Please add any comments too!

I would choose Indian sandstone from my own experience and research. Outdoor porcelain is very non slip, which is great, but that component means your lovely pale paving attracts and holds onto dirt. So my lovely new patio looks so grubby now after 2 years. I will have to get it jet washed eventually. With composite decking, which I was considering, whilst researching I found the product does not look good for 25 years as manufacturers claim, and does start to deteriorate and break up before then. In fact in the US (they love a deck!) people have been suing manufacturers. Of course this is just my opinion, but please do your own research and do take manufacturers claims with a pinch of salt. Another option is a hardwood deck.

I prefer sandstone as it has a lovely affinity with garden plants. I have a rustic finish on mine, but you can get sawn sandstone which has straight edges and has a more modern look, if that’s what you want. It can go green in shady areas, but it doesn’t in sunny areas. First 2 pics are sandstone, last pic is hardwood decking.

Just to add to Sonia’s comment. I have smooth sawn sandstone. It does still need maintenance- every spring it needs jet washing, it also sheds stone dust when it’s dry. Porcelain would be my choice.

Furthermore porcelain can be mounded on pedestals which negates the need to grout in between which in my opinion gives a higher end look

This is my porcelain patio after fitting and 2 years later. We have scrubbed it with a broom and hot soapy water last year which helped a bit. Haven’t done so this year due to health reasons, but I will get someone in to clean it for me before the summer, so I pray it will look better then!

Thank you so much both. Very helpful comments 👍🏼

Composite,Noooooooo.

Porcelain to complement you house.

Thank you @AGI Landscapes. Curious to know why you recommend porcelain over sandstone?

There's not a lot of difference in price now between good quality sandstone, don't buy cheap, you get what you pay for, and porcelain. As there are now new regulations coming in to force on how paving is laid, there is not a lot of difference in labour between the two.

Porcelain is much cleaner and easier to maintain and would give you a nice contemporary finish to match with the house. Most porcelain, but do check, has a slip rating of R11 which is ideal for outside.

Have a look at the Marshalls range and London Stone as they have some beautiful finishes which you won't get with natural stone.

@Ian Green Garden and Landscape Design - what do you consider would be the best dimensions for the area outside the sliding doors of the extension (not to the left of the image)?

Thanks @Ian Green Garden and Landscape Design. We saved the area to the left of the image for the dining/lounging area but I wasn't sure how wide to keep the area just outside the extension. I was thinking 1-1.5 metres with steps one one side (to the left of the image).

Apparently even indoor non slip porcelain is hard to clean…………

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