Bluestone Colours and Cat’s Paw
Bluestone has a restrained grey palette, so it works well where the stone should give an area character without becoming visually busy. Large floors and paved areas can sit comfortably beside timber, concrete, glass and other materials because the Bluestone itself remains relatively calm.
Colour runs from mid-grey to dark charcoal and the finish changes how that colour reads. Sawn Bluestone usually appears lighter and greyer, whereas Honed Bluestone gives the surface a darker and smoother look.
Low and Medium Cat’s Paw
Cat’s paw is one of the most noticeable choices in Bluestone. Stone Planet deliberately chooses stone with low and medium cat’s-paw character because clients prefer different looks. Some want a cleaner face, whereas others prefer the natural markings to be more visible. Neither option is a quality grade and cat’s paw on its own does not make one piece better than another.
One piece can show the general colour and finish but it cannot represent the full variation across a large floor or paved area. Looking at several representative pieces gives a better sense of the tonal range and cat’s-paw character before the stone is laid across many square metres.
Cavalli and Vienna Bluestone
Cavalli Bluestone and Vienna Bluestone are the two named Bluestones in the current range. Vienna Bluestone comes from Vietnam. The available sizes, finishes and formats can differ between the two, so the current product should be checked against the project requirement.
Bluestone is naturally variable, so colour and cat’s-paw character can change from one production run to another. Current material is therefore more useful than relying only on an old photograph when a large area needs to coordinate.
Cavalli Bluestone Crazy Pavers is the current irregular Bluestone product and has been a strong Stone Planet seller for about ten years.
Bluestone Finishes and Slip Ratings
Sawn and Honed Bluestone
Sawn is one of the two main Bluestone finishes and keeps more surface texture than Honed stone. It also tends to read lighter and greyer.
Honed Bluestone is smoother and darker, which gives floors, covered alfresco areas and walls a more finished appearance. The stronger colour and smoother face are the main reasons buyers choose it over Sawn Bluestone.
Flamed and Split Edge have both been used on genuine Bluestone projects. They are not part of the regular stocked finish range, although they can be produced for suitable project requirements.
The finish also affects how pool coping and other edge pieces look beside the main stone. Bullnose, Pencil Edge and Drop Edge profiles are best considered with the adjoining Sawn or Honed surface so the edge does not feel disconnected from the rest of the project.
P4 and P3 Slip-Test Evidence
P ratings apply to the surface that was actually tested. Another Bluestone product should not be assumed to have the same rating simply because it uses the same finish name.
Tested Sawn Bluestone achieved P4 while tested Honed Bluestone achieved P3.
| Finish |
Surface character |
Slip evidence |
Where it may be considered |
| Sawn |
More surface texture and a lighter grey appearance |
P4 on tested Bluestone |
Paving, pool surrounds, paths and exterior steps where the product suits the project |
| Honed |
Smoother surface with a darker appearance |
P3 on tested Bluestone |
Interior floors, covered alfresco areas and walls where the product suits the project |
| Flamed (project) |
Coarser textured finish |
No category-level test result confirmed |
Project work where this finish is specifically required |
Where slip evidence matters, the current test information should match the actual product and finish. That becomes especially important on commercial, public and wet areas where documented slip evidence forms part of the specification.
No natural stone surface should be described as slip-proof. The P rating is useful evidence for the tested finish, although the complete project still has to account for drainage, falls and the way the area will be used.
Sizes, Thicknesses and Formats of Bluestone
20mm Tiles and 30mm Pavers
Bluestone Tiles are 20mm thick as standard, whereas Bluestone Pavers are 30mm thick as standard. Crazy Paving is calibrated to 20mm and Bluestone cobblestones are supplied in both 20mm and 30mm formats.
| Format |
Standard thickness / confirmed format |
| Bluestone Tiles |
20mm |
| Bluestone Pavers |
30mm |
| Bluestone Crazy Paving |
Calibrated 20mm |
| Bluestone Cobblestones |
20mm and 30mm |
These are the standard thicknesses Stone Planet normally supplies. A 20mm Bluestone product is not automatically indoor-only and a 30mm Paver is not automatically vehicle-rated. Thickness still matters because it affects finished levels at thresholds, steps, coping and adjoining surfaces.
The Bluestone range includes 600 x 400mm, 800 x 400mm, 600 x 300mm and 400 x 400mm sizes. Exact availability depends on the product, finish and current stock. The 600 x 400mm size is commonly stocked, whereas the stock position for 800 x 400mm can change.
