Fossil Mint Sandstone

Fossil Mint is a classic sandstone which brings light and colour to your outdoor space. This cream/caramel coloured stone is a softer sandstone which, with a little care and attention can brighten up your space more than any other stone.

Yes. The faint ripples, shell shapes and plant-like traces across the slabs are genuine fossil impressions, formed when the sand that became this stone was laid down on an ancient seabed millions of years ago. They vary from slab to slab, some strong and some barely visible, and no two pieces are the same. They are part of the stone rather than a surface pattern, so they will not wear away or wash off. 

Yes, washing-up liquid in warm water is a perfectly good everyday cleaner for sandstone, and it is what we would reach for first. Use a stiff brush, work in sections and rinse thoroughly so no residue is left to attract dirt. What to avoid is anything acidic, including vinegar and brick acid, which eats into the stone and bleaches the colour. For algae and black spot, use a pH-neutral patio cleaner instead. 

Mostly cream and caramel, with a soft green cast on some slabs rather than through the whole pack. It creates a light, warm, sandy patio with hints of green, pink and grey in places. It is the brightest sandstone we sell, which makes it good for lifting an enclosed garden. When wet, the colours deepen and the greens show more. 

Yes. Fossil Mint 60 x 60cm is £25.00 per m², £9.00 per slab, and it is the cheapest way to buy this stone. The range also includes 90 x 60cm, 60 x 45cm and 60 x 30cm as single sizes, plus mixed packs at £31.99 per m² holding a balance of four sizes. Buy single sizes for an ordered modern layout, mixed packs for a traditional random pattern. 

The 60 x 30cm at £5.04 per slab suits paths, borders and a stretcher-bond layout, where large slabs would look out of proportion. It is also the size to use for a single-row edge around a patio. The 60 x 45cm at £7.01 sits between the two, working well on a small patio or courtyard where 90 x 60cm slabs would need too much cutting. Both are useful for breaking up a run of larger slabs. 

No, we do not stock Fossil Mint steps. Our bullnosed and rustic steps come in Kandla Grey, Raj Green, Black Limestone and porcelain. Two options work in practice: our Porcelain Bullnosed Steps starting at £20.99 each in a buff or cream tone, or forming the step from Fossil Mint slabs themselves, with a 60 x 30cm laid as the tread over a riser built in blockwork. Fossil Mint cobbles can edge the step. 

Yes, with one caveat. A pale stone stays noticeably cooler underfoot than dark paving in direct sun, which matters if children or pets use the patio barefoot, and it keeps a sun trap from feeling baked. On a large open south-facing area, though, cream stone can throw glare on the brightest days. Planting, a pergola or a parasol takes the edge off, and the natural variation in Fossil Mint helps more than a uniform slab would.