It's the question we're asked most at consultations: sandstone or porcelain? Both make a good patio. Neither is the right answer for everyone. Here's how we'd help you choose.
How they look
Indian sandstone is a natural stone, so no two slabs are the same. The colour shifts from slab to slab, and a riven (split) finish has a gentle texture. It suits older houses, cottage-style gardens and anyone who wants the patio to look like it's always been there.
Porcelain is made, not quarried, so every slab matches. The finish is crisp and even, and it can look like stone, concrete or even timber. It suits modern houses, clean lines, and patios that carry on from a kitchen floor.
If you can't decide, look at your house first. The patio should sit with the brickwork and the rooms it opens from, not fight them.
Looking after it
This is where they differ most.
- Sandstone is porous. It takes on water, so over time it can pick up algae and stains, especially in shade. It wants a clean every year or so, and some stones benefit from sealing.
- Porcelain barely absorbs water at all. A brush and a hose, or a gentle wash now and then, keeps it looking new. Spills wipe off.
If you want a patio you can more or less forget about, porcelain is the easier life.
Grip in the wet
A riven sandstone has natural texture and is grippy underfoot. Outdoor porcelain is made with a textured surface for the same reason, and it's graded for slip resistance, so always check you're getting an outdoor-rated slab, not an indoor tile.
Cost, now and later
Sandstone is usually the cheaper slab to buy. Porcelain costs more up front, and it takes more care to cut and lay, because it's hard and brittle until it's bedded.
Over the years, the gap closes. Sandstone's cleaning and sealing add up, and porcelain needs very little. So the right question isn't just "which is cheaper?" but "which will cost me less in the life of the patio, for the look I want?"
We can't answer that honestly without seeing the space, because the price of any patio depends far more on the ground, the levels and the access than on the slab. That's why we price both properly and go through them side by side on the design call.
What matters more than the slab
Whichever you choose, a patio is only as good as what's underneath it. Both need a properly dug-out, compacted sub-base and a full mortar bed. A thin layer of hardcore is the reason so many patios rock and sink after a couple of winters, and it makes no difference how good the slab on top is. If yours is already moving, here's why patio slabs sink, and how to fix it.
Ask any firm you're talking to what goes under the patio, and how deep. Get the answer in writing.
Questions people ask
Does porcelain crack in frost?
Outdoor porcelain barely absorbs water, so frost has very little to work on. Cracks are almost always down to what's underneath: a slab laid on dabs of mortar, or on a base that moves. Laid on a full bed over a proper sub-base, it holds up well to British winters.
Does sandstone fade?
It can mellow a little in strong sun over the years, and it weathers naturally. Many people like that. If you want the colour to stay exactly as it was on day one, porcelain is the better fit.
Can I have both?
Yes. We sometimes use porcelain for the main terrace by the house and sandstone for paths or a second seating area further down the garden. Done carefully, the two work well together.
