FAQs

1. What is the difference between Porcelain and Natural Stone?

Porcelain tiles are durable, hard-wearing, and non-porous. This man-made product is often favoured for it’s low-maintenance and practical qualities. All of our Porcelain tiles have a slip rating of R11 and a slightly textured finish. The anti-slip properties, combined with the consistency in colour and finish, make Porcelain ideal for both indoor and outdoor settings.

Natural Stone is known for its individuality. Extracted directly from natural rock quarries around the world, each stone is a fragment of history. The organic stone is favoured for its authentic and rustic look, complementary to traditional gardens. As the nature of the stone is highly porous, it is advised that all Natural Stone products are sealed to avoid staining and fading.

To maintain a rustic look with a low maintenance finish, Kandla Grey Natural Porcelain and Sagar Black Porcelain are suitable alternatives to natural stone. On the other hand, Smooth Honed Sandstone presents a contemporary sleek finish, while maintaining the Natural Stone qualities.

Still undecided? We offer samples in all products. You can browse our selection of samples here.

2. What does vitrified mean?

During manufacturing, Porcelain tiles undergo a process known as vitrification. Vitrification involves the creation of a clay-based mixture baked at extremely high temperatures, ultimately removing the moisture, and giving the tiles the low water absorption, strength, and hard-wearing properties.

3. How do I prepare for my patio?

PavingUK are only suppliers of paving products and therefore the following suggestions are a guideline only.

It is recommended all paving products are laid on a flattened sub-base of hardcore. From here you may wish to complete a dry lay, this involves laying the slabs to suit your design, prior to installing on the full bed of sand and cement. In addition, it is recommended that a primer is used which acts as an adhesive on the back of the slabs, helping to bind the slab to the full bed to set your paving.

If you have purchased multiple packs, to get an even distribution of colour, it is best to mix paving slabs from each pack when laying. This eliminates any distinctive colour blocks in your patio, leaving an even distribution of colour.

For guidance on layout designs, you can find our layout guides here.

4. What is the difference between calibrated or uncalibrated?

Calibrated stone is sawn to a set thickness which runs uniform across all slabs however, there is a tolerance of 5mm+/- on our calibrated products.

Uncalibrated stone varies from 18mm to 25mm in thickness, this means the slabs can be different in thicknesses in the pack and across the individual slabs.

5. What are the differences between sawn edges and handcut edges on Natural Stone products?

Sawn edge Natural Stone paving slabs a machine cut edge, forming an accurate square edge with minimal imperfections.

Handcut Natural Stone paving slabs have been made by hand to produce slabs with a relatively straight edge with various indentations due to the nature of the cutting process.

6. How much do I need? Why do I need an additional 10%?

The area of your patio can be determined by multiplying the length by the width of your area. For obscure areas it is easier to break it down into smaller rectangular or squares which, added together, give the sum of your total area.

We advise all customers add an additional 10% to their order to ensure they are covered for any imperfections, breakages and cuts during installation.

7. Can I see the paving before I buy it?

All our products are available as a sample. The samples are approximately 100mm x 100mm and aim to give an indication into the colour and texture of the paving. You can browse our selection of samples here.

8. What is the difference between the 560 and 600 mixed size patio packs?

The different series vary in slab size. The 560 series consists of the following slab sizes:
840x560
560x560
560x280
280x280

The 600 series consists of the following slab sizes:
900x600
600x600
600x290
290x290

9. What is the difference between stone coverage and coverage pack?

Stone coverage is the total area that is covered by the stone, excluding the jointing allowance.

A coverage pack is the total area that is covered by the stone including the jointing allowance. The jointing allowance is an estimated average of 10mm.

10. What is the difference between setts and cobbles?

Setts are manufactured to be uniform in shape, with straight edges with minimal imperfections and indentations.

Stone cobbles have a more natural finish with handcut, tumbled edges. Though they are sought to be uniform in size, there is an additional tolerance on stone cobbles in length, width and thickness.

1. What is the standard delivery method?

Our standard deliveries are made in 5-7 business days from the time of order.

All deliveries are through a third-party courier service. They use a large lorry with high side curtains (18-26 tonne, which is bigger than a bin-lorry).

Your palleted paving is offloaded via a tail-lift and a manual pump truck.

To complete a delivery, the following conditions are required:

• Access for a manual pump truck to move up to 1000kg of palleted goods
• A flat surface with no incline or decline.
• A driveway free from gravel, grass, or cobbles.
• Clear access free from low trees and low bridges.
• A location free to turn.
• Signature upon delivery

For further delivery information, please click here.

2. Can a crane or Hiab be used to deliver my paving?

Unfortunately, our courier service does not have access to cranes or Hiabs.

