Indian sandstone paving: UK buyer's guide (thickness, finishes, prices)

Thickness: 22 mm calibrated is the UK standard

The overwhelming majority of Indian sandstone sold in the UK is 22 mm calibrated — meaning every slab is machine-calibrated to a consistent 22 mm thickness. This matters because it lets a landscaper lay to a flat mortar bed without constantly adjusting for slab variation.

Uncalibrated ("riven" thickness) sandstone still exists and is cheaper, but it varies from roughly 15–30 mm slab to slab. Laying it takes twice as long and produces a less uniform finish. Unless you specifically want the traditional riven-thickness look for a heritage restoration, insist on calibrated stock.

Thicker 40–60 mm setts and 50 mm heavy-duty slabs are available for driveways and vehicular areas, but for standard patios and light landscape use 22 mm is the working spec.

Finishes: riven, sawn-and-tumbled, honed

Riven with a sawn-and-tumbled edge is the default finish — a natural cleft upper face with softly aged edges. This is what most homeowners picture when they think of Indian sandstone. It's the most forgiving finish underfoot and hides minor wear well.

Sawn-and-honed is a smooth, machine-finished upper face — flatter, more contemporary, easier to clean, and slightly more slippery when wet. Good for modern gardens and pool surrounds where a matched porcelain look is wanted at natural-stone prices.

Flamed and shot-blast finishes add texture and improve slip resistance — typically specified for commercial and public-realm work where R11+ ratings matter.

Colours and what they actually look like on site

Kandla Grey — mid-grey with subtle warm banding. The best all-purpose colour for UK gardens because it flatters most brick and render tones. Most consistent batch-to-batch of any Indian sandstone colour.

Raj Green — the classic multi-tonal green/rust/grey blend. Weathers to a softer palette after 12 months. Choose the project-pack format so the variation reads as intentional across a large area.

Autumn Brown — warm rust and brown tones. Reads best in cottage-style and rural settings; can feel heavy in tight urban courtyards.

Mint Fossil, Modak and Rippon Buff — lighter creams and pinks. Popular for coastal and Mediterranean-style gardens. Show algae faster than the darker colours, so seal in year 1.

Realistic 2026 UK prices per m²

Trade / landscaper prices, delivered to site in project packs on a pallet:

Kandla Grey and Raj Green: £24–30/m² for calibrated 22 mm project pack.

Autumn Brown and Mint Fossil: £26–34/m² depending on colour consistency.

Sawn-and-honed finishes: add roughly £6–10/m² over riven pricing.

Coping, bullnose and step tread pieces are typically £15–28 per linear metre depending on colour and format. Retail (DIY shed) prices are usually 30–60% higher than the trade prices above — a trade account or a supplier that sells direct to the public at trade rates makes a material difference over a 40–60 m² patio.

What to check on delivery

Colour consistency between pallets — if you've ordered multiple pallets, open them all before laying and dry-lay a mixed selection to check the batch reads as one.

Edge quality — sawn-and-tumbled edges should be softly rounded, not sharp or chipped. A few chipped edges per pallet is normal; more than 10% is a batch problem worth flagging.

Thickness gauge — quickly measure a random sample. Calibrated 22 mm should be within ±2 mm; anything wider suggests the pallet has been mislabelled.

Underside — the underside should be reasonably flat and free of loose flakes. Very uneven undersides make bedding harder and often indicate lower-quality quarry stock.

Sealing and long-term maintenance

Seal Indian sandstone within the first 6 months of laying with a solvent-based impregnating sealer. This slows staining from BBQ oils, red wine and leaf tannins, and dramatically reduces algae growth in shaded areas. Re-seal every 2–3 years. A 5-litre tub covers roughly 25 m² and costs £45–60.

For north-facing or heavily shaded patios, consider porcelain instead — see our comparison of Indian sandstone vs porcelain paving for the 10-year cost analysis.

Atlas Stone Supplies delivers Indian sandstone paving nationwide from stock — see our full paving range or request a quote for your project.