Natural stone driveways
Stone & Cobbled Driveways Rotherham
Indian stone, cobbled, granite and Belgian blue driveways across Rotherham, supplied and laid by our team, with a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
- 5.0 Google rated
- Fully insured
- Local Rotherham team
- Free, no-obligation quotes
- Supply and fit Or fitting only, with stone you have sourced
- Period character Cobbles and setts with real presence
- Matching patios The same stone from the drive to the garden
Your choice of stone
Stone Driveways Rotherham
The term block paving is mostly used for angular bricks, but it is also commonly used to describe how a stone block driveway is built: the repeated laying of stone, block or brick over a suitable ground base. At Driveways Rotherham we can work with any cobble or brick to update your driveway.
Because the method is so flexible, there is a huge choice of rocks, stones and bricks, with new options arriving every year, so it is nearly impossible to list them all. If you have your own ideas on style, we can provide a complete supply-and-fit stone driveway. Or, if you have sourced a particular stone yourself, we are more than happy to quote just for the groundwork and fitting.
Either way, it is worth involving us early, so we can advise on any implications of the products you choose. For example, the smaller the stones, the longer they take to lay, which affects the installation cost, and it may also change the aggregates we use for the sub-base. We want to be able to guarantee a quality finish with whatever materials you pick. Below are a few of the stones most often chosen for driveways and paving.
Cobbles
Cobbled Driveways Rotherham
Cobblestones are one of the oldest forms of paving and give a driveway real period character. Some of the earliest purpose-built roads using cobbles were laid by the Romans in the third and fourth centuries. They would not have given the most comfortable ride in a cart or chariot, but with today’s air-filled tyres, driving on them causes no problem, and their slightly uneven surface is a big part of their appeal.
As well as new stone, many driveways use cobbles reclaimed from other drives or even walls, which can be used without any issues. Their age means their shapes are more irregular, but even quite rounded cobbles can be levelled reasonably well. The variation between them leaves more irregular gaps, which only adds to the unique look and is seldom a concern for the fitter or the homeowner.
Cobbles give a hard-wearing, durable driveway. The only potential issue is the gaps between the stones, where weeds and moss can develop if they are not treated regularly.
Indian stone
Indian Stone Driveways Rotherham
Buff and grey are the most popular colours for an Indian stone driveway or patio, and they are often used together. If you are thinking of sourcing your own Indian stone, please make sure you choose driveway grade, which is thicker and stronger to cope with cars driving and parking on it. Choose patio grade instead and you run a much higher risk of some slabs cracking under the weight of vehicles.
Indian stone comes in various sizes, and mixing them across an area gives a more interesting finish with plenty of character. It is also increasingly common to use the same stone for the front driveway, side path and back garden paving all the way round a property. That gives great continuity, and as well as being suitable for cars, Indian stone makes an ideal patio for entertaining.
Belgian blue
Belgian Blue Stone Driveways
Belgian blue is a sedimentary paving stone, named for its refined blue-grey colour. Although it is sedimentary, its solid make-up makes it a durable paving stone, giving it toughness and water resistance. It absorbs very little rain, which makes it resistant to frost and ice.
Smaller Belgian blue stones, with slightly rounded sides and a flat body, make a good alternative to other stones when creating a cobbled driveway.
Granite
Granite Sett Driveways
Granite is another stone that gives a driveway a special charm. It is available as a cobble, but more usually as a sett. The difference is the finished shape: a sett is cut to be more angular and rectangular, whereas a cobble is normally rounder and softer-edged.
Granite and a few other stones also come in what is known as carpet format, where a number of stones are pre-spaced and joined on a mesh so a group can be laid in one go. That speeds up the fitting, which is its main advantage over laying stones one by one, although it does limit the patterns you can create. Individual stones give you total flexibility, and the two can be combined: as long as the sett and the loose stones are the same stone, there is no noticeable difference once they are laid.
Other surfaces
Compare Other Driveway Options
Weighing natural stone against other finishes? We’re happy to price more than one.
Block Paving
Manufactured blocks in a wide range of colours and patterns.
Resin Driveways
A seamless, permeable finish with no joints to weed.
Imprinted Concrete
The look of cobbles or setts in one sealed surface.
Patios
Carry the same stone through to your back garden.
Where we work
Stone Driveways Across Rotherham
We lay stone and cobbled driveways across Rotherham and the surrounding towns, including:
- Stone driveways in Brinsworth
- Stone driveways in Dinnington
- Stone driveways in Maltby
- Stone driveways in Mexborough
- Stone driveways in Rawmarsh
- Stone driveways in Swallownest
- Stone driveways in Swinton
- Stone driveways in Thorpe Hesley
- Stone driveways in Thurcroft
- Stone driveways in Treeton
- Stone driveways in Wath upon Dearne
- Stone driveways in Wickersley
Free quotes
Get a Free Stone Driveway Quote
Tell us the stone you have in mind, or that you have already sourced, and we’ll quote for the full job or just the groundwork and fitting.
FAQs
Stone and Cobbled Driveway Questions
Can I supply my own stone?
Yes. If you have sourced a particular stone, we are happy to quote just for the groundwork and fitting. Involve us early, though, so we can check it suits a driveway and advise on anything that affects the cost, such as smaller stones taking longer to lay.
What grade of Indian stone do I need for a driveway?
Driveway grade. It is thicker and stronger than patio grade, so it copes with cars driving and parking on it. Patio-grade slabs used on a drive carry a much higher risk of cracking under the weight of vehicles.
Are cobbled driveways uncomfortable to drive on?
No. Modern air-filled tyres cope with cobbles easily, and the slightly uneven surface is a big part of their character. Even quite rounded or reclaimed cobbles can be levelled reasonably well when they are laid.
What is the difference between a cobble and a sett?
A sett is cut to an angular, rectangular shape, while a cobble is usually rounder and softer-edged. Granite and some other stones come in both, and also in carpet format, where stones are pre-spaced on a mesh so a group can be laid in one go.
Do stone and cobbled driveways need much maintenance?
Very little. The stone itself is hard-wearing, and some, such as Belgian blue, absorb so little water that they resist frost and ice. The gaps between stones are the only place weeds and moss can develop, so treat them regularly and the driveway will stay looking its best.
Can my driveway and patio be laid in the same stone?
Yes, and it is becoming increasingly popular. Running the same stone from the front driveway, along the side path and round to the back garden paving gives a property great continuity. Just make sure the driveway sections use driveway-grade stone.