Bluestone Pavers, Tiles and Pool Coping
Many Bluestone projects use more than one format. 30mm Bluestone Pavers suit regular paving, whereas 20mm Bluestone Tiles suit tiled floors and walls where that format works for the project. Pool coping can then be coordinated with the adjoining stone when the design includes a pool edge.
Bluestone pool edges can use several profiles. Cavalli Bluestone Bullnose has a rounded exposed edge while Pencil Edge uses a smaller rounded profile and Drop Edge creates a deeper face. These pool coping options can be compared with the adjoining paving before the edge detail is finalised.
When a project uses Pavers, Tiles and coping together, it helps to decide the colour character, finish and related pieces at the same stage. Natural stone can vary between production runs, so an exact later match should never be assumed.
Crazy Paving, Cobblestones and Project Stone
Cavalli Bluestone Crazy Pavers use irregular pieces and are calibrated to 20mm. Bluestone Crazy Paving has been a strong Stone Planet seller for about ten years. Other materials are also available in Crazy Paving when the project is still comparing stone options.
Bluestone cobblestones are supplied in 20mm and 30mm formats. Their smaller scale creates a different paving look from large Pavers and can suit paths, borders and selected driveway projects.
Bluestone can also be supplied as stepping stones, Treads and Risers, walling and cladding, French Pattern and other project pieces. Planning related pieces together gives the project a better chance of looking coherent, although separate production runs should not be expected to match exactly.
Installation of Bluestone
Levels, Joints and Installation Planning
Bluestone needs an installation build-up that suits the surface, stone format, thickness and intended use. The bedding or adhesive method should follow the project design rather than one construction method being applied to every Bluestone job.
Outdoor paving also needs the base, drainage and finished levels resolved as part of the project. Terraces and balconies over habitable space need their waterproofing and drainage details settled before the stone order is finalised.
Joint width, grout colour and layout all change the finished appearance. A grout colour close to the Bluestone can make a tiled floor feel more continuous, whereas a lighter grout makes each Tile or Paver more obvious.
Level changes are easier to solve before the order is placed. Standard 20mm Tiles and 30mm Pavers have different stone depths, so thresholds and coping heights should be planned together with steps and adjoining surfaces.
Protect Bluestone from grout residue, mortar slurry, oils and metal contamination while other trades are still working around it. Cleaning products and methods should suit natural stone and the supplied finish.
What to Confirm Before Ordering
- Bluestone product, size, thickness and finish for each surface.
- Total quantity confirmed against the actual layout and cutting requirement.
- Layout and any repeating pattern.
- Grout colour and joint width where relevant.
- Coping, steps, treads, risers and edge pieces required with the main stone.
- Sealing approach where it forms part of the project specification.
- Site access and delivery arrangements for pallets.
Sourcing, Stock and Custom Supply of Bluestone
China, Vietnam and Australian Bluestone
Stone Planet sources Bluestone from China and Vietnam. Vienna Bluestone comes from Vietnam while imported Bluestone makes up the main current range.
Australian Bluestone is a separate sourcing option and can be supplied when a project specifically calls for local material. It is generally substantially more expensive than imported Bluestone.
Australian Bluestone can make sense when local material is specifically nominated or when new work needs to sit beside existing Victorian stone. Imported Stone Planet Bluestone should not be described as Victorian Bluestone.
Stock, Imports and Production Checks
Regular 20mm and 30mm Bluestone products may be available from stock depending on current inventory. Project orders can also include other sizes, thicknesses and formats when the production requirement supports them.
Imported orders can be checked while the stone is still in production. Stone Planet can request production photographs, carry out random quality checks and review the order during production. These checks provide useful visibility without promising perfect uniformity or an exact later match.
Other sizes, thicknesses, finishes and project-specific formats can be considered for suitable orders. Multi-format outdoor projects are easier to coordinate when the paving, coping, steps and related pieces are planned as one stone package.
Why Choose Stone Planet for Bluestone?
Stone Planet can show buyers the Bluestone differences that matter in a real project. Low and medium cat’s-paw character can be compared before ordering and Sawn and Honed finishes have separate P4 and P3 test evidence. Standard 20mm Tiles and 30mm Pavers can also be coordinated with coping and Crazy Paving when a project uses several Bluestone formats.
Regular stock can be combined with project imports when a job needs something outside the current range. Imported orders can also be followed with production photographs and random quality checks. Australian Bluestone remains available for projects that specifically require local material while Cavalli and Vienna form the main imported range.
