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Important Information
Natural Paving products may contain natural variations, minor imperfections, or surface characteristics that form part of the product’s appearance. These features are not considered defects.
Porcelain Paving Products are batch coded, and tones and markings will vary between batch codes/
Customers and installers must inspect all materials before installation. Once paving has been cut, laid, or installed, it is considered accepted and cannot be replaced or refunded for appearance-related concerns.
Waste Allowance & Industry Tolerance
When installing paving slabs, some cutting will be required in order to fit the layout and shape of your project area. This process will inevitably create off-cuts and some unavoidable wastage.
It is industry standard across the paving and landscaping sector to allow approximately 10% additional material. This allowance covers:
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Cutting during installation
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On-site breakages or accidental damage
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Aesthetic selection of slabs
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Natural variation within the material
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Minor transit damage
In many cases, slabs that have minor edge damage or small imperfections can still be used for cuts, allowing full slabs to be used in visible areas.
By allowing the standard 10% wastage tolerance, customers should have sufficient material to complete their project.
For this reason, Natural Paving Store will not replace slabs that fall within the standard 10% tolerance allowance, as this is an accepted industry practice followed by most major paving suppliers.
When ordering limestone paving, we recommend allowing approximately 15% additional material, as limestone is a naturally layered stone that can display bedding planes and fracture lines which may require additional selection during installation.
Failure to allow sufficient wastage may result in insufficient materials to complete the project, particularly where batch variation may occur between separate orders.
The square metre (m²) coverage listed for each product includes recommended joint widths, providing a realistic guide to the total area the paving will cover once installed.
If you wish to calculate the exact surface area of the stone only, this can be done using the slab dimensions and quantities listed on the product page.
Transport & Minor Damage
Paving slabs are heavy but fragile products that travel through pallet delivery networks. Despite careful packing and handling, minor damage can occasionally occur during transport or handling due to the nature of the materials.
In most cases, slabs with minor edge damage or imperfections remain usable and can be cut during installation, allowing full slabs to be used in visible areas.
This is one of the reasons why the 10% industry wastage allowance exists, ensuring customers have enough material available to complete their project even if minor damage occurs.
Where possible, we will include a complimentary slab within packs to help cover minor transport damage, although this cannot always be guaranteed.
Due to the nature of pallet delivery networks, we are unable to send out very small quantities of replacement slabs, as individual slabs are often not heavy or secure enough to travel safely without risk of further damage.
If the level of damage exceeds the standard 10% industry tolerance, customers must report this within 72 hours of delivery by contacting:
support@naturalpavingstore.co.uk
Please include your order number and clear photographs of the damaged slabs and pallet packaging so our team can review the issue and assist you accordingly.
Customers should inspect all goods before installation, as once paving has been cut, laid or installed, it is considered accepted and claims relating to damage cannot be accepted.
Natural Stone Characteristics
Many of our paving products are manufactured from natural stone, including sandstone, limestone, slate and granite. As these materials are naturally formed, variations in appearance are expected and form part of the character of the stone.
Natural stone paving may include:
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Riven or textured surfaces
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Natural fissures or veins
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Bedding planes or natural fracture lines
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Fossil markings or mineral deposits
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Slightly irregular edges or corners
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Minor chipping from handling or transport
These characteristics are not considered defects or damage, but natural features of the material.
Certain stones, particularly limestone, may display visible natural fracture lines or bedding planes that occur during the geological formation of the stone. These are not structural faults and should not be mistaken for breakages.
Slabs displaying natural surface characteristics or minor edge imperfections will not be replaced or refunded, and customers should allow for these natural variations within the recommended wastage allowance.
Colour Variation & Product Images
Images shown on our website and marketing materials are provided for guidance only.
Natural stone products can vary in colour, tone, shading, veining and texture due to the natural formation of the material.
In addition, factors such as:
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Lighting conditions when photographs were taken
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Screen or device display settings
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Quarry variation
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Production batches
may influence how the product appears.
For this reason, exact colour matching cannot be guaranteed, and variation between images, samples and delivered products does not constitute a fault or valid claim.
Efflorescence, Weathering & Environmental Effects
Paving products installed outdoors may change in appearance over time due to natural environmental conditions.
This may include:
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Efflorescence (temporary white deposits caused by natural salts)
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Moisture darkening when the stone becomes wet
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Weathering from rain, frost and UV exposure
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Organic growth, such as algae or moss
These effects are natural processes associated with outdoor paving materials and do not affect the durability or performance of the product.
For this reason, efflorescence, colour change, staining from environmental conditions, or organic growth are not considered product faults.