PAVERS VS OTHER SURFACES

Appearance

Concrete PAVERS

A wide variety of textures, colors and styles. Endless number of design possibilities restricted only by your imagination. Unlimited combinations of scale, color, texture and pattern.

Cobblestone Pavers

Elegant old-world charm.

Clay Pavers

A variety of warm, earthy colors (warm reds, red-brown to sand-colored). Pavers are textured. Styles range from crisp, clean formal to old-English charm. Shapes, sizes and patterns limited.

Stamped Concrete

A variety of textures, colors and patterns available. Clean lines, but artificial looking. The use of expansion joints (necessary with any poured concrete) often conflicts with the pattern.

Ordinary Concrete

Typically white in color. Broom or smooth finish. Limited design options.

Asphalt

Typically black in color. Smooth finish. Difficult to get neat looking edges.

Installation/Costs

Pavers

Units are placed over a geo-textile soil stabilization fabric, a compacted aggregate base (8-9" on residential driveways/4-6" on residential patios and walkways) and a one-inch layer of coarse washed bedding sand. Immediately ready for use.

Costs: $12.00 - $14.00/square foot

Concrete

Usually installed over existing soils or washed sand. Must wait 5-7 days before use.

Costs for stamped concrete: $14.00 -$20.00/square foot

Costs for ordinary: $10.00 -$18.00/square foot

Asphalt

Typically installed over a 3-4" compacted aggregate base. Should wait 3-5 days before use.

Costs $4.00 - $9.00/square foot

Pricing is dependent on contractor's experience, installation practices, quality of materials, choice of product, design and scope of project (size, new construction or renovation).

Maintenance

Pavers

Stained, broken or settled pavers can be easily replaced without unsightly patching. Easy access to underground utility repairs. Occasional ants and weeds can be eliminated with the use of sealers, herbicides and insecticides. Smooth surface allows for easy snow removal. Color pigment throughout the paver reduces visibility of any chips and cracks.

Concrete

Cracked, chipped or settled sections of pavement are costly to replace or repair. Difficult to match original color or pattern, leaving patches visible and unsightly. Oil stains difficult to remove. Sealing the paved surface is recommended. Surface colored concrete (unlike pavers) will exaggerate unsightly chips and cracks.

Asphalt

Ruts, potholes or settlement repair leave ugly patches. Black seal coat required every 2-3 years. Weeds and ants can be controlled with herbicides and insecticides.

Durability

Pavers

High compression strength (typically 12,000 PSI and greater). Resists abrasions, chipping and cracking, deformation from frost heave, de-icing salts, spilled oil and gasoline. The result is a strong and lasting flexible pavement that will maintain its appeal for decades.

Expected life under normal conditions: 40+ years

Concrete

Poured concrete has weaker compression strength (typically 2,400-4,000 PSI) and a higher absorption rate shortening the life expectancy of the paved surface. Deterioration from de-icing salts, heaving and cracking expected.

Expected life under normal conditions: 10-20 years

Asphalt

Wear, weather, oil and gasoline will break down surface. Will crack and deform under extreme heat and throughout the freeze-thaw cycle.

Expected life under normal conditions: 5-7 years