Some aspects of concrete vs pavers

Introduction

Regarding concrete vs pavers, people often need to choose between them when building the entrance to the house and the garden. So, the most common ground is concrete and pavers.

Moreover, many people are confused by them.

As we all known, they look alike. Moreover, people often mix their names. Therefore, this phenomenon is common.

In fact, concrete and pavers are two completely different materials. Whether it is their composition, performance, or cost, there are big differences.If you happen to be choosing materials for your floor, let’s take a look at concrete vs pavers.

So, which one should we choose for the best sake?

First of all, let’s get to know what is concrete?

What is concrete

Concrete is the mixture of cement, water, sand, stones, and other chemical additives or mineral materials in appropriate proportions. Moreover, people stir them evenly. And then, they go through the process of compacting, forming and curing. This is ordinary concrete. Meanwhile, it is a kind of artificial stone.

In addition, concrete has two stages and states:

1. The plastic state before setting and hardening. That is, fresh concrete.

2. Hardened turntable. That is hardened concrete.

That’s the concrete we commonly use.

What is concrete slab

Concrete slab is the materials that people often use  for the ground.

Usually, the standard slab is a layer of concrete about 3-4 inches.

People use it to cover the decks of driveways, terraces and pools.

Moreover, it is a cost-effective and durable material.

Conveniently, it basically requires no maintenance.

Briefly, that’s we know about concrete slabs.

Stamped concrete

Stamped concrete is a type of concrete.

Although it is similar to concrete slab, people can make its surface texture very much like slate, brick or wood surface. Therefore, its decorative effect is very good.

Accordingly, its budget is relatively high.

By the way, you can check our products here Stamped Concrete

After a brief understanding of stamped concrete, let’s take a look at its characteristics

Features

It has its merits. Meanwhile, it has its shortcomings.

Positive characteristics：

1. Lower cost
2. Rugged
3. Easy to install

Cons of stamped concrete

1. Limited design options
2. Complex maintenance and high cost
3. It will have stains as times goes by.
4. It is prone to crackdepends on the weather and status of the soil.
5. May be affected by outside temperature
6. May be slippery when wet

After understanding the basic information of concrete, let’s take a look at the situation about pavers.

Pavers

Common pavers are slate or bricks.

Materials of pavers 

Pavers are independent tiles that people can glue them together. In this way they can form a firm surface. Moreover, people can customize its appearance.

Generally, there are usually many materials that can be pavers.
Pavers are individual tiles that can be glued together to form a solid surface. Their durability and custom appearance are particularly popular.

Among them, the most common are slate or bricks. Besides, there are many other materials:
1. Clay
2. Pebbles
3. Bluestone
4. Porcelain
5. Marble
And, pavers also has many advantages.

Advantages of pavers

1. Unlimited design options
2. Reduce maintenance
3. Easy maintenance
4. Visual appeal
5. Don’t crack
6. Higher resale value

These are its main advantages.

Next, let’s compare concrete and pavers.

Several important aspects of concrete vs pavers

Appearance of concrete vs pavers

The color and style of concrete are simple. And it is often a single gray. Therefore, its traditional appearance is not fashionable.

However, stamped concrete provides people with some textures and customization options.

But the pavers itself has various shapes and colors. People can choose patterns and styles they like more easily.

In contrast, pavers is visually more attractive than common concrete.

However, because of the advent of decorative concrete and molded concrete, people choosing concrete can also have a delicate appearance.

Even manufacturers can make a dynamic appearance according to people’s requirements. In this case, the appearance of pavers is more rustic.
However, the color of concrete fades faster. This greatly affects its appearance.

Therefore, if you choose to color concrete, people need to add color to them every two years.

Durability of concrete vs pavers

Concrete slabs are easy to crack, especially when the ground below moves.

In addition, as the temperature changes, the concrete is also prone to cracks. Therefore, its durability largely recovers the effects of earth movement and temperature. In this way, its surface can maintain for a period of time. However, once the soil condition is unstable, people cannot ignore the cracks.
However, pavers is a separate unit. Therefore, they will not move with the movement of the ground.

In this way, pavers will not easily crack.

However, as the use time increases, they can easily loosen. So, people need to replace them in time.
Because each pavers is a separate unit, this can disperse the gravity it bears. Therefore, the intensity of pavers is four times that of concrete. Moreover,the gravity that it can bear is much higher than that of concrete.
In addition, when the pavers does not break, it can resist the changes of the weather well.

Service time of concrete vs pavers

Generally speaking, the service life of concrete is more than 25 years.
The pavers material is strong and easy to maintain. Therefore, its service life is more than 50 years.
As for the specific service life, it depends on the ground material, the local climate, and the correct installation.

Low temperature resistance

Molded concrete is a hard pavement. Therefore, it cannot move or bend in the swelling soil and freezing environment. This can cause uneven road surfaces or unsightly cracks. Moreover, this situation is more likely to occur in areas with frequent rains and cold.
And pavers is a prefabricated chain system. It is very flexible. Therefore, it will not crack or move under swelling soil and freezing environment.

Slip resistance

Concrete is the overall surface. Therefore, its surface is relatively smooth.

Moreover, in humid environments or weather, concrete floors will be slippery. Therefore, it is not non-slip.

However, people can paint its surface to increase its anti-slip performance.
But pavers is placed separately. Therefore, the bumps on its edges will improve grip.

Generally, its slip resistance is better. Meanwhile, this also reduces a lot of risks.

Installation of concrete vs pavers

People compact the ground, pour concrete on it, then dry and solidify. In this way, people can use it. Usually, this takes a few days. This process is relatively simple.
If it is required to be more engaged,  people also need to seal the concrete floor.

This can protect it from weathering and chemicals. Moreover, this can prevent it from fading.

