The entrance to your home and the area around your garden leave impressions on guests, neighbors, and those who drive home. Pavers or concrete could enhance the look of this area and make it stand out. Whether you want to upgrade your garden or completely redesign the look of your driveway, concrete, and pavements are great options.
While the pavers and the concrete seem simple enough, the decision on which to choose is not always cut and dry. Below, we’ll introduce you to both the positive and the negative to help you decide which one is best for your home.
Appearance
Pavers are usually more visually attractive than concrete slabs 1 because you can manipulate the pavers and create designs, and they come in a variety of colors. While concrete is not as plentiful when it comes to designs and colors, you can choose embossed or decorative concrete that gives a beautiful appearance.
Sprayed concrete may have added color to it, but that color generally fades quickly and may not look as nice as it once did. If you have added color to your concrete, it will have to be replicated every few years.
Installation
Pavers are considered more difficult to install than concrete because they are poured out of a concrete slab, while the pavers must be laid individually by hand. It’s almost always recommended that you have both options professionally installed. It’s possible to complete a paver job as a DIY project if you’re planning to use the pavers around your landscape or in your garden, but larger surface areas should be professionally done.
Concrete slabs are generally poured and then allowed to dry and cure, which may take a few days. Once the area is dry, it’s ready to be used. Typically, the installation involves the excavation, grading of the land, and preparation of the foundation.
Installation of pavers is a bit more detailed and requires proper planning, excavation, and grading. Once this is done, the pavers will be laid, and polymer sand or other adhesive-like material will be used to join the pavers.
Costs
The cost of installing a pavement or a concrete slab depends on the surface area you want to cover, materials, work, and removal of previous pavements or concrete.
If you want pavers over 120 square feet of land to be installed, you’re looking at a cost of $560 to $850 for pavers. Labor costs range from $640 to $775. Materials, such as mortar 2, bonding materials, and polymeric sand, range from $55 to $65. Equipment costs between $55 and $80. The total cost of installing pavers for a 120-square-foot area is between $1,310 and $1,770.
If you pour a concrete slab over a 120-square-foot area of land, you are looking for $210 to $250 for the concrete. Labor will cost between $540 and $650. Materials, such as reinforcement materials and cleaning supplies, range from $30 to $35. Equipment will cost an average of $85 to $150. The total cost to install a concrete slab over 120 square feet will be between $865 and $1,085.
Maintenance
Concrete is considered easy to maintain, but cracks and stains with time, will require the replacement of the concrete slab. Stamped concrete is easy to maintain and only needs to be rinsed and washed with a dish of soap and a scrub brush.
Protective sealants may be added to the concrete to help block stains, but this sealant needs to be re-applied on a regular basis in order to continue working.
Pavers are generally easy to clean, but not as easy as concrete because they are not a single slab. One of the biggest concerns with concrete and pavers is weeds, which often grow between cracks and pavers.
When pavers are placed, polymer sand is often used to help interlock the pavers, which gives them more durability. Polymer sand is a granular material that is poured between cracks and cracks.
Repairs
Repairs are easy when it comes to pavers because you can do a repair on the top or even under the paver in question. Generally, if the paver has to be replaced, it can be done without having to replace all the other pavements or even those around it.
Repairs to the concrete are more difficult because when the concrete cracks or repairs underneath need to be made, the concrete must be removed, and then a new slab laid.
Safety
Concrete slabs can become slippery when wet, especially if they have been treated with a protective sealant or painted. When the concrete is slippery, the shoes can’t hold it, and a fall can happen.
Pavers don’t have as much of a slippery issue as a concrete slab. This is because the pavers are placed individually, and you can choose pavers with raised edges to help improve grip. If you choose concrete pavers, you may have the same problem that they can become slippery when wet.
Are You Considering Pavers For Your Driveways?
At DPG Design and Build, we’ve been providing our customers with specialized Landscape and Hardscape Design and Build services for over 30 years. DPG Design and Build, headquartered in San Ramon, California is the best curb appeal and outdoor living space designer and installer in the San Francisco Bay Area. Appearing on HGTV’s Curb Appeal and featured on Discovery Channel’s program Renovation Nation, our team of skilled designers and landscape engineers provide top-quality service and professionalism our customers love. DPG Design and Build offers 2-D and 3-D conceptual home and landscape design plans that allow you to visualize your dream space and make that dream concept a reality.
Have a driveway in need of an upgrade? Contact DPG Design and Build to schedule your free consultation today!
