Kandla Grey Sandstone Paving: Thickness, Calibration and Container Loading Guide

Kandla Grey is the highest-volume sandstone paving product India exports, and the UK landscaping market alone absorbs a remarkable quantity of it every year. It is also a product where specification detail matters more than most buyers realise — the difference between calibrated and uncalibrated material determines how fast a patio gets laid, and therefore what it costs to install.

What Kandla Grey sandstone is

Kandla Grey is a fine-grained grey sandstone quarried in Rajasthan and Gujarat. The colour ranges from a cool mid-grey to a slightly blue-grey, with subtle banding and occasional lighter or darker patches. Weathered, it softens toward a silver-grey that many landscape designers prefer to the freshly quarried tone.

Its appeal is straightforward: it is grey without being cold, it works with both contemporary and traditional planting, it has good natural slip resistance in a riven finish, and it is affordable at volume.

Calibrated versus uncalibrated — the specification that matters most

Uncalibrated (hand-cut) material has a variable thickness across each slab and between slabs. The riven top surface is natural; the underside is not machined flat. Laying it requires the installer to bed each slab individually to level, which is slow and skilled work.

Calibrated material has been machined on the underside to a consistent thickness — typically 22 mm ±2 mm. Every slab in the pack is the same thickness, so an installer can work to a consistent bed depth and lay considerably faster.

For most export markets, calibrated is the specification to buy. The material premium over uncalibrated is small; the installation saving is not. Uncalibrated makes sense mainly for restoration work or where a deliberately rustic, irregular look is wanted.

Thickness options

22 mm calibrated — the standard for domestic patios, garden paths and light pedestrian areas. The dominant export specification.

30 mm — for driveways, commercial pedestrian areas and anywhere occasional vehicle loading is expected. Also used where a chunkier edge profile is part of the design.

Anything thinner than 22 mm is not appropriate for external paving in most climates.

Standard sizes and pack formats

Kandla Grey is commonly supplied in a project pack — a mix of sizes designed to lay in a random or patterned bond without cutting. Typical component sizes include 600×600, 600×290, 290×290 and 890×600 mm.

Single-size packs are available where the design calls for a uniform grid — 600×600 and 900×600 are the common choices.

Edges are usually sawn on all four sides for a clean joint, or hand-dressed where a more traditional look is wanted. Sawn is the more common export specification.

Surface finishes

Natural riven — the split face of the stone, textured and slightly undulating. Good natural slip resistance. The most common finish for garden paving.

Sawn and honed — machine-cut and smoothed, contemporary, flatter. Lower slip resistance when wet, so consider location carefully.

Brushed — sawn then wire-brushed for a slightly textured, aged surface. A good middle ground between riven and honed.

Flamed — thermally treated for a rougher, more grippy surface. Used where slip resistance is critical.

How much fits in a container?

Our minimum order is 20 metric tonnes, approximately one 20ft container. For 22 mm calibrated Kandla Grey, that translates to a usefully large paved area — enough for several domestic patios, which is why landscape merchants typically order in full containers and hold stock.

Slabs ship on wooden pallets, strapped and edge-protected, or crated for higher-value cut-to-size orders. All timber is ISPM15 heat-treated and marked. Sandstone ships under HS code 2506.10.

Lead times

Processing runs 15 to 25 working days from order confirmation, which for paving covers cutting, calibration, edge treatment, sorting into packs and palletising.

Sea transit from Nhava Sheva or Kandla: 18 to 24 days to UK and Europe, 21 to 30 days to the USA and Canada, 10 to 14 days to the Gulf, 16 to 22 days to Australia.

For merchants supplying a seasonal landscaping market, the practical implication is that spring stock has to be ordered in the previous autumn. Ordering in March for an April season does not work.

What to check before you accept a delivery

  • Thickness consistency across the pack — measure several slabs, not one
  • Colour consistency across pallets — pull slabs from different pallets and lay them together
  • Edge quality — sawn edges should be clean and square, without chipping
  • Breakage rate — a small percentage is normal in transit; a high one indicates poor packing
  • Pallet integrity — strapping intact, edge protection present

Photograph anything you are unhappy with on the day of delivery, before slabs are moved.


