Yorkstone Reclaimed Paving

Yorkstone reclaimed paving also reclaimed york stone paving or old yorkstone flags are the dark coloured paving slabs found all over the UK, used now in restoration projects and other building projects because of their  strength and character, usually over 100 years old, reclaimed yorkstone paving can be more expensive to purchase than new yorkstone paving.

Yorkstone reclaimed paving can be very hard to find in good condition with the right thickness and a clean, smooth face. Thicker, rougher faced reclaimed yorkstone paving can be cheaper but has probably been used as mill flooring and as such will be oil stained. Other poor quality yorkstone reclaimed paving include flags originally used as house flooring and later covered with asphalt, the asphalt is removed but can leave a patchy surface layer (face). Also look for laminating (splitting) yorkstone reclaimed paving, this will have come from outdoors and will be frost and time damaged. Rough surface reclaimed yorkstone paving was made from rag block and was used for garden paving, this is also reclaimed and sold due to the price of yorkstone reclaimed paving. A good quality yorkstone reclaimed paving flag should be 40-60mm thick have a smooth clean face, have no laminating and have good corners.

Reclaimed yorkstone paving was originally made the same way as riven yorkstone paving is made today only without the machinery and saws that modern delvers and quarry workers make use of. The flag-rock blocks worked in a delph were broken down to flag size using a technique known as ‘nicking’ and ‘tupping’ . Very old reclaimed yorkstone paving flags sometimes have the delvers signature on the back of the slab usually just their initials, also found are Roman Numerals of the date the slabs were made.

Making Riven Yorkstone Paving