Stone paving is attractive, hard-wearing and incredibly strong. The most commonly used variety is York stone from the Pennines, although there are stone varieties from all other regions of the country: limestone from Derbyshire and North Yorkshire, slate from Wales and granite from Scotland.

There is also a wide range of stone imported from the rest of the world, such as Indian Sandstone or marble and slate from southern Europe.

However, whilst natural stone looks good, it is expensive to buy and can be difficult to lay. Reclaimed stone slabs tend to be cheaper and often have more character than newly cut ones, so are particularly useful for use in period properties. However, always check the quality before buying reclaimed stone to ensure that they are not stained with oil or mortar, and that the surface is not flaky. Some reclaimed flags may also be irregular in shape or have corners missing.

Although the majority of stone paving can be laid onto a 4-5 cm grit sand bed, some thinner types, such slate, should be laid on a concrete bed.