Black Limestone

A dense, dark limestone laid thick enough is the best choice, and in our range Kota Black is the strongest candidate. It is dense, hardwearing and resists staining better than the paler limestones, and the dark colour hides tyre dust and general road dirt. Our Yellow Limestone is supplied thicker, which counts for a lot on a drive, but shows marks more. For heavy use, cobbles beat slabs in any limestone. 

They are 22mm, which takes a family car when every slab sits on a full, unbroken mortar bed over 150mm of compacted Type 1. We do not stock a thicker driveway-grade Kota Black. The strength comes from the support underneath rather than the slab itself, so there must be no voids anywhere. Keep point loads off: car jacks, trailer jockey wheels, skips and scaffold feet could crack a 22mm slab even on a perfect bed. 

Less than on any other stone we sell. Black rubber scuffing against a dark surface is barely visible, which is the main practical argument for Kota Black on a drive. What does show is the opposite: dried salt, pollen, dust and water marks all stand out against black. Oil is still a concern, as limestone is porous and a spill left to soak in leaves a mark even on dark stone, so seal the drive and clean spills promptly. 

Dark Grey is the one to choose from our three Joint-It Simple colours. It sits closest to the slab, so the patio or drive reads as a continuous dark surface rather than a grid of outlined slabs, and it hides the dirt that collects in joints on a drive. Grey gives a deliberate contrast if you want the pattern defined. Avoid Neutral, as a buff joint against black looks stark. All three are from £57 per 20kg tub. 

Cobbles rather than kerbs. Our Kota Black limestone cobbles come in 20 x 10cm and 10 x 10cm at 30 to 50mm thick, from £0.49 each, and they are the same stone as the paving so the colour matches. We do not stock limestone kerb stones. The cobbles do the same job on a drive: bedded on concrete and haunched behind, they hold the edge and follow curves a long kerb could not. 

For the hardest-worked parts, yes. At 30 to 50mm the cobbles are considerably thicker than the 22mm slabs, and the load spreads across many small units rather than one span, so there is far less risk of cracking. They are slower to lay and cost more per m², which is why most drives use them selectively: cobbles for the turning area, the apron and the edge, slabs across the open surface where loads are lighter. 

Yes, dark stone absorbs heat and a black drive in full sun gets noticeably hot underfoot in summer, enough to be uncomfortable barefoot and worth thinking about if dogs cross it regularly. On a driveway this matters less than on a patio, as people are walking across in shoes rather than sitting out. It cools quickly once the sun moves off.