Concrete or pavers??
Question:we are relandscaping our back yard and are wondering what is the difference between concrete and pavers. concrete is probably more expensive and pavers may not last as long. how do you decide? our patio space is 16 X 24. any suggestions?
Answers:
the choice is yours.pavers are ok if have level ground this i know just built a sidewalk with them, and the are very nice, but for the long haul cement isnt going anywhere, once its set, yolur gonna need equipt to remov e it, as blocks you can just lift out
Actually in this area, pavers are more expensive (and labor intensive) and concrete is cheaper. Pavers last longer (if they are like the kind used in streets, not 'decorative') IF they are properly installed. They need to be put on a bed of gravel WASH (some use sand) that has been tamped down.
It is more common to see concrete put down poorly than to see pavers that have been poorly made. We did pavers for our so that it would not pit or crack during the winter.
pavers they make a smooth driveway!
There is alot to this question. 1What is the ground made of is it sand, rocky, or just soil. 2. Is the ground level or are you going to have to grade out the area for concrete 3.Are you going to do this your self and do you want grass to grow in around or between the pavers for a English look . With pavers they must be laid on a bed of sand or solid ground so when you step on them they don't break. The concrete must have a gravel bed and a form ( a box in which you pour the concrete )and rebar laid down to keep the concrete slab from breaking apart and pulling apart, then after pouring the concrete you have to float it or level it out. Time wise and if I was doing it myself I would go with pavers. Also most of your paver are made of brick, agate or concrete so they will last just as long as you put them to "bed" correctly and not just throw them out there.
i think you will find concrete cheaper and quicker but if you are doing it yourself, pavers can be laid at your own pace, concrete waits for no one...
I just recently had this very decision. We wanted to expand/redo our 15 x 15 patio approximately doubling its size.
We looked at this from the following aspects: price, durability, attractiveness and functionality.
Price: Professionally installed "medium" grade pavers (and price can vary widely depending on the type of pavers used) were about 25% more expensive than a simple poured concrete slab. We also looked at stamped/tinted concrete, which ended up being 10% more than the pavers.
Durability: Concrete should outlast pavers, but pavers are still a decent long term solution (IF INSTALLED CORRECTLY). The biggest thing you need to watch for is the type of soil and drainage your yard has. I've seen paver patios that sunk or had parts of the fill washed away or time. In my opinion, this is the biggest downfall of paver. This can happen with concrete, but generally it's less noticeable because of the large slabs.
Attractiveness: I LOVE the look of pavers. No contest here. The stamped/tinted concrete does have some appeal, though.
Functionality: Concrete is much more level/homogenous. No seams to deal with. Furniture won't rock and need to be positioned just right. Ladies in heels can walk on the concrete easier (That might sound like an odd thing to mention, but we were at a party where two different women tripped because of the seams in the pavers.) Concrete is easier to clean (both sweeping and washing).
Looking at all those factors, we when with a regular poured concrete slab. We thought we got the most functionality and durability for the price. Yes, we sacrificed appeal a bit, but we've landscaped the rest of the yard well and the patio looks very nice.
Pavers!
Concrete is permanent basically. Unless you will live there the rest of your life, think about the ones that may want to buy your place but don't want a concrete slab, or don't want to pay to have it demolished. Pavers can be removed a lot easier.
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