in touch with us to discuss you paving and patio visions. Once we know what you're after we can then start the process of bringing your outdoor environment to life so you can enjoy the great British outdoors in your own garden! Whether you have a large garden or small garden a paved area will allow you to enjoy your back garden space even when the weather hasn't been so good as you won't be slipping or creating mud baths on your lawn.

Having a patio area in your garden is ideal even for small gardens as it will provide a dry robust base on which to place tables ad chairs - ideal for an entertaining area. For small gardens utilising various pot plants on patios can still enable you to experience a green luscious natural environment with a practical base.

For larger gardens even flat ones you may want more than one patio section. One near the house and one a little further way which may be in a  sun trap at a different time of the day which will enable you to take advantage of your outdoor space all day long, or simply provide a natural division of space for adults and children to enjoy their respective hobbies without disturbing the other.

If you do want a pation rather than decking our expert diggers can move the earth for you and then construct a retaining wall, which can be very decorative to provide interesting layers to your garden or provide a start point for a wider landscaping project.