Patio paving in Officer & Cardinia Lakes.

• Bluestone (Australian basalt): Charcoal-grey, dense, mostly uniform, ages to soft graphite over decades. The default for modern builds and the longest-lasting. ~$90-$140/m² supplied for 30mm pavers, ~$180-$220/m² installed.
• Sandstone (Australian or Indian): Honey-gold to rust mix, textural, warm in afternoon light. Slightly porous - benefits from a penetrating sealer every 5 years. ~$80-$130/m² supplied, ~$160-$200/m² installed.
• Travertine (Turkish or Mexican): Creamy-beige with characteristic pitting, Mediterranean feel, cooler underfoot in summer. Needs sealing for stain resistance. ~$90-$160/m² supplied, ~$170-$240/m² installed.
• Porcelain pavers (20mm format): Through-coloured, frost-proof, zero porosity, slip-rated to R11. Increasingly popular for pool surrounds and modern alfresco. ~$110-$180/m² supplied, ~$200-$260/m² installed.

Why we polymeric-sand every joint (and why most local jobs don’t).

The joint between pavers does two structural jobs: it stops sideways movement, and it stops water from getting under the pavers and washing out the bedding sand. White silica sand - the cheap default - washes out within 2-3 Officer winters, opens the joints, lets water and ants under the pavers, and lifts them within 4-5 years. Polymeric sand (Techniseal, EnviroSAND, Adbri Pavelock) is fine joint sand pre-mixed with a polymer binder. Sweep it dry into joints, mist-wet it, the polymer activates and sets to a flexible-rigid joint that resists rain wash-out, weed germination and ant infestation. ~$80-$120 per 22kg bag covering ~12m² of joints. We use polymeric on every paving job, no exceptions.

Drainage falls - AS 3727 compliant.

Every paved patio needs a minimum 1:80 fall away from the house wall (12.5mm per metre). We default to 1:60 where space allows. Falls also need to direct water to a drainage point - grated linear drain at the patio edge, spoon-drain into the lawn or sump connected to existing stormwater. Getting the falls wrong is the most common DIY-patio failure: water pools at the house wall, wets the slab edge, and causes foundation movement within a few seasons.

Edge restraints - the bit that stops creep.

Without an edge restraint the perimeter pavers slowly walk outward under load - especially in the high-traffic doorway zone. We install one of three restraint types depending on the look: concrete haunching (hidden under turf line, strongest), aluminium snap-edge (modern minimal look), or a soldier course of pavers bedded in mortar (traditional, visible). Without restraint, even a polymeric-sanded patio loses its edge geometry inside 5 years.

Typical patio pricing (Officer 2026).

• 25m² bluestone back patio installed: $7,500-$11,500
• 25m² sandstone back patio installed: $6,800-$10,500
• 25m² travertine back patio installed: $7,500-$12,000
• 25m² porcelain back patio installed: $8,500-$12,500
• 40m² alfresco-extension patio in bluestone: $11,500-$16,500

Honest tradeoffs.

• Natural stone has natural variation. Sandstone batches vary in colour mix; bluestone has occasional lighter inclusions. We lay from multiple pallets blended to even the look out, but you’re buying the natural product, not a printed one.
• Sealers wear off. Sandstone and travertine want a refresh penetrating-sealer coat every 4-6 years. Bluestone and porcelain don’t.
• Polymeric joints need re-set if a paver is lifted later. Once cured the joint is rigid; you can’t just lift a paver without breaking the joint either side. Plan service trenches before laying.