Resin-bound and resin-bonded are different
Two products share the word resin, and they behave very differently:
- Resin-bound: clean, dried aggregate is mixed with resin and trowelled smooth. Every stone is coated, the surface is porous and water drains through it. This is what most people mean by a resin patio.
- Resin-bonded: resin is spread on a base and loose gravel is scattered on top. Only the bottom of each stone sticks, the surface is not porous, and loose stones come away over time.
For a patio, we recommend resin-bound. The rest of this guide is about that.
Looks and feel
- Resin-bound is smooth and continuous, with the colour of the natural stone used. It flows around curves, tree pits and odd shapes without cuts, and suits paths and contemporary gardens.
- Slabs give lines, joints and texture: riven sandstone, sharp large-format porcelain or textured concrete. They give a more traditional "patio" look and work well beside older brick houses, such as the interwar and post-war semis along North Road in Harrowgate Hill or the 1930s homes in Blackwell.
Drainage
Resin-bound gravel is porous, so rain passes through it rather than running off. That can be a real advantage, but only if the layer below lets the water through too. Over an impermeable concrete base, the water just sits under the resin or runs off the edge.
The government's guidance on permeable surfacing explains how porous surfaces and the right base let rainwater soak into the ground, and the sustainable drainage standards aim to reduce run-off in the same way. On the sand and gravel the British Geological Survey maps under Blackwell, a porous resin patio on an open-graded stone base can drain naturally. On the glacial till under Cockerton or Harrowgate Hill, the base needs to be deeper to store water while the clay absorbs it, or an outlet is needed.
Slab patios shed water across the surface, so they need a fall away from the house and somewhere for the run-off to go: a border, a channel drain or a soakaway.
The base
This is where most resin problems start. Resin-bound gravel is a thin wearing layer, typically around 15mm to 20mm for foot traffic, and it copies any fault in the surface below. Cracks, sinking and loose stones in a resin patio nearly always trace back to the base.
A good resin patio sits on either a porous asphalt or a no-fines concrete base, laid over a compacted open-graded stone sub-base, with firm edging. Laying resin over an old, cracked patio or tired concrete is a common shortcut; it saves money at first but the old cracks soon reflect through.
A slab patio sits on a compacted crushed-stone sub-base and a full mortar bed, as described in our guide to what goes under a patio.
UV, frost and weather
- UV: some resins, known as aromatic resins, darken or yellow in sunlight. For outdoor use, ask for a UV-stable, aliphatic resin.
- Weather during laying: resin must go down in dry conditions within the temperature range the manufacturer sets. Rain on fresh resin can cloud the surface, which limits the laying season. Our guide to the best time to lay a patio covers seasonal planning.
- Frost: a well-laid resin-bound surface drains freely, which helps in freeze–thaw. Good slabs on a full bed also cope well; problems come from water trapped under poorly bedded slabs.
Upkeep
- Resin-bound: sweep regularly and wash occasionally. Moss and algae can grow in shaded, damp spots, and leaves left to rot will stain. No joints means no weeds coming up between slabs, though seeds can root in dirt on the surface.
- Slabs: porcelain is the easiest to keep clean; sandstone weathers and grows algae more readily; joints need occasional re-filling.
Repairs
- Slabs: a cracked or stained slab can be lifted and replaced. Natural stone hides a replacement well; a discontinued porcelain range can be hard to match.
- Resin-bound: patch repairs are possible but rarely invisible, because new resin and stone weather differently from the old.
Furniture and use
Heavy furniture legs and barbecues on small feet can mark a resin surface in hot weather, and dropped coals can burn it. Slabs are harder-wearing under concentrated loads. Many gardens use both: a slab patio for the dining table and a resin path leading away from it.
What affects the cost
We do not publish prices, but the main factors are the same for both: area, the base needed for the ground, edging, access, and how much old surface has to come out. Resin needs a fully built base under it, so it is rarely the cheap option it can appear to be. Our patio prices page explains the cost factors, and our resin patios page goes into the build in more detail.
Front gardens
If the area is at the front of the house, a porous resin-bound surface on a permeable base is one way to meet the national rule: the Planning Portal explains that more than five square metres of impermeable paving draining onto the road needs planning permission, while permeable surfaces do not.
Questions people ask
Is resin a good idea for a patio?
It can be, for a smooth, porous surface and curved shapes, provided it is resin-bound, UV-stable and laid on a proper base. For a formal dining area, slabs are often more practical.
What are the downsides of a resin patio?
It depends entirely on the base, patch repairs show, and it can mark under hot, heavy furniture. Cheaper aromatic resins can discolour in sunlight.
Is a resin patio cheaper than paving?
Not necessarily. Once the proper base is included, costs are often similar, and depend more on the size, ground and access.
Can you lay resin over an existing patio?
Only if the existing surface is sound, stable and suitable. Laying over cracked or moving slabs usually leads to cracks in the resin.
Sources: GOV.UK: permeable surfacing of front gardens; Planning Portal: paving your front garden; GOV.UK: sustainable drainage systems, non-statutory technical standards; BGS Geology Viewer.