Making Sawn Yorkstone Paving

Yorkstone sawn paving is a natural sandstone paving made from sandstone quarried in West Yorkshire. Sawn yorkstone paving has a smooth polished or honed surface with a sandy yellow colouring. Yorkstone sawn paving can be used with its natural surface or it can be varnished or stained to give it a shiny surface or wet look. Sawn yorkstone paving is immensely strong and durable and will last a lifetime.

What is sawn yorkstone paving?

Watch the video below to see how yorkstone sawn paving is made from large ashlar stone blocks. The blocks are first sawn on the Wellcut Primary Stone Saw with a 2 meter diamond blade that cuts the blocks into slices known as ‘scants’. The scants are then broken off from the stone block and placed on the Secondary Stone Saw where they are cut to the finished sizes and used for paving.

 

Sawn paving for residential and commercial use

Yorkstone sawn paving is used as footpaths, patios and driveways for homes and gardens and for pavements and entrance patios for office buildings and hotels. It is also used as interior flooring for kitchens and bathrooms.

A brief history of stone-sawing

Yorkstone sawn paving has only been available since the introduction and evolution of machinery in yorkstone quarries. The yorkstone paving stones that were originally laid in towns and cities were 'riven' with hammer and chisel before the stone saws were introduced. Old yorkstone that looks like sawn yorkstone such as fireplaces or headstones was chiseled flat with a bolster-like chisel then smoothed with a rubbing stone.

The first saws were simple, with long flat iron blades driven back and forth by water or steam power. Abrasive sand was added to help the blade cut through the stone and a flow of water kept the blades cool. Cutting was very slow until the introduction of the electric circular saws with diamond blades which are used today.

Preserving sawn yorkstone

Yorkstone is a porous stone meaning it will soak up water or other liquids which can cause staining. Applying a sealant or varnish to the stone will prevent any staining. Outdoors yorkstone sawn paving will weather naturally to dark green and black if not regularly cleaned or sealed.

Sawn yorkstone flags or 'scants' can be cut to any thickness required but is usually 50-60mm for exterior paving and 25-40mm for interior flooring. Old yorkstone paving can look like it has a sawn surface but the rough surface of old riven paving stones has been smoothed over time by the many people that have walked on them.

 

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About Yorkstone: Article 3
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Sawn yorkstone pavement
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