Which Is Better for Around a Pool: Pavers or Concrete?

Concrete

• Poured concrete surfaces around a swimming pool are fairly durable. In terms of cost, concrete for pool decking is inexpensive, at less than 55 cents per square foot, installation included. You can also have poured concrete made in a variety of colors, as well. Stamped and colored concrete to go around swimming pools is also available at a slightly higher cost. Poured concrete of all types, though, is susceptible to cracking in colder weather, which you might find in northern climates.

Pavers

• Pavers around a swimming pool are a good alternative to traditional poured concrete materials. Pavers are relatively small individual pieces of concrete, brick or natural stone placed next to each other to provide a continuous surface. Paver surfaces can become uneven, however, if not properly installed. Pavers come in concrete, brick and various natural stones, which are the most expensive. Pavers vary widely in cost, from $5 all the way up to $30 per square foot.

Costs

• If cost is a major consideration, it's hard to top the relative affordability of traditional poured concrete for the surfaces around your pool. Stamped and colored concrete is more expensive, ranging between $5 and $20 per square foot. Pavers around swimming pools vary widely in price, but all will be more expensive than any type of concrete. Lastly, it will be necessary to custom-cut some of the pavers, which will add to the cost.

Other Factors

• Concrete surfaces tend to fade out over time, while most paver surfaces won't. Pool pavers are more expensive to install than concrete, depending on the particular paver material. Additionally, pavers for a swimming pool area require sealing after installation, which is an additional cost. Overall, pavers for pool areas offer a higher degree of durability than concrete. It's also easier to repair paver surfaces because you can simplyt replace individual damaged pavers.

Selection

• Any type of concrete needs to be sealed and cleaned regularly to prevent staining, plus a non-slip finish needs to be applied. If you're budget-minded, select concrete over pavers to go around your pool. Just remember that concrete will cost more than pool pavers in maintenance costs over the long term. Pool area pavers already have natural non-slip surfaces and cost less to maintain than concrete. If you want high line looks and low maintenance for the surfaces around your pool, select pavers over concrete.