Gravel is fine for tables and chairs. I'm surprised at anyone thinking it isn't. It's ideal in shadier sites too, when paving of any kind can be slippy, but it largely depends on where the patio is, and how/when it's used
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
£1000 for porcelain tiles for that area. Presumably the £2k is including laying them?
Could you do it yourselves? If you're nervous about laying it as fully tiled inc groundworks and jointing them, you could do a bit of both. Remove current patio, remove 100mm or so, lay geotextile , lay a layer of chips and then bed tiles into the chips, leaving spaces to your taste. You could do that in a weekend.
@Fairygirl I've found that when you want to leave the table and push the chair back it doesn't push easily, has to be lifted, which isn't so easy when you have a gammy knee. I suppose it depends on the size and depth of gravel too. I have visited a lot of open gardens, NGS, where they serve teas and the chairs can sink in unevenly. I prefer pavers.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
I'd choose paving over gravel too. Easy to keep clean, level if laid correctly and no fear of overspill on to the lawn, borders and into your house and car via your shoes or pets! I have some porcelain steps in a shady part of my garden but they are not slippy when wet.
We have a patio that needs replacing, it’s roughly 19m2. I would ideally replace with porcelain but the cost is putting me off slightly, we’ve been quoted £2,000. I just don’t know whether it’s worth it or to just put gravel down as it’s cheaper and quicker. Any experience and advice would be greatly appreciated.
The area is mainly used for seating, there’s an outdoor sofa currently on the patio.
TIA
I'd question that price. We'd charge something in the region of £240m2 installed + VAT (plus preliminary expenses).
Porcelain tiles are not paviors and require a tiling discipline opposed to simply lashing down slabs.
It was just over £2k for supplying and installing. We’ve had some work done by them before so are happy with them. Sounds like it is a better option than gravel as it would be annoying having it overspill onto grass and brought in the house.
We used to have a gravel patio - it was a real problem. The gravel would stick to shoes and dogs' feet and ended up in the house - not lots just a few stones but enough to scratch the tiled floors inside and be a nuisance. I'd have paving for sure
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
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It's ideal in shadier sites too, when paving of any kind can be slippy, but it largely depends on where the patio is, and how/when it's used
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Could you do it yourselves? If you're nervous about laying it as fully tiled inc groundworks and jointing them, you could do a bit of both. Remove current patio, remove 100mm or so, lay geotextile , lay a layer of chips and then bed tiles into the chips, leaving spaces to your taste. You could do that in a weekend.
Porcelain tiles are not paviors and require a tiling discipline opposed to simply lashing down slabs.
Edit - @Pete.8 is bang on the money
Sounds like it is a better option than gravel as it would be annoying having it overspill onto grass and brought in the house.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Each to their own.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”