Explore the Elegance of Sawn Paving with London Stone

London Stone pioneered the UK landscaping industry with the evolution of smooth stone paving. The transition from traditional riven (hand-cut) paving to the more refined smooth (sawn) paving, marked a significant development in our service offering well over a decade ago, aligning with the growing sophistication of consumer tastes. Recognising this trend early, we led the charge, expanding our product range to include an impressive array of sawn paving options that cater to diverse design needs and preferences.

The Essence of Sawn Paving

Sawn paving is celebrated for its clean lines and smooth finish, offering a modern and luxurious aesthetic that suits contemporary gardens and outdoor spaces. This sophisticated paving is created by precisely cutting quarried stone blocks with diamond-tipped blades. All four edges and on both the face and underside are sawn (six sides sawn), ensuring a uniform thickness and a flat surface that is ideal for a variety of settings; from garden pathways to extensive patios. With a very small dimensional tolerance, measurements of sawn slabs vary by only +/- 2mm. Find out more about the different types of paving, and which paving is right for you, here.

Sawn paving allows for thinner joints than its hand-cut (riven) counterparts, leaving a sleek, modern finish. We recommend that smooth paving is laid with a minimum joint width of 5mm. Here's a handy video on how to install smooth sandstone, which tells you more about joint widths.

Available Materials in Sawn Natural Stone Paving

Our sawn paving collection includes a variety of materials, each offering unique characteristics and benefits:

• Sandstone: Known for its rich colours and endurance, perfect for adding warmth and sophistication to any landscape. A wide variety of smooth sandstone is available, with London Stone only supplying the highest quality materials.
  We pride ourselves on offering a broad palette of colours and surface finishes, from the pale, warming tones of Beige, Harvest, Antique Cream, and Multi Mint, to the cooling colours of Contemporary Grey, Dove Grey, Flamed Grey, and Heath. Each colour group is curated to provide you with options that fit seamlessly into various design aesthetics, from rustic charm to contemporary chic.
• Limestone: An adaptable choice, which can be used in modern or classical designs. Extremely hard-wearing. Expect consistent colouring and the occasional ammonite fossil or shell-print.
  Our sawn limestone paving slabs come in a variety of finishes and colours—from the cooling blue grey of Jura Grey to the warm buffs of Jura Beige and Egyptian Beige Limestone. Each piece is precisely cut to achieve a smooth, refined surface that feels luxurious underfoot.
• Granite: Highly durable, and available in dark grey and black shades, granite provides a sleek, urban feel.
  Granite paving slabs offer a luxury finish to both contemporary and traditional settings. Their tight grain and evenly textured, sawn and flamed surface make them ideally suited to the crisp lines of modern designs. The colour of granite paving is very consistent, adding to its suitability for an ultra-modern space, where its subtle sparkle adds lightness and character. Granite has long been a traditional paving material, however, and it slips comfortably into traditional settings, especially in combination with setts.
• British Stone: Celebrated for its historic charm and exceptionally long life. Sawn Yorkstone and Portland Limestone carry prestigious appeal.
  Used for centuries in our cities, and being an indigenous material, British Stone has long proved its suitability to the British climate. It's also one of the most versatile paving stones. Britannia Buff Sawn Yorkstone adds luxury to contemporary designs, while Portland Limestone speaks of quality and tradition, while offering a consistency of colour and texture that has long been sought after. Smooth British stone is ideal for paving, step treads, risers, coping stones and pier caps. Incorporating its mellow tones into a design adds dignity and a timeless quality to entrances, patios, paths and driveways.

Surface Finishes

The beauty of sawn paving lies in its versatility, with finishes that enhance the stone's natural properties. We work in conjunction with our suppliers to offer beautiful, exceptional surface finishes, best suited for each stone.

Our finishes include:

Surface finishes explained.

• Sawn: A smooth surface texture, resulting from block saw cutting. Depending on the stone type, natural patterns and veining within the material can be prevalent.
• Sandblasted: As the name suggests, abrasive sand is blasted at the sawn stone at high pressure, increasing slip-resistance and changing the overall look of the material. Particularly prevalent in dense, very smooth stone.
• Flamed: Intense heat is applied to the stone's surface, creating a textured finish that is slip-resistant. Common in granite paving, flaming reacts with minerals within the stone and can result in a finish with a subtle sparkle.
• Brushed: A slightly glossier, ultra-smooth finish that brings out the deep colours and intricate details of the stone. Usually carried-out after sandblasting, this process is common in smooth limestones. Rest assured that all of our smooth natural stone adheres to slip-resistance testing and is safe to lay outdoors in the UK.
• Tumbled: Tumbling stone involves placing stones in a rotating drum with an abrasive medium (such as smaller rocks or pebbles) and water to wear down their edges and top surface, creating a smooth, slightly weathered appearance.

