It depends on how you'll use the space and the look you're after. Sandstone is warm-toned, widely used and good value. Limestone gives a more uniform, contemporary finish. Granite and slate are the hardest-wearing. Some stones are more porous than others, which affects staining and how much maintenance you'll want to do. We'll bring samples and show you how each one looks wet as well as dry — British patios spend a lot of their life wet.
Any paving will grow algae in a shaded, damp spot — that's the climate, not the stone. Textured and riven finishes give more grip than smooth honed ones. A yearly clean keeps it under control, and sealing helps with staining and makes cleaning easier. If the patio is somewhere permanently shaded, we'll steer you towards a finish that copes with it.
It's optional, and it depends on the stone. Sealing helps porous stones like some sandstones resist staining from wine, barbecue grease and leaf tannins, and it makes cleaning easier. It doesn't make the stone bulletproof and it needs redoing periodically. We'll tell you honestly whether your chosen stone benefits from it, rather than selling you a treatment you don't need.