As for installation of pavers, it is more complicated.

If it is a small area, people can do it by themselves.

But if it is a large area, it is better for professionals to install it. Otherwise, poor installation will affect its service life and appearance.

However, the installation of pavers has no need for sealing.

Price of concrete vs pavers

Price of concrete

The cost of installing a concrete terrace or driveway is between $6 and $10 per square foot.

Meanwhile, the installation price of the paver is between 10 and 20 dollars per square foot. Moreover, these ranges are usually the same for the driveway and the pool deck.
For poured concrete, installation costs are usually lower.
In general, if you pour a concrete slab on 120 square feet of land, the cost of concrete is between $210 and $250.
Labor costs are between US$540 and US$650.
The price of materials such as reinforcement and cleaning supplies ranges from $30 to $35.
The average price of the equipment is $85 to $150.
Therefore, the total cost of installing a concrete slab over 120 square feet is between $865 and $1,085.

Pavers

The paver takes more time to lay each stone and fill in the gaps, so although the hourly price of labor is similar, the paving range of the paver is usually higher.
However, the cost of installing a paver or concrete slab depends on the surface area you want to cover, materials, labor, and the cost of removing the previous paver or concrete.
Therefore, the installation cost of pavers is higher.

Concrete repair costs

Due to various uncontrollable factors, each type of concrete has different maintenance costs.

Usually, the repair cost for repairing cracks ranges from $8 to $500+. Also, this depends on whether people installed it correctly.
In most cases, it is best to just fix any defects that appear. Otherwise, people have to replace the damaged concrete.

Pavers maintenance costs

As for pavers, because it is a separate brick, its maintenance is very simple. One only needs to replace the damaged bricks.
In general, although the initial cost of concrete is low, people need to maintain or replace it during use. This may cost more.
The early cost of pavers is higher. However, its maintenance or replacement cost less during use.

Resale value

Pavers ground has a longer service life. Moreover, it has more good performance.

Therefore, its resale value is also higher.

Generally speaking, the return on investment of terraces with pavers is as high as 75%.

However, it also fluctuates with some factors. Such as holding period, property value.

Maintenance and repair of concrete vs pavers

When using concrete and pavers, it is inevitable that people have to maintain and repair them

As for cleaning the concrete floor, people just need to wash it with detergent and brush.

Sometime concrete floors have sealant on them. It can stop stains. But people need to add sealant to the concrete floor regularly.

When it cracks, its repair cost is relatively high. People need to cut off the damaged area. Then, pour new concrete.
In addition, the old concrete will fade over time. Therefore, the colors of old concrete and new concrete are difficult to match.
Generally speaking, every 5-7 years, people need to resurface.
As for pavers, it is composed of a single tile.

Moreover, its surface is not smooth. Therefore, it is more troublesome for people to clean it. Moreover, it cost a lot of time.
In addition, weeds usually grow in the cracks of pavers. Therefore, people often need to clean them up.
However, because people only need to replace the damaged slate or grab it in time, its maintenance is relatively easy.

So, matainance of concrete is easier than pavers. But, the repair of pavers is easier than concrete.

Usage

Concrete vs pavers for patio

A patio with pavers is more slip resistant. Moreover, compared to concrete, its service life is longer and its appearance is smoother. But, its price is more expansive.
There is another advantage of patios with pavers. That’s the strength of pavers is four times better than concrete. Because
Paves are more slip resistant, longer life and smoother appearance.

However, it is also more expensive.

So, pavers is more suitable for patios.

Concrete vs pavers for sidewalks

Which one is suitable for sidewalks? We will analyze it from the aspects bellow:

Because pavers has good strength and load-bearing performance, it is not easy to crack in places with a large flow of people.

The concrete will crack over time. At this time, people need to repair it comprehensively.

However, for the handicapped or people with limited mobility, they need a smooth floor. Therefore, in these areas people will also use concrete for the ground.

In addition, the smooth concrete floor can also prevent water accumulation. In this way, some risks can be reduced.

So, the choice is mostly depends on the buget and the specific situation.

For driveway

For the driveway, concrete can prevent water accumulation. Moreover, the driveway needs a smooth surface. So, even if the intensity of the pavers is high, it is not suitable for the lane.

In other words, concrete foor is more suitable for driveway.

For pool decks

For the swimming pool deck, the properties of concrete and pavers can meet this purpose.

However, the slip resistance of the deck is very important.

Therefore, people usually choose pavers to be the pool decks.

Conclusion

Concrete floors are pavers are two common types of floors.

For the concrete vs pavers, there are a lot of aspects.

First of all, they look similar. But, there is a lot difference of their appearance. As for stamped concrete, it can come in many colors and styles. So, this also makes up for its single style.

However, the color of concrete fades faster. Generally speaking, people need to add color to them every two years.

Secondly, the concrete floor is easy to crack. The pavers is a separate brick, so it will not crack.

In addition, the load-bearing capacity of pavers is four times that of concrete.

In other words, the durability of pavers is better than that of concrete.

Third, in general, the service life of concrete is more than 25 years. The pavers material is strong and easy to maintain. Therefore, its service life is more than 50 years.

Fourth, pavers are more resistant to low temperatures than concrete.

Fifth, because concrete foor is smoother, and pavers are individual bricks with gaps and protrusions, pavers has better anti-slip properties.

As for the installation, the installation of concrete is very simple. But its maintenance cost is higher and more troublesome.

The installation of pavers is more difficult. Professionals are usually required to install pavers. But, its maintenance is very simple.

In addition, they are all suitable for patio, sidewalk, driveway, and pool deck. The specific choice should be based on specific requirements and budget. You can refer to the content of this article to make the most suitable choice.

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