Patios Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare.
New patios across Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare in Indian sandstone, porcelain, granite and limestone. Every slab goes down on a full bed of mortar, the falls take water away from the house, and the joints are finished to suit the stone, so the patio you sit on in five years is the one you paid for.
A patio that is laid on five dabs of mortar rocks, cracks and grows weeds within a few winters. A patio laid on a full bed does not.
We build patios for houses across the three counties: dig-out, a compacted sub-base, a full mortar bed under every slab, falls set away from the house, and joints finished in sand, polymeric compound or grout depending on the stone.
We measure on site, check the levels against the door threshold and the drains, and send a written quote within 48 hours.
Patios pages.
Indian sandstone, porcelain, granite and limestone patios.
Choosing a patio stone.
Indian sandstone is the most popular patio stone in Irish gardens. It is warm in colour, it varies from slab to slab so a patio looks natural, and it is forgiving to lay. It is porous, so it darkens when wet and benefits from sealing every few years. Porcelain is the modern alternative: dead flat, dense, does not stain, does not need sealing, and comes in finishes that copy stone, timber or concrete. It is harder to cut and it must be laid on a full bed with a primer, which is where a lot of porcelain patios go wrong.
Granite is the hardest wearing of the four and suits a plainer, more formal garden. Limestone is smooth and pale and looks well with a modern extension, but it is soft and it marks, so it wants a sealer and a bit of care. We bring samples to the site visit and talk through which suits the garden, the house and how you will use it.
How the patio is built.
The area is dug out to depth and any soft ground under it removed. A compacted Type 1 sub-base goes in, laid in layers and whacked down. Then a full bed of mortar under each slab, not spots at the corners; the slab is tapped down level, lined by eye and string, and the next one goes beside it with a consistent joint. Cuts around drains, steps, walls and existing features are done to fit, not filled with mortar.
Falls are set at the start and checked as we go. A patio next to a house falls away from it so rain runs to the lawn, a channel or a gully rather than against the wall, and the finished surface sits below the damp course at the door. It is a small thing that saves a lot of trouble.
Joints, sealing and finishing.
The joint is where a patio lives or dies. Kiln-dried sand brushed in is fine for a tight-jointed block patio but it washes out of wide stone joints and grows weeds. Polymeric jointing compound sets hard in the joint, sheds water and stays weed-free for years; a wet grout is used on porcelain and on stone where a sealed, flush joint is wanted. The quote says which we would use and why.
Natural stone can be sealed once it has dried out after laying, which keeps the colour, slows staining and makes it easier to clean. Porcelain needs nothing. On handover the patio is pressure-washed, the joints are finished, and before and after photos are sent the same day.
Patios across Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare.
Most patios we build are behind two-storey houses in the suburbs of Dublin and the towns of Kildare and Wicklow, where access to the back garden is through a side passage or, on a terrace, through the house. Materials come in by hand or barrow and spoil goes out the same way, so the days are planned around that. Larger gardens in the country give room for a bigger patio and a wider choice of stone, and the same build-up applies.
A patio is often one part of a bigger garden job, with steps, a path, a raised bed or a retaining wall around it. That is landscaping work and we do it with the same crew, so the levels and the finishes match.
Included as standard.
The following is included on every patios quote. Anything outside it is itemised separately on the written estimate.
- 01Site visit, levels check and drainage assessment before quoting
- 02Excavation to depth and a compacted Type 1 sub-base
- 03Full mortar bed under every slab (no spot-bedding)
- 04Jointing to suit: kiln-dried sand, polymeric or wet-grout
- 05Falls set to drain away from the property at a minimum of 1:80
- 06Optional sealing on natural stone using Lithofin or equivalent
From first call to handover.
The same crew runs the job from the site visit through to sign-off.
- First01.
Walk the area.
We assess levels, drainage and access on site, then quote against measured dimensions.
- Then02.
Lay the patio.
Each slab bedded full, lined to the eye, with cut-ins around drains, steps and existing features.
- Last03.
Sign off.
Patio pressure-washed, jointing finished, before-and-after photos sent the same day.
Where we draw the line.
We build patios in stone, porcelain and block. We do not lay decking, we do not build patios on a bed of sand alone or on mortar dabs to hit a lower price, and we do not relay a patio on a failed base without taking the base out first. If your patio has moved because the base has gone, we will quote for the base to be done properly.
Patios questions.
Anything else, ring 085 781 4603.
Should I choose sandstone or porcelain?
Indian sandstone is warmer in tone and forgiving to lay. Porcelain is dead-flat, weatherproof and needs no sealing. Both are good choices and we'll talk you through the trade-offs on the site visit.
Will the joints grow weeds?
Not if they're finished correctly. Polymeric jointing or wet-grout will keep a patio weed-free for years, particularly where the patio runs alongside lawn.
Can a patio be laid in winter?
Yes, provided overnight temperatures stay above freezing. We move scheduled work indoors during a cold snap rather than risk a frost-damaged bed.
Does a patio need planning permission in Ireland?
Not normally for a patio in your own back garden. Very large areas of hard surface or anything that changes drainage towards a neighbour can raise questions, and we will flag it on the site visit if it applies.
How long before I can use the new patio?
Keep off it for a day or two while the mortar bed goes off, and longer in cold weather. Furniture can go on once the joints have set, which depends on the jointing used; we tell you on the day.
One crew, every trade.
The same crew, the same written quote, across the rest of the work we do.
Roofing
Roof repairs, leaks, flashing, chimneys and gutters.
See the trade
Driveways
Block paving, tarmac, gravel and resin-bound driveways.
See the trade
Gardening
Scheduled garden maintenance for residential and commercial sites.
See the trade
Landscaping
Garden design and full landscaping builds.
See the trade
Fencing
Timber, composite and metal fencing, plus gates.
See the trade
Concrete
Shed bases, garden building foundations and concrete paths.
See the tradeGet your patios job priced.
Tell us what needs doing and where. Free site visit, then one written price inside 48 hours, with no pressure to go ahead.