Driveway Pavers Vs. Concrete

Expense

• A paver driveway is more expensive than concrete. The paver stones are more expensive and the installation cost is higher.

Maintenance

• Pavers in paver driveways tend to settle and shift slightly. They may have to be adjusted to keep them neat and level.

  Concrete driveways can be damaged and stained by salt and solvents. These problems can be minimized by properly sealing the concrete three months after it is installed and again every three to five years for the life of the driveway. The concrete can also be prone to cracking if not poured properly.

Initial Convenience

• A paver driveway can be used right away after it is installed. Concrete must cure for three to five days after installation before it can be used.

Benefits

• Concrete is a very durable material, especially when it is installed with rebar. There are more options for a concrete driveway than just the plain gray look. Colors can be added to concrete when it is mixed. The concrete can also be poured to achieve a paver-like effect. This is referred to as stamped concrete.

  Paver stones are extremely strong, and cracking is not a common problem. They can move and shift when the ground freezes and thaws, which eliminates cracking from ground fluctuations due to extreme seasonal temperatures. A paver driveway gains structural strength over time due to compacting from use. Pavers are uniform in size and structure, which makes replacing a paver or two fairly easy if they do get damaged. Cracks between the pavers allow for better runoff of rain and melted snow, allowing the surface to dry faster than concrete.

Considerations

• Regardless of the design, stamped concrete is still concrete and as such must be installed with construction joints. Construction joints are the seams or lines that divide sections of concrete in sidewalks and driveways. These joints allow for limited movement of the concrete when the ground freezes and thaws and encourage the concrete to crack neatly along the joints when it does crack. The joints often go through the stamped pattern a way that detracts from the finished look of the driveway. Repairing a stamped concrete driveway when it does crack is very difficult to do without making it look worse than the crack. Matching the color and texture is nearly impossible after years of wear and fading.