If you want the simplest patio possible, gravel is the easiest to put in. If you want a solid, paved surface, concrete paving slabs are the most straightforward option. But the easiest patio to install is not always the easiest to live with, so it pays to consider upkeep and the look you are after as well.
Here, we walk through the most popular patio materials, what makes each one easier or harder to lay, and how to choose the right one for your garden.
What Makes a Patio Easy or Hard to Install?
Whatever material you choose, the groundwork is broadly the same. The area needs digging out, levelling and laying with a compacted sub-base. The patio also needs a gentle fall so rainwater runs away from the house, and it should sit at least 150mm below the damp-proof course to protect your walls from damp.
This preparation is where most of the hard work happens, and where most DIY patios go wrong. After that, the difference between materials comes down to how heavy they are, how easy they are to cut, how consistent they are in size and thickness, and how forgiving they are if the bedding is not quite perfect.
Gravel Patios: The Simplest Option
A gravel patio is the quickest and cheapest to create. Once the ground is levelled, it is a case of laying a weed membrane, fitting edging to hold everything in place and spreading the gravel. A small area can often be finished in a day or two.
The trade-off is comfort and upkeep. Chair and table legs can sink in, stones get kicked onto lawns and paths, and the surface needs raking and topping up from time to time. Gravel grids under the stones make it firmer and stop it moving around.
Concrete Paving Slabs: The Easiest Paved Patio
For a hard, flat surface, concrete slabs are the easiest choice. They come in uniform sizes and thicknesses, which makes setting them level far simpler, and they cut cleanly with the right saw. They are also among the most affordable paving options.
They are laid on a full bed of mortar over the sub-base, then the joints are pointed. Modern concrete slabs come in a wide range of colours and textures, including convincing stone-effect finishes. Over many years, some can fade or weather, but a periodic clean keeps them looking fresh.
Natural Stone: Beautiful, but Harder Than It Looks
Natural stone such as sandstone, limestone and slate gives a patio real character, and no two slabs are quite the same. That variety is also what makes it harder to lay.
Hand-cut stone varies in thickness, so each slab needs bedding individually to get a level finish. It is heavy, and some types need priming on the back to bond properly to the mortar. Calibrated stone, cut to an even thickness, is noticeably easier to work with and is worth considering if you love the natural look.
Porcelain: Easy to Live With, Tricky to Lay
Porcelain paving has become very popular, and for good reason. It is hard-wearing, stain-resistant, keeps its colour and needs very little maintenance.
Installing it is another matter. Porcelain is very dense, so it needs a diamond blade to cut and a special primer or slurry on the back of each tile to stick to the mortar bed. Because it is so rigid, there is little margin for error in the levels. It is a job best left to an experienced installer, but once it is down, it is one of the easiest patios to own.
Block Paving Patios: Durable but Time-Consuming
Block paving makes a hard-wearing, attractive patio and can be laid in patterns that tie in with a block-paved driveway. However, it involves laying hundreds of small blocks, plenty of cutting around edges and careful compacting, so it takes longer than slabs. The upside is that individual blocks can be lifted and relaid if a repair is ever needed.
Easy to Install Versus Easy to Own
When choosing a patio, it helps to think about the next 10 or 20 years, not just the installation. Gravel is easy to lay but needs regular attention. Concrete slabs strike a good balance of simple installation, cost and durability. Porcelain asks more of the installer but very little of you once it is finished, while natural stone and block paving reward careful laying with a patio full of character that lasts.
The right answer depends on how you use your garden, the style of your home and your budget. Whatever you pick, good groundwork is what keeps a patio level, well-drained and looking good for years.
Let Us Take Care of the Hard Part, Speak To Us For A New Patio Today!
At RT Drives & Patios (NE) Ltd, we have been creating patios across Darlington, Durham, Middlesbrough and the surrounding areas for 20 years. We work with slabs, natural stone, porcelain, block paving and gravel, and we can add steps, walling and decorative edging to finish the space.
Our own team handles everything from groundwork to the final clean-up, and all of our work is fully guaranteed. Take a look at our patio work, then call us on 01325 589089 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation quote.