3 Categories of Pavers: Concrete, Natural Stone, and Porcelain
It takes some careful consideration to extend your home’s personal and architectural style to your outdoor area. The paving stones that adorn your garden path or patio are likely to last decades and should be picked as carefully as your water and outdoor furniture features. Although the vast array of pavers at your disposal can be daunting, you will be able to select the best paver for your project by knowing the specific qualities of each product.
- Concrete Pavers
By pouring concrete into molds, adding dye to imitate natural stone or enhancing visual appeal, and integrating various textures and finishes, concrete pavers are made. Such manmade pavers will embrace a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes, resulting in an almost infinite number of possibilities for design.
Placing concrete pavers in different patterns forms focal points on your patio floor and can be paired with features such as fire pits, retaining walls, and steps constructed from the same or complementary materials.
Concrete pavers are solid individually and collectively, resisting the elements as well as the time test. Due to the strength and flexibility of the pavers and their interlocking network of sand-filled joints, your paving plan will last decades. The numerous larger joints between pavers allow efficient drainage of rainwater into the soil with permeable paving solutions, improving the environment.
A concrete paving plan can be easily cleaned from snow and is practically maintenance-free, apart from the occasional removal of a paver that has sunk or from time to time re-applying jointing sand.
- Natural Stone
The natural stone contains a wide variety of materials, from flagstone to granite, as well as other forms such as travertine. These pavers are made from the earth, making them stronger and more original than concrete pavers. Every stone is special and its subtle color variations can be integrated into your project to add to the area a natural beauty and personal touch. Natural stone pavers are durable enough to flourish in modern designs while their rich earthy tones correspond to a more rustic look to the surrounding landscape. For creating an endless variety of design possibilities, the various types of natural stone pavers vary in length, color, pattern, and finish.
These high-quality pavers are low maintenance and require frequent sweeping and rinsing as well as simple snow removal. Modern natural stone, however, absorbs moisture readily, which can freeze in winter and create cracks on the tile’s surface.
- Porcelain Landscape Tiles
Due to their high density, porcelain landscape tiles are liquid-resistant and can be made even more impermeable by adding a melted glass glaze to water. This property results in increased staining and discoloration resistance, requiring minimal maintenance. Nevertheless, the connecting layer between the tiles is susceptible to heat and humidity and can be decolored if not sealed by mold and mildew. Porcelain tiles continue to survive fire and physical harm, but if damage occurs, individual tiles can be easily replaced.
