Pavers are flat surfaces that are typically made of concrete, natural stone, and brick.

Property owners install pavers to elevate the functionality and aesthetics of their driveway. The materials paving stones contain emit a sense of natural beauty that’s multi-dimensional. Every paver color, texture, and size brings something new and exciting to the table.

Additional outdoor spaces that commonly utilize paving stones include:

-Walkways

-Patios

-Pool decks

-Fire pits

You won’t have to deal with your paving stones’ beauty fading quickly, as popular paver materials are incredibly durable.

One of the most durable and economical paver materials is concrete. Let’s take a closer look at why concrete pavers  remain a popular choice for driveways everywhere.

CONCRETE PAVERS

Concrete types of pavers are the most common options for garages, driveways, walkways, and other key areas around your property. Concrete is an affordable, excellent option for most homes, and this is why you see it in most commercial or residential buildings. One of the biggest characteristics of using this paving option is that it has a huge application variety. So, you can easily customize your concrete pavers to any shape, size, pattern, color, and design you want.

Not just this, but concrete can also come in various thicknesses to match your needs. It is critical that you find the correct contractors for the project who can successfully customize your type of paver to your requirements. Installation is fairly straightforward, and most local contractors will be versed in the process. Concrete is usually easy to cut into pieces and very uniform, and this makes the installation process easy for professionals .

So, the installation costs of concrete are not too high. It’s an affordable, excellent option for most people who are on a tight budget. Also, it’s extremely durable and will last for decades after you install it. It also has a higher durability factor than poured concrete, and this is a huge bonus.

However, concrete types of pavers do require regular maintenance throughout the lifecycle to keep them looking nice. They are prone to chipping or cracking with extreme weather swings, so this is something to consider.

BRICK PAVERS

It’s common for homeowners to utilize brick pavers to supply their driveway with an elegant appearance. While concrete pavers offer more durability, brick pavers can still manage the traffic that a driveway presents.

Regarding maintenance, brick pavers have a higher likelihood of experiencing cracks and breaks than concrete pavers. The main downside of brick paver durability is that their surfaces call for routine sealing to fight stains. Additional brick paver maintenance practices mirror what concrete pavers call for. Brick paver owners often use pressure washers to keep the building material’s looks up to speed.

One disadvantage with brick pavers is that they offer fewer design options than concrete pavers and cost more on average.

When you’re able to dish out some extra bucks and exhibit proper maintenance practices, brick pavers can supply your driveway with a classic look that should last over 25 years.

STONE PAVER

Stone pavers, otherwise known as natural stone pavers, contain some inherent disadvantages compared to concrete pavers. Regarding price, stone pavers are more expensive than concrete pavers.

If you have the budget to accommodate stone pavers for your driveway, you might still want to consider concrete pavers. Natural stone pavers aren’t as resistant to the pressures that high-traffic areas like driveways contain. This doesn’t necessarily mean that stone pavers are fragile. Limestone pavers are known for their durability and are frequently used for edging.

Natural stone pavers are more appropriate for outdoor additions like pool decks due to their absorbent properties.

There’s no doubt that stone pavers hold a distinct natural beauty. The organic textures and colors that natural stone pavers possess communicate a striking aesthetic.

FLAGSTONE PAVER

We have a gorgeous gray flagstone patio. It’s striking; guests often comment about it.

Here’s an example.

Flagstone is a sedimentary rock that is used as pavers most often in patios. The pavers are uniquely shaped and fit together like a puzzle. It’s a thinner paver, compared to brick and concrete, and not appropriate material for a driveway.

Flagstone comes in a variety of colors but most commonly grey hues and reds.

Pros

-Flagstone has a non-slip texture and surface making it an ideal flooring option.

-Durable, will last longer than concrete pavers.

-Versatile enough to use in landscaping as it offers many variations in colors, sizes and shapes.

-Flagstones’ varying shapes allow homeowners to create nearly any pattern they want to achieve.

-Shapes and colors collaborate well with other stones in case you want some extra customization.

Cons

-Difficult to plan an exact preconceived layout with the natural stone.

-Significantly higher cost than other pavers, since it is mined and transported from the actual source.

COBBLESTONE PAVER

Cobblestone types of pavers are great walkway edging ideas, and you’ll see them if you walk down old streets in small towns. These stones typically feature basalt, sandstone, or limestone, and you can also find granite mixes. So, cobblestone pavers can easily last for centuries without a lot of maintenance for you. Also, they can easily withstand extreme temperature swings without incurring a lot of damage, and this makes them great for roads and walkways.

If you’re curious as to what patterns and styles you can create using this type of paver, you’ll be pleased to know that you can design cobblestones in a range of ways to create gorgeous patterns. Since it’s easy to customize and lasts a long time, it’s a very popular choice amongst homeowners.

