How to Choose the Right Paver for Your Project

Having trouble deciding which paving stones you want to use for your next outdoor project? Pavers are a popular choice to elevate any outdoor space, from your driveway to your patio. Knowing which paver is perfect for your project, however, isn't easy. Different types of pavers offer unique benefits, both aesthetic and practical, to get the most out of your outdoor area.

Lontto has over 30 years of experience manufacturing pavers using state-of-the-art machine tools and quality inspections. We’ve created this intuitive and easy-to-follow guide to help you understand different pavers, how to choose the right size of pavers, and which pavers will suit your project needs.

Key Takeaways

• Concrete pavers are the most affordable option for paving, costing $4 to $10 per square foot, and are easy to maintain.
• Brick pavers are excellent for driveways as they can bear loads up to 8,000 pounds per square inch. Their rustic color is long-lasting, even with regular use.
• Natural stone pavers are the most versatile, offering multiple types of stones like limestone, travertine, and granite to suit your needs. They are the most high-end and best for small-scale projects.
• Walkways and patios should use pavers between 40 mm and 50 mm thick. Driveway pavers should be from 60 mm to 80 mm thick, depending on the expected traffic.

What are Pavers?

Pavers are flat stone, brick, or block pieces used to create a path or cover an area around your home. Pool decks, garden paths, driveways, swimming pools, and walkways often have interlocking pavers that blend with the rustic or natural look of your backyard. Different materials are used to manufacture pavers, which allow for endless creativity for your next outdoor project.

What are the Different Types of Pavers?

Pavers are typically made from either concrete, brick, or stone. However, there are also more niche choices like clay, rubber, and plastic. We’ve outlined the primary differences in the table below:

Each paver type offers unique advantages for your outdoor space. Take a look below to understand the different types of pavers and what these pavers can provide for your project.

1. Concrete Pavers

Concrete pavers are the most commonly used paving stone for commercial and personal paving projects, including for industrialized parts of Southern Africa. They are manufactured by pouring a mixture of cement, sand, water, and aggregate materials into molds. Concrete molds are a versatile option for many paving projects, with molds available in a variety of shapes and sizes to match your needs.

Pigments can also be applied to match your home’s aesthetic, either as a surface coating once the curing process is complete (usually around 28 days) or before the mixture is poured into the mold.

Advantages of Concrete Pavers

Take a look at the unique advantages that concrete pavers provide:

• Durability: Concrete pavers are extremely durable and weather resistant, lasting up to 50 years if they are properly cared for and sealed.
• Affordability: These paving stones are also popular as they are cost-effective, averaging around $4 to $10 per square foot.
• Low-Maintenance: Concrete is easy to clean and maintain. It’s easy to remove stains and dirt quickly with soap and water.

Applications

Concrete pavers are popular for many outdoor projects, with a wide range of standardized sizes to choose from. The smallest concrete stones are 4 x 8 inches, perfect for robust walkways in your backyard. For front driveways and patios, the largest concrete pavers are 24 x 36 inches. These are easy to install and widely considered the best pavers for outdoor use. Concrete pavers are available from multiple suppliers and convenient to source.

2. Brick Pavers

Sometimes called baked clay pavers, brick pavers offer a classic look to any patio or walkway. As one of the most popular types of paving stones, brick pavers have a comparable price to concrete pavers, with higher durability. This robustness is a result of the curing process, where clay bricks are placed in a kiln with high temperatures to form strong, textured pavers.

Advantages of Brick Pavers

Here are the advantages of brick pavers:

• Robustness: Even compared to concrete paver material, brick pavers are very durable and resistant to decay. They can withstand heavy loads up to 8,000 pounds per square inch for brick driveways. For comparison, concrete pavers can bear only 2,000 pounds per square inch.
• Heat Resistance: Brick pavers are extremely resistant to heat, which renders them ideal for constructing a patio with a fire pit or charcoal grill. Brick pavers outperform certain clay pavers, which are vulnerable to freeze-thaw cycles in regions that experience rain and freezing temperatures, potentially leading to breaking and cracking.
• Color Retention: While brick pavers are usually only available in the classic brown and red shades, they retain their color far better than any other type of paving materials.

