Is Slate good for an Outside Patio?

 One common concern when planning a new landscaping scheme is which paving materials should we use?
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Many clients will enquire if slate is a good option for a patio. They have seen images of striking gardens online and like the idea of having it laid in their garden. Well I hear you ask, why not? Well not indeed! Slate is a striking and durable natural stone which can look fantastic on paved surfaces as well as vertical cladding.

Slippery?

A concern most people have with slate is will it be slippery? My simple answer to this no within reason. If the patio is laid reasonably level with only slight falls grip should not be an issue. When slate is wet with extra lubrication there is some possibility of slips but I would say this is minimal. If a certain velocity to travel combined with steep gradient and wet conditions there is a slight risk of slipping. I would say these scenarios are an extreme rarity!
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Paving should never really be laid on a slope anyway unless for wheel chair access. Wheel chair slopes will always be built with materials that have high grip wearing surface. Concrete is usually the material of choice here. There are different suppliers of slate on the market; slate that has a clean cut with a slightly riven surface is the best. Buckinghamshire Landscape Gardeners and our Commercial landscaping department sources slate from two specialist suppliers.

Natural Paving

One reason slate is good for an outside patio is it is durable and its colour will not fade. Most concrete pavers on the market will look good for the first few years but will not forever. As acid within rain slowly permeates the paving over proceeding years the wearing surface of the paving will wear down.

We have all seen old patios with small stones and aggregate showing through the surface of the patio. This is a big drawback or manufactured concrete paving. Another drawback of manmade paving is exposure to the suns UV light. This bleaches out the colour dyes within the paving adding to a worn bland look.
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Slate being naturally formed from high density metamorphic rock means it is impervious to rain and its pollutants. This means it is also extremely hard warring and durable ideal to the vigour’s of external conditions. Due to slate having no colour additives or dyes the colours will never fade looking brand new forever. For this reason in our opinion slate is very good for an outside patio.  

Laying Slate

Slate is a very beautiful natural material with high permeability. Although permeability is a benefit to outside patios there are some things the landscaper should do when laying slate. Slate does not absorb water very well meaning it is less easy to bond to mortar.

When mixing mortar for laying slate the landscaper should add a rapid hardener and sealant adhesive such as PVA. The Sealant will increase the stickiness of the mix and the hardener will ensure less chance of bond breakage during curing.
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Using a good slate supplier is also crucial when laying an outside slate patio. A good grade of slate paving will have a calibrated underside providing a strong key for the mortar. Buckinghamshire Landscape Gardeners use two exceptional suppliers of natural slate paving perfect for an aesthetic and robust installation.

Cost

Cost is a common concern when considering if slate is good for an outside patio.
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Thankfully this concern is never really founded as we find in terms of value for money it is an excellent choice. I have often used the philosophy that for all slates benefits it merely looks expensive! Average paving usually costs around £30 per square metre depending on the quantities used. Slate averages at about £45 per square metre which is a fantastic deal for the benefits it provides.  Seeing there is no extra labour cost or effort to lay slate over other paving the extra £15 a square metre is worth it!

Impermeable

As discussed slate paving is impervious meaning it will not be effected by moisture penetration or freeze and thaw.

Stains

Due to slates impervious nature stains and spillages are never an issue. People are usually surprised just how wine, coffee, algae and bird poop can seriously destroy a new patio.

Never gets dirty

Slate being black in colour has the added benefit of never looking dirty!

Design

The clean lines of slate and bold colour means it can be very effective in many landscape designed gardens. We find slate patios look very effective with a contempory design accompanied with light rendered walls and even metal! At the same time slate can be used to accompany traditional garden styles such as cottages and courtyards. Good design and style flexibility is paramount on deciding if slate is good for and outside patio.

Case Study:

​Amit and Pavs Modern Garden with slate patio

When Amit & Pav came to us wanting the whole garden redesigned and transformed we were happy to help! They had no set in stone ideas or plans they just wanted a usable patio and new lawn space for their little boy Shai.  The existing garden was very overgrown with a broken down shed at the back. The existing paved area by the house was bordered by a broken retaining wall to the higher garden area. 

We made the suggestion of digging the garden back further in an organic curve and creating a functional seating feature. Amit and Pav had just recently renovated their new home and had paid massive attention to detail with the finish. The exterior of the house was a combination of rendered walls with magnolia and black framing. We suggested continuing this colour scheme into the garden to make the home and garden feel as one.

To realise this we proposed a new slate patio with the organic wall and steps to be capped cleanly with slate. We used the fine skill of our head landscaper Paul to cut the slate to curves to match the shape of the wall beautifully. During laying the slate we realised a prominent seam of gold within the strata of the slate paving. To make a feature of this extremely rare phenomenon we mounted it in the wall as an extra feature for the garden.  The end result is a stunningly beautiful, minimalist and functional garden using slate as its main feature.  We believe slate is a perfect paving material for an outside patio.

Conclusion

​Slate is a stunning beautiful, hard wearing material which can encompass many themes and styles. It is durable, robust and dark in colour which makes easy to keep clean. Its impervious structure means it is resistant to the elements lasting the test of time.  
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Is Slate good for an outside patio? Absolutely yes!

Considering building your new patio yourself? Why not check out our recommended landscaping tools article or resource page here. 

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