The natural, classic appearance of this type of paver also makes it a popular choice for large and small projects. These stones are relatively easy to install and readily available if you find the right contractors. It also requires very little maintenance to keep them looking nice, and they don’t show a lot of wear and tear. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance, affordable material, this can easily be one of the best options on the market.

MARBLE PAVERS

It may surprise you, but you can also choose to have marble types of pavers for your outdoor spaces like walkways, driveways, and patios. As you can imagine, marble is a high-end material that adds a classy appeal to your space. Marble typically gets formed by exposing limestone to heat and high pressure. It’s a very unique process that creates random textures and patterns on the surface of the marble, and this gives it a very classy appeal.

If you want an elegant, chic look to your indoor or outdoor space, choosing marble may be a great pick. However, you’ll need the correct contractors to take on this paving project because working with marble can be a high-maintenance and time-consuming job. The pavers usually come with a non-porous finish, and this makes them much less absorbent than other materials

You should note that this type of paver won’t work well for wet areas like pool decks because it can be far too slippery and cause accidents. It’s a very durable material that will last for decades with proper maintenance and care. However, you should ensure that you regularly maintain and clean your marble so it won’t start looking dirty and damaging the space’s aesthetic appeal.

PLASTIC PAVER

You can get plastic types of pavers in two main options. You can get pavers that feature recycled plastic as the main material or get newly-made ones. Using recycled plastic is more sustainable and a better option compared to using newly made ones. It also gives you the freedom to choose the texture, color, or pattern of your paver when you buy it.

Creating plastic pavers with recycled plastic waste is an innovative, unique process that is new to the industry. So, the process involves using water and melted plastic that gets mixed with soil to create a durable end product. This method was created by a talented group of scientists who wanted to solve the problem of excessive plastic usage in the environment. This is a great way to reduce plastic waste overall.

Furthermore, this type of paver lets you get creative with the types of textures, shapes, colors, and patterns you want to design for your space. As a bonus, these pavers aren’t as expensive as other choices, and they’re great for people who want a sustainable paving solution.

PORCELAIN PAVER

Most clay-based, these types of pavers get exposed to higher heat conditions to create a very durable and hard material that will last for decades with good use. This paver choice is ideal for outdoor and indoors space, giving you great freedom and versatility to get creative. You should also keep in mind that these pavers are much less absorbent than other materials. This makes it great for walkways and driveways, patios, and pool decks. You want to maintain them to keep them looking fresh and add value to your space.

You can easily customize these types of pavers to make them stronger and thicker. You can design them to look like natural stone if this is the look you want. Also,porcelain is quite affordable if you’re on a budget. This will usually cost less than most paver types on the market.

The pavers are relatively easy to maintain as they don’t break, chip, or crack very easily. They have a very low absorbent surface that makes them less likely to absorb dust and moisture from the surrounding environment. This prevents bacteria growth and problems with contaminants. You can also customize these pavers to any pattern, texture, or color you want.

RUBBER PAVER

Rubber types of pavers are a more modern innovation that uses slip-resistant material in the design. It’s a non-slip paver that is made out of tear-resistant and eco-friendly raw materials, and this makes them great for parking areas, driveways, and walkways. You can also choose to use recycled tires as the main materials to create a less absorbent, aesthetic surface in your outdoor area.

However, you want to ensure that your pavement doesn’t have any wet areas when you install it because this can cause thermal expansion. Also, you want to install rubber pavers in outdoor areas that don’t have a lot of solar heat or very high temperatures because this can also cause thermal expansion.

One of the best things about this type of paver is that they use recycled materials that are very safe and eco-friendly for the outdoor spaces. Adding a slip-resistant surface will make it a great option for pool areas and outdoor landscaping.

There aren’t a lot of sustainable, environmentally-friendly alternatives to traditional concrete pavers. However, sand is one that is commonly used, and it’s popular enough that you can easily explore it. Sand pavers don’t work well for driveways or vertical structures, but you can use it in other areas of your home.

One nice reason to use sand is that the installation process is very similar to concrete. Pouring the sand and letting it cure isn’t a labor-intensive or time-consuming process, and this lets you work at a quicker space. However, paving an area with this type of paver will require you to evacuate the area for the duration of the project. You may also need to consider using flagstone to get the best results.

TRAVERTINE PAVER

 It’s made out of natural stone and it works well for driveways, pool decks, walkways, garages, patios, the garden, or anywhere else you can think of. These natural stone pavers feature sedimentary rocks that get formed under intense heat and pressure.

If you’re trying to boost your curb appeal, you can consider these pavers as one of the best choices you have. It has a fantastic durability with an excellent longevity, and this makes it a solid choice for many DIYers. The best part of this paver is that you can find it all over the world, so installing and sourcing it usually isn’t an issue.