Kilsaran newbridge silver granite paving

matthew10

Hi ,

I am planning to install newbridge sikvergranite paving from kilsaran. Since it is not real stone, would the colour fade badly over time. Any suggestion or pictures please. Tnx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058248950/kilsaran-newbridge-silver-granite-paving

I don't have any personal experience with it but I know a few landscapers and pavers that don't like working with it and a few have advised against using it.

I wouldn't look past porcelain or Irish Blue limestone if I were putting down a new patio. Expensive but worth it. With paving, it's always worth paying the few extra bob for quality.

standardg60

On the contrary, especially with these new aesthetic finishes, they're essentially better than natural stone as they're less porous and prone to degradation. I wouldn't bother with jointing gaps though, they will give more trouble than the slabs, lay them flush to each other in a concrete mix and you won't have any trouble for years.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119167023#Comment_119167023

Have you laid them or used them out of interest? Or seen them after they've been down for a long period? I was warned off granite by two lads who are in the game a long time and know what they are talking about.

standardg60

But it's not granite?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119168899#Comment_119168899

Indeed, I mean this exact product though. I got the walling and kerbing from Kilsaran but was warned off this by two separate landscapers who both said it ages poorly. Maybe they were wrong...

Lumen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119167023#Comment_119167023

I'm probably just getting old, but I've noticed the last few years a trend towards "perfect" outdoor landscaping, constructed like a house without a roof. I mean use of paints, porcelain and so on that is not designed to degrade gracefully.

I personally prefer the naturally scruffy in my outdoors. I have a load of textured sandstone paving (and a few steps) around the place that are probably 20-30 years old and look (to my eyes) lovely. I suppose to some eyes they're covered in stains and rough edges, but that's just natural looking to me. I spent a couple of hours last weekend making a sunken stepping-stone path across my scruffy lawn with offcuts of sandstone on paving grit, without a speck of cement in sight, and the whole process was a joy.

Conversely, I see people complaining about natural stone staining in their perfectly square patios, and I think the issue is a mis-match between the innate qualities of the product and the desired effect.

If you want an outdoor area to look like a outdoor kitchen, maybe use porcelain or whatever. If you want it to look like landscaped nature, use natural stone.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119173055#Comment_119173055

Hard to argue with that. The 'perfect' landscaping tends to be low maintenance and low on planting so I suppose the paving stands out more. It's the outdoor room or outside/inside space trend.