Why you should ditch your concrete for pavers
Let’s say you’re in the process of building a new home. Congratulations!
While you’ve worked with an architect to plan the inside of the house, now you’re left with landscaping and other outdoor details.
What do you want your outside space to look and feel like? What material do you use for your hardscape design? What about the front of your home versus the back?
First things first – everyone needs a driveway, so let’s start there. Driveway, check.
But what material is best for your home?
Although concrete may be the first material that comes to mind for a driveway, you should be asking yourself one thing to start, “Is concrete the most durable and reliable material for my home/driveway?”
The reason all homeowners should ask themselves this is because, concrete is actually NOT the most durable or reliable material for your new driveway.
Interlocking paving stones, on the other hand, can provide your home with a lifetime of benefits.
So, we’re here to educate you on the main reasons you should really ditch that cracked concrete for the durability and beauty of pavers:
- You should also read: Which Are The Best Materials For A Patio
Why you should ditch your concrete for pavers
Customization
Concrete can only be customized in such that you select the shape of the pavement.
While you can add paint or a finish to the surface once it’s dried, additional customization options are extremely limited.
With pavers, however, you can choose from a wide variety of colors, patterns and styles.
You may want a paver driveway in a solid color stone and then opt to create a fun pattern as the centerpiece.
You can also do this with your paver walkway or custom patio, for example.
You can also use the same pavers for all of these features, pulling together a uniform design for your entire outdoor space.
Pavers look much more upscale and thought-out than concrete, so that’s something to keep in mind when considering property value as well.
A patio made of concrete may look like it should be located at the community pool, while a paver patio showcases a homey feel and looks great with modern, Victorian and practically all styles of homes.
- Related article: A Guide to Choosing Patio Pavers in Minnesota City, MN.
Breaking and repairs
Concrete has the potential to become damaged or look worn. It’s not uncommon for concrete paths or driveways to crack as the temperature changes or if something is dropped on it.
This type of damage can be dangerous to those walking over it as trips and falls are possible. In fact, concrete can only hold an average of 4,000 pounds per square inch.
Pavers, on the other hand, doubles that to handle up to 8,000 PSI.
This means pavers can better withstand use by heavy vehicles, large parties and possibly even a tree that falls unexpectedly.
The joints between pavers feature sand stabilizer that balances weight across multiple pavers, mitigating the risks of damage. Plus, pavers are far denser than concrete which makes them much more difficult to crack.
Repairing concrete involves sawing or cutting out the damaged area and re-pouring to fill in the missing part.
It’s not easy to create a seamless fix, so this can leave your concrete sidewalk or driveway with an unappealing aesthetic.
In the rare event that a paver needs to be replaced, it can easily be removed and exchanged with a new stone, leaving behind no signs that there was ever an issue.
Warranty
Concrete does not come with a warranty.
Magic Construction Minnesota offers workmanship warranty on paver installation.
If the workmanship of the installation fails to conform to our high installation quality specifications, we will repair or replace the pavers at our own expense.
