Stone vs Pavers vs Concrete: What is the Best Material for a Patio?
A patio can give your home an extra living space where the family can hang out when the weather is nice. Question is, what is the best material for a patio: natural stone, pavers, or concrete? We’ll talk about each of these in detail so you can decide which option is right for your home.
When you’re trying to spruce up your home, there are a number of different things you can do.
However, one of the best options is to install a patio. A patio will not only add to the aesthetic of your yard, it will give you a comfortable place to lounge around on a lazy afternoon.
If you are considering installing a patio in your yard, you’re going to have to choose a material.
The question is: what is the best material for a patio?
In general, there are three options to choose from: stone, pavers, and concrete. While all three materials have their benefits, they all have their drawbacks as well. Below, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each so that you can make an informed purchase.
Stone
There are many different reasons to opt for a natural stone patio. With a variety of stone patio materials existing, you can create a patio which is truly unique and eye-catching.
Pros
1. Available in a Variety of Styles
As noted earlier, stone patios materials come in a variety of different styles and types. Whether you’re looking for flagstone, slate, travertine, or limestone, you will be able to find it. Available with both flat and bumpy surfaces, stone pavers come in many different shapes as well. You’ll be able to find everything from diamonds, to rectangles, to triangles, to irregular shapes, and more.
Available with both flat and bumpy surfaces, stone pavers come in a number of different shapes as well. You’ll be able to find everything from diamonds, to rectangles, to triangles, to irregular shapes, and more.
2. Easy to Repair
It is rare that stone pavers ever develop cracks. However, if they do, they can be easily repaired or replaced. All you have to do is remove the cracked paver and replace it with a new one.
Cons
1. On the Expensive Side
Unfortunately, stone costs a pretty penny. In many cases, per square foot, it will as much as double the price of concrete. When using natural stone for your patio, you can expect to pay somewhere between $15 and $25 per square foot.
2. Prone to Shifting
Because your landscape must be graded and backfilled before installation, stone patio materials are often prone to shifting. Over time, as the weather changes, your stone pavers could either move apart from each other or move closer to one another. This can result in premature cracking.
Colorado Springs landscaping company, Landscape FX, can attest to this. Over the years, due to soil shifting, they have had to help many customers to maintain their stone patios.
Pavers
Concrete pavers are purposefully designed to fit together. Possessing interlocking components, they correspond with one another to create attractive and smooth walkways and patios.
Pros
1. Aesthetically Various
Pavers look like any other patio material you could imagine. Whether you’re searching for brick, concrete, limestone, flagstone, or otherwise, there will be a paver which matches its appearance. In essence, working with pavers grants your patio endless style possibilities.
2. Easy to Repair
Like stone, concrete pavers are easy to repair. Should one of your pavers encounter a crack, you can remove it and replace it with another paver. There is no need to destroy the entirety of your patio to make a simple repair.
Cons
1. Expensive
In terms of price, pavers are about equal to stone. This is to say, a paver patio is around twice the price of a poured concrete patio. Generally, pavers will cost anywhere between $15 and $25 per square foot.
2. Can Pull Apart Over Time
Unfortunately, just as with stone, concrete pavers are prone to shifting over time. When the weather changes, or when the soil moves, your pavers are very likely to either pull apart or come together. Because of this, they will need to maintenance and inspections on a regular basis.
Concrete
A poured concrete patio doesn’t carry quite the same prestige as a stone or concrete paver patio. However, if you’re looking for something on the cheap, it’s still a very solid option.
Pros
1. Very Affordable
As noted several times above, concrete is a great deal cheaper than both stone and pavers.
Whereas stone and pavers go for around $15 to $25 per square foot, concrete goes for around $2 to $10 per square foot. This price will vary based on whether you choose a poured concrete patio or a stamped concrete patio.
2. Available in a Number of Different Styles
When most people think of concrete, they think of a dingy, gray, uniform substance. While concrete is available in this style, it is not at all limited to this style.
These days, concrete patio materials come in all different styles and colors. Not only can you purchase stamped concrete patio slabs with intricate designs, you can ask for poured concrete patio materials in a range of different shades. Some of the colors available include gray, brown, red, and black.
Cons
1. Repair Can Be Costly
While concrete is affordable, when it becomes cracked or deteriorated, it can be costly to repair.
In fact, in the vast majority of cases in which a concrete patio becomes cracked, the entire patio will need to be dug out and replaced. This is, of course, unless you’re alright with your patio having cracks in it.
2. Prone to Cracking
As was just noted, when concrete patios crack, the costs associated with their repair can be very high. This might be alright if concrete wasn’t prone to cracking. The only problem is that it is.
Because all concrete is a solid mass, when the earth shifts, the concrete expands. This expansion results in the formation of cracks. Regardless of how hard you try, there is nothing you can do prevent the inevitable appearance of these cracks.
What is the Best Material for a Patio?
The fact of the matter is that there is no definitive best material for a patio. The best patio material for you will depend on your budget and your specific desires.
If you’re looking for the cheapest option available, you’ll be best suited by concrete. If you’re looking for something durable or unique, you’re better suited by either concrete pavers or a natural stone patio.
Have any further questions about patio materials? Contact us now!