3. How will my paving be packaged when it arrives?

Our Natural Stone products are imported straight from India in wooden crates and strapped to a wooden pallet. You may find small fragments of stone between the slabs, these are to help compact the stone to ensure it is safe to travel.

Porcelain paving tiles are often wrapped in pairs in a wooden pallet and strapped to a wooden pallet.

We hand pack our smaller split packs and cobbles on a wooden pallet and wrap in plastic film.

Full packs will be delivered in their original packaging. If you are unsure of the product on delivery, sign the goods “damaged”, then contact us to discuss this, via telephone 01782 355170 or via email at sales@pavinguk.co.uk.

4. I have a gravel driveway; can you deliver my paving on my drive?

We use a 3^rd party courier service for our national orders, which offload palleted goods with a manual pump truck. Unfortunately, the pallet truck is unable to move over soft or loose ground such as grass or gravel. However, we can deliver your goods kerbside, as close as possible to your driveway. If this is not possible, we can arrange to deliver to a location more suitable or arrange a collection from a local delivery depot.

All orders are checked prior to dispatch to ensure deliveries can be made. If you have any queries or concerns about your delivery address, please contact the office on 01782 355170.

5. I live on a steep hill; can you deliver my paving on my drive?

Unfortunately, our courier service is unable to deliver any paving on an incline or decline. As the weight of the paving can be up to 1000kg, it would not be safe to offload this on to an unbalanced surface.

If there is a safer location to offload, the driver can make deliveries on a flat, steady surface close by.

All orders are checked prior to dispatch to ensure deliveries can be made. If you have any queries or concerns about your delivery address, please contact the office on 01782 355170.

6. If I order my paving today, when will it arrive?

Our current delivery times are 5-7 business days from the time of order, subject to availability.

Some delays may occur for certain regions of the UK, please call us to discuss.

7. Will I receive all the pallets together?

We dispatch orders together and aim to deliver them together, however, there may be delays once at your local depot. If you are unsure, please call us to discuss.

8. Does someone need to be in to sign for the delivery?

Yes. The driver will not offload your paving unless someone is there to sign for the delivery or prior arrangements have been made.

Failure to sign for the goods or refusal of deliveries made induce redelivery or redirected charges. Please see our T&Cs for more information.

9. My delivery is late, am I entitled to compensation?

We strongly advise you do not arrange laborers or purchase any equipment and resources, until your paving has been delivered. Though we make every effort to ensure your paving is delivered on the day stated, unforeseen circumstances may occur, causing a delay in your delivery, therefore, we do not offer any compensation.

1. What are the recommended specific products needed to lay my paving?

The recommended products for laying patio paving, are as follows:

• If you need to cut any Porcelain tiles, this may only be done with a diamond blade. However, it is advised all appropriate instructions of use are followed to avoid any issues during installation.
• It is advised to use an adhesive primer (SBR) on the underside of the slab of both Natural Stone and Porcelain products, this helps to bond the paving slab to the full bed.
• For Natural Stone products, it is recommended you use a sealant which protects the paving from staining and discoloration. There are also products which can be used to enhance the colours, you can find our sealants here.

2. What is the correct way up to lay my paving?

When laying your paving, please ensure they are not laid upside down as this will invalidate any refunds or replacements.

Natural Stone products are produced with a slight diagonal edge; this creates a triangular shape between the slabs for application of a jointing compound, used to bond the slabs.

If the paving is laid upside down, this leaves the jointing susceptible to coming loose and damaging your paving.

Porcelain paving products are manufactured with the image printed on the surface of the slab. The underside of the tile is riven with a crisscross pattern.

If you are unsure of your paving, please contact the team on 01782 355170 or sales@pavinguk.co.uk

3. Can I use cement to set my slabs?

We would not recommend using only cement to lay your paving as this can pull moisture and mineral deposits up into the slab which may cause irreversible staining. We would recommend using a levelled layer of sand and cement mixture to lay your paving on. This creates a full bed which will evenly support the whole slab.

We would also recommend using a primer to paste onto the back of the slab when laying. A primer acts as an adhesive and a protective barrier on the back of the slab.

4. What is the dot and dab method? Why is it not recommended?

The dot and dab method uses small clusters of mortar mix dotted on the underside of the slab. The mortar mix is usually placed around the corners of the slab, leaving gaps under the stone exposed to air and moisture build up.

It is not recommended to use this method as it can cause detrimental effects including breakages, weakness, and irreversible staining.

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14. Can I lay my paving without any gaps?

Laying your paving without sufficient jointing space, often referred to as “butted paving”, leaves your slabs susceptible to chipping along the edges.

As Natural Stone paving is not man-made, the tolerance on length and width can vary which means the paving slabs may not physically fit together in a uniform area.

It is recommended that all paving products are laid with ‘spacers’ which are a small tool used to divide the slabs and create a uniform space between the slabs.

