Flagstone vs. Pavers: Which Patio Material Is Best for Your Sarasota Home?

If you just read “flagstone” and pictured the dark gray irregular stones quarried in Pennsylvania, you’re not wrong. But you’re not totally right, either. 

There’s Florida flagstone, too — we just don’t typically call it that. You might know it as oolite and coralina. Both can be installed in irregular pieces that offer a great natural stone look for your patio. Hmm, sounds intriguing, right? 

But meanwhile, concrete pavers remain one of the most popular options for Sarasota patios, with so many patterns, colors and design options you might need to quit work so you have time to decide.

So, what’s the best patio material for Sarasota? Let’s learn more about flagstone vs pavers, including: 

• First, Let’s Define Flagstone
• Meet Oolite
• Next Up: Coralina
• Flagstone Patio Pros and Cons
• Patio Paver Pros and Cons
• Flagstone vs Pavers: What About Maintenance?
• Flagstone vs Pavers: They Both Need Expert Installation

First, Let’s Define Flagstone

When most people think about a flagstone patio, they think of the dark-colored natural stone split into thin, flat pieces, often with irregular shapes. 

Nobody really uses that around here. 

For one thing, that kind of flagstone doesn’t occur naturally in Florida. It’s quarried in states like Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Pennsylvania and New York. It’s heavy and expensive to ship it here, and requires a lot of labor to install it. That expense doesn’t make it a very popular option. Plus, it doesn’t exactly match our bright and beachy Florida vibe. 

But “flagstone” is technically the generic term for any sedimentary rock cut into thin slabs to use for patios, walkways and flooring.

Flagstone can be sandstone, quartzite, bluestone, limestone, travertine, slate and more. 

That look of irregular, natural stone is cool, and lots of people like it. 

The good news? We have a couple types of natural stone right here in Florida. Technically, it’s flagstone. But we call it oolite and coralina. It’s naturally formed on the ocean floor when coral, shells, fossils and limestone compress into a natural stone. 

What’s the best patio material for Sarasota? You might love our home-grown flagstone. Let’s take a look:

First, Meet Oolite  

Oolite is a type of coral stone that’s great for beach-inspired architecture. It has layers of seashells, coral, and oceanic life fossilized into rock. 

Its intriguing texture actually looks like coral, including interesting holes, formed by thousands of years of mineral deposits, oceanic movement, and pressure. 

Oolite stone is low maintenance, highly durable, and long lasting. Its light color naturally deflects heat and stays cool on bare feet. 

Want your patio to look like an actual piece of the fantastic ocean floor? Oolite fits the bill. 

Next Up: Coralina 

Coralina sounds kind of like a cousin in a flowery dress who arrived from Mexico to visit. It’s actually a pretty off-white or beige natural stone with an organic look that brings the beach aesthetic to your patio. It has a subtle marbling that resembles the pattern of limestone. 

Coralina is similar to oolite but without the holes. It’s denser.

Low maintenance and long lasting, it stands up to the hot Florida sun. But coralina’s light color means it deflects heat, and its textured finish makes it slip resistant, making it a natural choice for a poolside patio. 

It’s more difficult to source than oolite, making it a bit more expensive. 

Flagstone Patio Pros and Cons 

There’s lots to love about flagstone, including Florida native stone like oolite and coralina. We just described the many upsides to these intriguing patio options.

But there are disadvantages, too: 

• High cost. Flagstone materials are often more expensive than concrete pavers, and labor costs are higher due to the time-consuming fitting of the unique, heavy pieces.
• Tricky installation. The irregular shapes require meticulous placement, making the installation labor intensive and costly.
• Staining. Flagstone is porous, absorbing stains and moisture. Sealing coralina helps prevent that. (More on this in a bit.) Oolite isn’t typically sealed, but a good power washing can brighten it up.
• Uneven surface. Irregular pieces can create an uneven, potentially hazardous surface if flagstone isn’t expertly installed. 

