Porcelain gets a lot of attention, but sandstone can give you a similar finish for a lot less money. Here's an honest look at both.
Porcelain paving has become the default a lot of people ask for, mostly because it's the material that gets shown in glossy show gardens and online. Sandstone is often overlooked, even though for most gardens it does a very similar job for noticeably less money. HSH Services specialises in sandstone and natural stone, and it's worth being upfront about why.
| Factor | Sandstone | Porcelain |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | Lower material cost, good value for the finish | Higher material cost |
| Look | Natural stone texture and colour variation | Very consistent, uniform finish |
| Durability | Durable when laid on a proper sub-base and bed | Very durable, dense and low-porosity |
| Maintenance | Occasional cleaning and re-sealing may help keep colour | Low maintenance, resists staining well |
| Best suited to | Homeowners who want a natural garden look for less | Homeowners prioritising a uniform, low-maintenance finish and willing to pay more for it |
Sandstone gives homeowners a similar high-quality, natural finish to porcelain for significantly less money. It's not about cutting corners, it's about laying it properly: a full compacted sub-base, a sharp sand and cement bed with slurry priming on every slab, and proper jointing to finish. Done that way, sandstone holds up well and looks the part for a fraction of what porcelain typically costs.
Porcelain isn't wrong, it's just a different trade-off. If a completely uniform, low-maintenance finish matters more to you than cost, porcelain is worth considering. It's a fair, honest answer rather than a sales pitch either way.
For most Horsham gardens, sandstone laid properly gives homeowners the look they want without the porcelain price tag, which is exactly why it's the material HSH Services specialises in.