15. How do I lay mixed size paving? Is there a guide?

We have a selection of layout guides:

Paving UK 600x600 Layout guide

Paving UK 900x600 Layout guide

Paving UK Mixed Layout guide

The layout guides are a guideline only and may not be suitable to all patio types. It is recommended to complete a dry lay prior to bedding in your patio to allow for any amendments before completion.

16. What can I use between the slabs as grouting?

It is recommended to use a resin-based jointing compound. The nature of resin ensures your jointing is durable, long-lasting and colour rich while being easy and quick to install.

You may find our jointing supplies here.

17. The jointing has spread/stained, what do I do?

Staining of your slabs is most common during the installation process. Residue resin my remain on the surface of the slabs which may fade over time. Failure to fade may require the use of stone cleaning products, however this will vary between paving products. The use of a cleaning product should always be tested on an inconspicuous area, following the correct installation instructions.

We would never recommend an acid-based cleaner is used as this can strip the colour of your paving and leave permanent staining on the surface of your slabs.

18. Some of my slabs are broken, what can I do?

Broken slabs or ‘spillage’ is common within packs of paving. We always recommend you order an additional 10% to ensure you have enough product to complete your paving project.

If the number of damages surpasses 10% then please contact us with clear images of the breakages outlining the total number of slabs and their size, on sales@pavinguk.co.uk and the team will look at the damages and respond to you accordingly with the options available.

19. Why should I blend multiple packs together?

Incorporating slabs from different packs when laying a patio eliminates distinctive colour blocks and distributes the colour variation.

Porcelain Paving is made in batches, so it is not uncommon to find one batch may vary slightly to the previous batch. Though we may every effort to send out the same batch, there may be slight variations in colour/texture. If you would like to discuss this, please call the office on 01782 355170.

Natural Stone can vary from crate to crate, therefore integrating slabs from different packs can give an even colour balance and avoid any condensed sections of colour.

20. I have run out of paving and need more, what should I do?

If you have an insufficient amount of Porcelain, we may be able to source a match to your product. Please retain the batch code which can be found on the side of the cardboard packaging.

For Natural Stone products, we may not be able to exactly match the colours to your original o

1. There are white marks all over my paving, what should I do?

Markings which appear on your paving after installation may be due to the natural phenomenon called ‘efflorescence’. Salts, minerals, and moisture can be drawn up through the slab and deposit on the surface, leaving a white residue.

Cleaning products can be used to clear the residue though this is not a guarantee. Over time the efflorescence will fade and return to its desired appearance. However, we would recommend you avoid sealing your slabs during the presence of efflorescence until cleared, as this can ‘lock in’ the moisture and mineral deposits.

If you are unsure, please contact us at sales@pavinguk.co.uk with clear images and description of the issue and we would be more than happy to help.

2. What does efflorescence mean?

Efflorescence is the formation of calcium crystals on the surface of the stone. This is a natural phenomenon which can occur at any time.

It is recommended to wait until the efflorescence has disappeared, which may happen over time, before you seal your paving to ensure the problem is resolved.

3. My slabs look like they are stained, what should I do?

As there are multiple variants which may lead to staining including: poor installation, cleaning products, environmental and natural implications, it is best to avoid cleaning the area until contacted by a professional.

For staining or discolouration please contact us at sales@pavinguk.co.uk with clear images and description of the issue and we can advise you accordingly.

4. I have finished laying my slabs and I want to clean them, what should I use?

When cleaning any paving products, we recommend avoiding using any acid-based cleaners, these can damage your slabs and cause irreversible staining.

To gently remove any light marks or dust residue, you can use a mixture of washing-up liquid and water. Prior to use, it is best to brush off the paving first then wash the slabs with the soap mixture in diagonal strokes. After you have finished the area, make sure you use a bucket of clean water to rinse the area well with. Leave for 24hrs and then repeat if necessary.

There are alternative product specific cleaning products which can be used for cleaning rust, mold, cement however, we would recommend these are not used until you receive professional advice.

5. Do I need to seal my slabs? What should I use?

It is recommended to seal Natural Stone to prolong the colour and add protection. Unsealed products are susceptible to fading which can alter the appearance of your patio and defer it from its visual potential. Sealing also slows the formation of algal growth, lichens, and staining.

Due to the low-porosity and hard-wearing properties, Porcelain products do not need sealing.

Please click here to browse our range of sealants and enhancers.

6. I want to return all/part of my order, what should I do?

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept partial returns to our depot.

If you wish to return your full order, you can do so under the condition the paving is suitable to be resold and returned in its original packaging. You can return the paving at your own cost, alternatively, we can arrange a collection for a return which will be charged according to your location. This will be deducted from the total refund.