Next Up: Patio Paver Pros and Cons 

When you’re choosing a material for your Sarasota patio, concrete pavers are a popular and classic choice. They’re sturdy, easily available and you can’t beat the color, texture and style choices.

What’s the best patio material for Sarasota? Here’s why lots of people choose pavers:

Pavers Are Design Superstars

Pavers can look like almost any material you like, in any style, making them among the best patio materials for Sarasota.

Love the look of sleek slate for your contemporary home? No problem. Pavers can do that. 

Craving an old English cottage look for your vintage home? Quaint cobblestones, coming right up. But wait — those cobblestones are actually sturdy concrete pavers. 

Get creative and mix cool combinations of textures and contrasting borders. It’s easy to create a patio that’s uniquely your own and doesn’t look like anyone else’s. When it comes to flagstone vs pavers, the design options for pavers are almost limitless. 

Overwhelmed by all the choices? Can’t decide? A good designer will guide you through it. 
Pavers Are Super Sturdy
Pavers flex and move as they shift, so they don’t typically crack.

Even if pesky tree roots grow underneath and start to push your patio pavers up, you can pick them up, remove the offending tree roots, and replace them.

If a paver gets chipped or damaged, it can be easily replaced, too, no biggie. Save a few from your original installation.

Honestly, there aren’t many downsides to pavers for your patio, as long as they’re expertly installed. 

Flagstone vs Pavers: What About Maintenance?

Both concrete pavers and natural flagstone like oolite and coralina are pretty low maintenance: sweep them off, remove any stains promptly and seal most of these materials occasionally for protection.  
 
Sealer is the important top layer of your patio, whether it’s made of pavers or coralina. One exception: we don’t seal oolite. Its natural, untreated look has a ton of great character. If it gets stained or dirty, a good pressure wash will restore it to like new. 

If you have a paver patio, sealer locks in the sand between each paver for a tight fit, keeping your pavers in place. 

It does all kinds of other cool stuff, too, from preventing fading to deterring weeds and ants to repelling dirt.

Plan to seal your coralina patio, too, to protect it from stains, moisture, weathering, fading and wear and tear.

Coralina is porous and can absorb spills like wine or pool chemicals, which can lead to permanent stains if left unsealed. You’ll need to re-seal it every year or two. 

Flagstone vs Pavers: They Both Need Expert Installation

Whether you choose versatile pavers for your Sarasota patio or the natural beauty of oolite or coralina, one thing remains the same — expert installation is key.

Skilled installation ensures your patio drains well, stays flat and level over time and holds up well to the crazy weather fluctuations we get here in South Florida. 

Natural materials like oolite and coralina are installed in much the same way as pavers, with a compacted base of crushed concrete. The edges are mortared to hold them in place.

Your patio should look and seem flat and level, but pros know to install it with just enough slope away from your house for proper drainage.

A quality base underneath is crucial, too, helping to ensure you’ll avoid patio drainage issues. Tropical Gardens pros use several inches of quality base and 
use a power compactor to really ensure your base is solid. 

If compacted well, that base is as sturdy as concrete, while allowing proper patio drainage to avoid pooling water. 

What’s the Best Patio Material for Sarasota? Talk to Us

Which is better  — flagstone or pavers?

There’s no quick, easy answer to this question. It depends on your taste, your budget, and the vibe you’re looking for when you happily lounge out on your Sarasota patio when cousin Coralina comes to visit.

But we’d love to help you figure it out, with patio design services in Sarasota that makes this whole patio process super easy.
 
Trust your Florida patio — and the rest of your Sarasota landscape design — to us. 

Maybe you just want a patio for now. You’ll love it. But you might realize your outdoor life needs more. A fire pit, maybe, or a shade structure. Some pretty landscaping around your patio might be nice. Landscaping plans have a habit of evolving.

You want a landscaping company that can expertly handle all your needs so your project goes smoothly. 

Let’s get started! 

Give us a call or fill out our form today! Our team of Sarasota landscape experts can’t wait to help you choose materials, create stunning designs and weigh in on what appetizers to serve at your first patio party. We love everything about patios.