British winters can be long and harsh, causing a huge amount of damage to limestone garden flagstones or landscaping stone in a matter of a few years.
Local varieties of limestone such as Bath stone or Cotswold stone have low resistance to frost. Just look in any garden in spring time and you will see the damage for yourself.
Our garden flagstones are certified frost resistant. We source the stone for our limestone outdoor tiles from selected quarries in Europe. In these countries the level of frost resistance is tested and regulated.
A stone sample is soaked in water for 24 hours, frozen at -20 degrees and left to thaw. If this can be repeated 144 times (cycles) without damage to the stone, it is declared frost resistant.
A non frost resistant limestone absorbs water in tiny cracks too small to be seen by the naked eye. When the water freezes it expands and acts like a wedge driving the cracks to break open.
In some stones, the spaces between the grain of the stone join up with each other, allowing the ice to come out of the stone. This is called open porosity and is what makes some soft, porous limestone resistant to frost.
Take a look at our stone supply specifications for more information on our frost resistant limestone and marble.
Check out our blog for more advice on choosing the right stone: How do you know if a stone is frost resistant and where to use it on a building?