Most problems with a stone surface are written into the specification long before anyone reaches site. These are the eight lines worth getting right.
- Traffic class. Pedestrian, light vehicle or service loading — this decides the pattern before it decides anything else.
- Pattern and module. Name the pattern and the cobble size together; the same pattern in two sizes is two different surfaces.
- Thickness. Driven by loading and bedding type, not by budget. Under-specifying here is where failures start.
- Finish. Natural split, flamed or honed changes both slip resistance and how wet the stone looks after rain.
- Shade tolerance. State whether you want a tight single shade or a controlled blend; both are achievable, but only if it is asked for.
- Joint width and filler. The joint is part of the design and most of the drainage.
- Edge restraint. Every pattern relies on being held at its perimeter. Detail it.
- Delivery sequence. Meshed pattern pallets should arrive in laying order, which means the programme has to be shared early.
Ask for a sample panel
A one-metre panel laid on site, in the actual pattern, seen wet and dry, settles more arguments than any amount of drawing. We supply them, and we would rather the conversation happened there than at handover.
Send us the drawing and the loading. We will come back with a recommendation against every line above, and an itemised quotation you can put straight into a tender.
