Are you looking to renovate your backyard with a driveway to your front entrance or install a new driveway? One of the major considerations homeowners must make when adding a new driveway or remodelling an old one is whether to use regular concrete or driveway pavers. Even though each choice has advantages and disadvantages, many homeowners are discovering that driveway pavers provide a practical, affordable option with long-term benefits.
In this blog, we’ll outline the key points one must consider when choosing paving materials for the driveway. And we will also tell you how driveway pavers and concrete driveway score on that.
When compared to conventional concrete, driveway pavers might be more affordable for the following reasons:
Durability
Whether you lay concrete or pavers for a driveway, you want a product that will last for a long time. Consider the damage that walking, bicycling, driving, and severe weather can cause.
Concrete is resilient and durable. There is no question!
However, cracking in cold weather is a typical issue. Concrete frequently expands and contracts due to environmental factors, including moisture and temperature, which causes cracking.
Concrete tends to shrink and become more fragile when the temperature drops during the bitter winter. The additional internal tension brought on by this contraction makes the concrete more vulnerable to cracking. In addition, moisture that seeps into concrete during colder months may freeze, causing further expansion and contraction that may cause cracks. These fissures may compromise the stability and strength of the concrete, and their rehabilitation may be costly. As a result, homeowners and contractors who work with concrete frequently experience cracking in cold weather. Therefore it’s crucial to take precautions to avoid or reduce this issue.
It will help if you fix any cracks in your concrete as soon as possible. However, repairing concrete without using a band-aid method is difficult. Usually, you must begin again and pour a new slab. Later, we’ll go into greater detail about repairs.
Because of its interlocking design and aggregate mix, driveway pavers are much less likely to crack. Since the natural stone has high compressive strength and is naturally dense, water cannot penetrate the stone in the first place. One of the most common is Travertine driveway pavers.
The endurance of Travertine driveway pavers to freeze-thaw cycles is one of its main features. Because Travertine driveway pavers are porous, they are more resistant to damage from water seeping into their pores and swelling during freeze-thaw cycles than concrete is. Travertine pavers also have a high compressive strength, making them resistant to fracturing or cracking even under pressure from heavy loads and foot traffic.
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Application
The two main reasons why individuals undertake home improvement projects are design aspects and practicality. A new driveway, patio, or walkway to your front entrance must address a functional and aesthetic necessity. Let’s examine how good driveway pavers and concrete are.
Concrete can be stunning when polished, coated with a glossy sheen or embossed with a texture that resembles brick, slate, flagstone, stone, tile or wood.
Exposed aggregate concrete is shown in the image above; a typical concrete slab runs down the middle of the driveway. They used a larger stone mix on the right side, close to the shrubs, to give the concrete some character. If you don’t texture, polish or stamp your concrete, it may resemble a helicopter pad rather than a home. It is functional yet flat and has little to no innate beauty. Your concrete’s colour options are confined to the same drab grey until you stain it.
Driveway pavers come in an infinite variety of colours, shapes and designs. You can utilise a variety of Travertine driveway paver styles to finish any hardscaping project and match them to your preferences. Pavers can also be set up in different patterns and designs, such as smooth, rustic, cobbled, and textured. Every stone looks and feels different. We offer a wide range of Travertine driveway pavers, such as Silver Travertine, Classic Light Travertine, Classic Travertine and Classic Blend Travertine pavers.
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Repairs
As with any building material, concrete and pavers for the driveway, too, have a chance of experiencing problems and eventually needing repair. Additionally, doing plumbing or utility repairs underneath the pavement surface occasionally becomes necessary. Can the current hardscape be fixed if it occurs, or do you have to start from scratch? Let’s see how well concrete and pavers withstand repair circumstances.
Concrete is usually repaired by chipping away damaged parts and patching the area. Use an epoxy compound, latex patching medium, or mortar mixture to do this. Unfortunately, concrete rarely retains its original appearance after repairs.
Like, supposed a sidewalk concrete has been patched together after it chipped. You’ll notice that some compounds are still on the borders, but the concrete is gone. The pavement must be torn out, and a brand-new piece must be poured to solve this problem.
You’ll find that Travertine driveway pavers are easier to repair as compared to cement. Paving stone damage requires removal of the affected region (and occasionally the stones nearby), foundation adjustment, and re-laying of the damaged stones.
Fortunately, removing and replacing pavers is simple and only takes a short period of time with a few hand tools. Additionally, your pavers will appear just as good as they did before the restoration.
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Drainage
Consider how your project will handle water drainage if you reside in a geography like Australia, where the monsoon season is harsh. Undoubtedly, you don’t want any water to run off into your garage or towards your house from your driveway. Additionally, you don’t want any low areas that promote significant puddling.
Concrete behaves something like a sponge when wet while being far less porous. For instance, if water is spilt on concrete, it leaves a damp patch rather than a puddle. Concrete can only absorb so much moisture before it reaches its breaking point because it is porous. When it reaches its limit, it will either puddle or drain.
Accurate concrete grading is the best approach to promote water drainage on concrete. Concrete can result in puddles if the grade is laid unevenly or in the wrong direction.
Water is drained and moved away by pavers. They are incredibly dense and don’t hold onto water, as we described in the previous section concerning durability. Instead, they spread and absorb water through the joints they have filled with sand.
Travertine driveway pavers can be put in place to channel heavy rainwater back into the ground. Smaller stones, larger joints, and an open-graded rock substrate are some distinctive characteristics of permeable pavers that make them even better for water drainage. If water drainage is a concern for your project, Travertine driveway pavers —might be an option.
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Value
No matter how practical, attractive, or durable a driveway building material may be, consumers will always choose pavers or cement based on their perceived worth. Which is the most economical? Which raises your property’s value? And last, which do you like best?
Concrete is cheaper as compared to driveways pavers. There is no question about that. However, if you add colour staining and stamping, the price quickly increases to be comparable to pavers.
Concrete’s worth over the long term can change depending on who lives in the house. Any hardscape, however, usually raises value. Consider this. Which would you prefer, a gravel or paved driveway? Possibly a patio? Consider a walkway. The solution is clear. Everyone appreciates a concrete walkway, patio, or driveway’s cleanliness.
Typically, paving stones are initially more expensive than concrete. But as time passes, they seem to make up the difference. Why? Because they are simple to maintain, affordable to repair, and often have a longer lifespan.
Additionally, Travertine driveway pavers can improve a home’s curb appeal, which is crucial in deciding its resale value. A practical, well-maintained driveway may make a good first impression on prospective buyers and set the tone for the rest of the home. Overall, installing a Travertine driveway can be a wise investment that raises a house’s resale value. To ensure the pavers’ lifespan and continuous appeal, it’s crucial to have them professionally put and to maintain them over time.
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The Bottom Line of Concrete Vs Pavers
We don’t blame you if, like many other homeowners, you’ve decided that pavers are the finest option for your house. Driveway pavers are a more affordable alternative to conventional concrete because of their lower installation costs, ease of repair, greater house value and superior durability. Although the initial cost might be higher, driveway pavers might be a wise investment for homeowners due to the long-term benefits. We at Stone Depot bring the finest driveway pavers to fit any design needs. From Travertine driveway pavers to Granite, you have a variety of outdoor pavers to choose from.