Read more about surface finishes, and the processes involved in manufacturing smooth natural stone.

‘To seal or not to seal?’

When sawing a natural stone, the natural grain of the material changes, making the finished product more porous. This in turn means that the material is more liable to marking and staining. To help counteract unseemly marks and stains, many customers choose to seal smooth natural stone.

While sealing sawn paving enhances stain resistance, it's important to dispel the myth that it makes stone impervious to damage. Sealing protects against spills and stains, but regular maintenance is still essential to preserve the stone's aesthetic appeal. London Stone, will always impart our expert advice on the best sealing products and methods to ensure your paving retains its beauty for years. London Stone offer a pre-sealing service, giving you peace of mind that your paving will arrive on site, ready to lay, having been meticulously pre-sealed under controlled conditions. We recommend that smooth natural stone is pre-sealed before laying, especially the paler, more porous materials like Beige, Harvest & Multi Mint Smooth Sandstones.

Suitability and Maintenance

Sawn paving is incredibly versatile, suitable for both residential and commercial environments. Whether it's a serene garden setting or a bustling terrace, sawn paving provides a durable and attractive solution. However, it's important to consider that this type of paving may require more maintenance than others. Regular cleaning and periodic sealing (depending on the type of sealer used) are recommended to maintain the stone's condition and appearance.

For outdoor spaces with factors such as trees that drop fruit (i.e. cherry and plum), excessive shade, driveways, children playing on bikes or scooters, or frequently used outdoor kitchens, it may be advisable to choose a riven natural stone, or a porcelain tile.

A Complete Design Solution

All of London Stone's smooth paving is available with off the shelf steps and coping options, to give you a complete look. Whether adding a front door step, navigating a change of level in your garden, or topping a raised bed suitable for sitting on, there's a nifty solution for you.

Bespoke Options

To meet specific design requirements, London Stone offers bespoke sawn paving solutions. From custom dimensions for paving slabs to specially designed steps and coping stones, our bespoke service allows you to create a truly unique space that reflects your personal style and meets your functional needs.

Why Choose London Stone?

Choosing London Stone for your sawn paving needs means selecting a supplier dedicated to quality and customer satisfaction. Our sawn paving:

• Is sourced from ethical quarries.
• Comes with a high-quality finish ensuring longevity.
• Is backed by our expert team offering design advice and technical support.
• Next Day Delivery is available across most of our products.

Smooth Natural Stone FAQ's

What are the best laying patterns for sawn paving?

Most of our Sawn Stone is supplied in a 900x600mm format, with 600x600mm, and/or 600x400mm pieces also available, allowing you to lay this material in several stylish laying patterns, from the contemporary stretcher bond, using one size, to the more intricate coursed pattern, making use of all three dimensions.

Popular choices include the linear, stretcher bond, or a random layout that can make small spaces appear larger.

Learn more about laying patterns with this helpful blog.

Which grout should I use?

We recommend using a high-quality grout suitable for the specific stone type and the expected traffic levels. Take a look here, or contact our sales advisors, who will advise you on the best options for your project.

How do I maintain sawn paving?

Regular cleaning with appropriate products will keep your paving in prime condition.

Can I view smooth natural stone in person?

We invite you to explore our full range of Sawn Limestone Paving online or visit our showrooms to see the true beauty of our products in person. Let London Stone help you transform your outdoor spaces into breathtaking landscapes that stand the test of time.

Ordering and Laying Considerations

Smooth natural stone can occasionally contain small chips to the edges and corners, resulting from the haulage process. These are not considered a defect, and once laid and grouted, are scarcely noticeable. When ordering smooth natural stone paving, it is important to account for chips, cuts, and potential wastage. We recommend accounting for an additional 10% of material to cover any unexpected issues during laying and to ensure that the colour and batch are consistent throughout your project.

By choosing London Stone's sawn paving, you are investing in quality and design that lasts. Discover the perfect blend of durability, aesthetics, and bespoke possibilities with us and transform your outdoor spaces into elegant landscapes.

If you have any questions that cannot be answered online, why not chat to us over WhatsApp? Our friendly, expert team of sales advisors are happy to answer your queries.