Choosing your outdoor paving
The choice of outdoor paving is essential to ensure aesthetics, durability, and practicality for your landscaping. Between natural stone, porcelain stoneware, or other coverings, several criteria must be considered.
1. What material for your outdoor paving?
Natural stone: Authentic and timeless, it offers exceptional resistance and develops a patina over time. We offer several types of natural stone: travertine, limestone, granite, slate, quartzite, and sandstone.
Porcelain stoneware: Aesthetic and modern, it perfectly imitates natural materials while being frost-resistant and easy to maintain. Available in stone, concrete, and wood effects.
2. Which style to choose?
Natural stone, thanks to its wide choice of finishes, formats, and colors, covers all market demands. Here are some styles to inspire you:
- COUNTRY HOUSE style: Authenticity and old-world charm with aged, free-form slabs. This style provides a warm and timeless look, perfect for an elegant rustic ambiance.
- FRENCH CLASSIC style: Elegance and refinement with large-format, honed limestone slabs. A timeless style inspired by the floors of beautiful French residences.
- MOUNTAIN CHALET style: Natural stone is an essential element of the alpine style. Used to create paths, retaining walls, or waterfalls, it evokes the rock formations of the mountains. Shale, limestone, and sandstone are popular stones in this style.
- CONTEMPORARY style: Simplicity and modernity with square or rectangular slabs with sharp edges, in basalt, granite, or bluestone. Ideal for a sleek design with gray or beige-gray hues.
- INDUSTRIAL LOFT style: A raw look with gray, anthracite, or brown slabs, recreating the atmosphere of old New York workshops and lofts.
- ZEN GARDEN style: Serenity and balance with Japanese steps and natural stone wall coverings, perfect for a harmonious zen garden.
- NATURE style: A simple and soothing style, using natural elements to create a warm and refined ambiance.
- MEDITERRANEAN style: Use natural stones like limestone or travertine to create paths, terraces, or retaining walls and create a sunny and authentic atmosphere.
3. What is the price for stone paving?
The price varies depending on the origin of the stone, the difficulty of extraction, the percentage of loss, and the thickness. For example, a 15 mm slab might cost around €35 per sq. meter, while a 30 mm slab could reach €58 per sq. meter. The greater thickness guarantees better thermal inertia and durability over time.
It is also important to note that the price of stones can vary according to quality and selection, as in the case of Turkish travertines, where the price can fluctuate between €25 and €45 per sq. meter depending on quality choices.
4. What finish to choose for an outdoor terrace?
The stone finish greatly influences its appearance. Outdoors, all our products are non-slip. It is advisable to choose marked finishes for hard and low-porosity stones, such as granite, to ensure a non-slip surface (e.g., flamed for granite).
Some aged limestones may be a bit smooth upon delivery but will become rougher over time, which can be beneficial for safety.
At Minéral, we select our products considering all these criteria.
5. What criteria to consider when choosing paving?
Here are some elements to consider when making your choice:
- Porosity: Choose stones with low porosity, which reduces dirt buildup and facilitates cleaning, especially in high-humidity areas.
- Format: The format should match the desired style (large slabs or more classic formats). Note that large formats are often more expensive, and this can affect installation cost.
- Style and environment: Choose a stone that harmonizes with the local environment of your home. It is often preferable to maintain a local spirit for timeless integration.
- Thickness: Prioritize greater thickness (3 cm) to ensure better longevity.
6. Lifespan of natural stones
Natural stones are renowned for their longevity, often exceeding 30 years. Lifespan also depends on the quality of installation and joints. Thick slabs, 30 mm and more, can be resold after initial use as part of reuse programs.
7. Natural stone effect slabs:
- Reconstituted stone: Although this option imitates old stones very well, it only has a lifespan of 6 to 10 years outdoors, as the colored engobe disappears over time, revealing the concrete.
- Ceramic slabs: Imitating certain quartzites, they offer good durability and low porosity, but may not satisfy purists who prefer natural stones.
If you need durable, aesthetic paving adapted to your style, Minéral Pierre Naturelle offers a wide range to meet your needs.
