Raj Green Sandstone

Raj Green sandstone slabs are the ones that began the craze for Indian Sandstone across the UK and are still one of the most popular choices for paving slabs to this very day.

A great choice for almost any project.

Around £450 to £550 for the slabs: Value mixed packs are £22.43 per m² and standard mixed packs £27.55. On top of that, a 20m² drive needs roughly 8 bulk bags of Type 1 at £98.99 each for a 150mm sub-base, plus around £250 in sharp sand and cement for the bed, and two tubs of jointing compound at £57. Materials therefore land near £1,500 to £1,600, before delivery and labour.

Allow at least seven days before driving on it, and longer in cold or damp weather. You can usually walk on it carefully after 24 hours, but mortar needs time to reach useful strength and a wheel load too early will break the bond between slab and bed. Jointing compound should be fully cured first as well, since unsupported slab edges chip. Below about 5°C, mortar cures very slowly, so give it two weeks before parking on it.

It can, as on any natural stone kept damp and out of the sun. Sandstone is porous, so a shaded, north-facing or tree-covered drive will green up over a winter or two if left alone. The good news is that Raj Green’s mix of greens, browns and rust tones disguises early growth far better than a pale stone. Keep the drive swept, make sure water drains away rather than pooling, and clean once or twice a year with a pH-neutral cleaner.

Yes, very likely. Our slabs are 22mm and designed to spread a wheel’s load across a wide area; a jack pad or jockey wheel concentrates several hundred kilos into a few square centimetres, which will crack the stone even on a perfect mortar bed. Always put a thick timber board or steel spreader plate under a jack, stand or prop. The same applies to skips, scaffolding feet and heavy planters with small bases.

Our Silver Granite cobbles are the safest pairing, as the cool grey reads as neutral against Raj Green’s warm greens and browns and granite is the toughest edging we sell. Kota Black limestone cobbles give a stronger, more modern dark frame, which works if the house has dark windows or doors. Both come in 20 x 10cm and 10 x 10cm at 30 to 50mm thick, and both need bedding and haunching in concrete to act as an edge restraint.

Not from the parking itself, but wheel tracks often look different over time. Oil drips, brake dust and rubber build up along the tracks, while rain washes the open areas clean, so the two can drift apart in appearance. Raj Green’s natural variation hides this better than a uniform stone. A seasonal wash keeps the drive even, and sealing helps by stopping deposits soaking in. All sandstone also mellows slightly across the whole surface as it weathers.

Raj Green has a riven surface, meaning it is naturally split and gently textured rather than sawn flat, which gives good grip in the wet. On a slope that is a real advantage over smooth paving. The risk on any sloping drive is algae, which turns any surface slick, so keep it clean and make sure water runs off rather than sitting. Avoid gloss sealers, which can reduce grip; use a matt or natural-finish sealer instead.