
A stone patio is a practical and visually appealing addition to the garden. With the vast range of options, each can be unique but offers the same functionality level. If there’s damage or a fracture to a single piece, these can be switched out without replacing the entire platform.
Still, the patio paver can withstand heavy foot traffic and reasonable abuse with minimal disrepair. The attraction for most is the durability and virtual “permanence” of the stone, not to mention the broad selection of styles, shapes, colors, and finishes.
Pavers are budget friendly compared to “paving stones,” with simple installation making them a favored choice, especially for DIY enthusiasts. Let’s look at patio pavers more in-depth, the different materials, and what’s unique about each.
Tips On Patio Paver Materials And What Makes Them Unique
Patio pavers come in varied styles, colors, shapes, finishes, and on. These stones can be installed in unique patterns to make the hardscape specific to your needs. The materials are each exceptionally durable allowing a wearability and tolerance to abuse that most decking and porches don’t see.
Mix and match for unique patterns or create a more uniform, distinct look. Consider these different options available on the market and see which might offer what you need for your garden space.
● The brick patio
A brick patio paver is comparable to the concrete options, but these consist of a natural clay material. The install is relatively fast, and the price point for brick is higher. That’s likely due to the fact that brick brings an almost antiqued appearance to the space, a traditional look that’s favored.
Clay is less durable than many other materials, with more of a possibility for a crack or breaks with abuse or harsh conditions and eventual deterioration but later rather than sooner. The fortunate thing is bricks are simple to replace. Go here for details on installing the patio paver base.
● The bluestone patio
The natural stone, bluestone, is one found in quarries in the eastern United States. It’s so named from the color, a blue-gray tone. The pavers are a common stone used for varying surfaces, including paths and patios.
The shapes are different sizes of rectangles that residential or business owners will either intermingle or use in a consistent pattern. The option offers varied grades of the lovely stone, also ranging in cost and difficult to install.
- Natural cleft bluestone: This stone is found in shallower areas of the earth. Because it’s nearer to the surface, there’s “less of the world’s weight hovering above creating natural lines of delamination.” The effect allows “a split or cleft” at roughly the desired thickness and is shaped as preferred.
As a result, pavers offer slight variations in shape and thickness with distinct surfaces. The “delamination” creates areas where minerals can absorb into the stone, producing ranges of grays, purples, blues, and browns in each piece. This can make the stone more challenging to install but also makes for a more budget-friendly paver.
- Irregular bluestone / flagstone patio: Flagstone is a flat, irregularly shaped paver often made from bluestone. These are naturally “cleft and left in the resulting broken condition. It’s sometimes called “Stand Up” bluestone since it will come on a pallet in the stand-up position.
The pavers come in large pieces that need to be fit reminiscent of a jigsaw puzzle or can be cut to size. There are varied finishes and degrees of tightness when forming the joints based on the effect you’re going for and the installer’s level of expertise.

● The Cobblestone patio
A cobblestone paver can be different sizes of blocks consisting of granite material that is not cut but is instead “broken and chiseled” to retain the irregular, rough exterior. These are common for accent pieces or edging but also give an antiquated appearance as a large paved section in the garden or drive.
Final Thought
These are a mere sampling of the vast range of pavers available on the market. There are so many stunning examples available to make each garden space unique. Even if you use the same material as someone else, your pattern, color, and style can be entirely different, making the patio a one-of-a-kind platform.