Send us your size mix, thickness and volume — we quote within 24 hours, direct from the quarry belt .Request paving quote

FAQ's

frequently asked questions

Q What natural stones does Nirvan Exports supply?
A Nirvan Exports supplies five categories of natural stone: marble, granite, sandstone, slate, and limestone. Our marble range includes over 20 varieties such as Makrana White, Rainforest Green, Katni Beige, Fantasy Brown, and Spider Green. Our granite range includes Black Galaxy, Absolute Black, Colonial White, and 15+ additional varieties. We also supply Rajasthan sandstone in Buff, Pink, Teak, and Kandla Grey; natural slate tiles and slate veneer sheets; and limestone including Kota Stone, Fossil, Yellow, and Beige varieties.
A Our minimum order quantity (MOQ) for export is typically 20 metric tonnes per stone type, which equates to approximately one 20-foot container. However, we can accommodate smaller trial orders for new buyers — please contact us to discuss your specific requirements. For large projects requiring multiple containers or regular supply contracts, we offer priority processing and volume pricing.
A Nirvan Exports exports natural stone to over 40 countries worldwide. Our primary markets include the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Russia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Italy, Canada, New Zealand, and countries across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. We are experienced in the import regulations, documentation requirements, and logistics of all our major export markets.
A Lead time from order confirmation to shipment is typically 15 to 25 working days, depending on the stone type, finish, and order volume. Once shipped from Nhava Sheva port (Mumbai), standard transit times are 18 to 25 days to European ports, 21 to 30 days to USA and Canada, and 12 to 18 days to the UAE and Middle East. We provide tracking information for all shipments.
A Yes. All Nirvan Exports orders can be customised to your project specifications. We supply stone in standard slab sizes (typically 240 x 120 cm), standard tile formats (60 x 60 cm, 60 x 30 cm, 30 x 30 cm), or fully bespoke dimensions cut to your requirements. Available finishes include polished, honed, brushed, sandblasted, flamed, leather, and natural split. Please provide your specifications when requesting a quote.
A Yes. We strongly encourage new buyers to request samples before placing a bulk order. Sample pieces (typically 10 x 10 cm or 20 x 20 cm) are available for most stone varieties in our range. Sample charges and shipping costs apply, which are refundable against your first order. To request samples, contact us with the stone variety, finish, and your delivery address.
A All Nirvan Exports shipments use export-grade wooden crates with foam padding, waterproof wrapping, and heavy-duty strapping. Marble slabs are packed back-to-back with foam separators to prevent surface damage in transit. Slate veneer sheets and fragile stone products receive individual protective wrapping. Our packaging complies with international maritime freight standards and is designed to withstand multi-port transshipment.
A Nirvan Exports is a natural stone supplier and exporter — not a stone manufacturer. Natural stone is quarried from the earth, not manufactured. We own and operate quarry partnerships in Udaipur, Rajasthan and work with established quarry owners across India’s major stone regions. We handle the full supply chain from quarry sourcing through to stone processing, quality control, packaging, and international export.
A Nirvan Exports provides a full set of export documentation with every shipment, including: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate (where required), and quality inspection report. We are experienced with documentation requirements for all our major export markets including the USA, UK, EU countries, Australia, and the Middle East.
A To receive a quotation, contact Nirvan Exports with the following details: stone type and variety, quantity required (in metric tonnes or square metres), finish required, slab or tile format and size, and your delivery port or country. We respond to all enquiries within 48 hours with a detailed price quotation and, where relevant, availability of samples.
What is the difference between calibrated and uncalibrated Kandla Grey

Calibrated slabs are machined to a consistent thickness, typically 22 mm, so they lay quickly on a uniform bed. Uncalibrated slabs vary in thickness and each must be individually bedded to level — slower and more skilled to install.

30 mm for driveways and any area with vehicle loading. 22 mm calibrated is for pedestrian paving only.

A 20ft container carries approximately 20 metric tonnes, our minimum order. Coverage depends on thickness — 22 mm covers substantially more area per tonne than 30 mm.

It typically weathers toward a softer silver-grey. Many designers prefer the weathered tone. A sealer will slow the change and deepen the initial colour if you want to retain it.

In a natural riven finish it has good slip resistance. Sawn and honed finishes are smoother and less grippy when wet — specify brushed or flamed for wet areas or slopes.