Applications

Brick pavers are the top choice for driveways, patios, and walkways due to their durability. While bricks are more expensive than concrete paving stones, costing around $6 to $12 per square foot, their longevity and low-maintenance still makes them a competitive choice for many paving projects. The classic brick aesthetic is also very desirable for rustic homes, as they retain their reddish color for longer than concrete paving stones.

3. Natural Stone Pavers

Stone pavers offer the most versatile choice for materials, and are made from a wide variety of natural stones, including sandstone, granite, limestone, marble, basalt, and travertine. Natural stone pavers are ideal for projects that require irregular sizing and a high-end aesthetic. However, they do come at a higher price than brick or concrete alternatives. Their flexibility in size, shape, and texture makes them perfect for low-quantity projects like walkways and pool decks.

Advantages of Natural Stone Pavers

• Versatility: Stone pavers provide unique benefits over brick and concrete pavers, which both provide a solid foundation for any project. Granite pavers, for example, have high strength and density while still being easy to maintain for years. Travertine pavers remain cool even in direct sunlight, which makes them popular for pool decks and patios that experience direct sunlight.
• Eco-friendly: Stone pavers are environmentally friendly and have a low carbon footprint, especially if you use recycled or repurposed stone.
• Longevity: Just like in nature, stone paving materials are resilient against harsh weather conditions. They offer an extended lifespan, even in regions where cold weather creates a freeze-thaw cycle.

Applications

Many stone pavers, including cobblestone pavers, flagstone pavers, and limestone pavers are excellent for small-scale paving projects like walkways, garden pathways, and poolside patios. Their relative cost compared to concrete and stone alternatives make them a high-end option, not suitable for driveways or larger patios.

4. Rubber Pavers

While concrete, stone, and brick pavers are typically used as solutions for outdoor patios, rubber pavers are also a particularly appealing option. Rubber pavers are made with recycled rubber and polyurethane adhesive, which grants paving properties that none of the other solutions can provide.

Advantages

Read the advantages of using rubber pavers for your home:

• Anti-Slip Surface: Rubber has a high-friction texture, even when wet, and creates a firm and gripping surface that’s ideal for pools.
• Shock Absorbent: Noise, vibrations, and shocks are nullified when in contact with rubber pavers. If your patio is above a basement or another room, this can reduce the sound that transmits from regular foot traffic.
• Easy to Install: The flexibility and lightweight properties of rubber pavers make it an easy to move and install paving solution.

Applications

Rubber pavers excel in outdoor areas that experience high levels of moisture, such as near a drain, pool, or other water feature. While concrete and stone will become slippery and may erode over time, rubber pavers are slip-resistant and do not break from the freeze-thaw cycle as they are also resistant to frost.

How Thick Should Pavers Be?

Once you've determined which material to use for your pavers, the next step is to find out how thick your paving stone should be for your paver patio or driveway. While these measurements may differ depending on the material you’re using (rubber pavers will be different from brick pavers), they offer an outline of what to expect alongside the many shapes and sizes of pavers.

Walkways and Patios

Pavers designed for walkways should range between 40 mm to 50 mm thick (1.6 to 2 inches). This range is suitable for pedestrian traffic only, but can withstand the regular footfalls of a patio or garden pathway.

Driveways

For driveways that will experience not only pedestrian traffic, but also light vehicular traffic, aim for a thickness of 60 mm (2.38 inches). If there are multiple cars using the driveway every day, then 70 mm (2.76 inches) will better accommodate the regular wear and tear.

Lontto provides 30+ years of experience of manufacturing and exporting block-making machines, including support for installation and training. Get in touch with us to learn how we can provide solutions for your construction project today.

FAQs on Types of Pavers

Can You Use Porcelain Pavers?

Yes, you can use porcelain pavers. In fact, porcelain pavers are a great alternative and are rising in popularity. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, with a high resistance to staining and scratches. Smooth pavers like porcelain will work well for landscaping, patios, and walkways, where foot-traffic is more common.

Which Pavers Are Best for a Backyard?

Natural stone or cobblestone is the best paving stone for your backyard. Cobblestone pavers are extremely durable, lasting up to 100 years with proper care and maintenance. Natural stone pavers provide an aesthetic appeal that elevates outdoor spaces, but are often more expensive as a result.

If you found this information engaging, consider checking out our other articles that delve into Is brick making a good business? To Check The 10 Tips and QT3-20 Automatic Hydraulic Paver Block Making Machine.

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