A new patio, walkway, or driveway is an exciting project. By choosing paving stones that make your project unique, beautiful, and long-lasting, you will be setting yourself up to enjoy your new landscape feature for many years to come. Here’s our guide to picking paving stones that offer both style and durability in the Rochester Hills and Macomb, MI, areas.
We’ll go over the benefits and drawbacks to natural stone and concrete pavers, so you can make the best choice for your next landscaping project.
Related: How Masonry Can Contribute to a Macomb, MI, Landscape Design That Looks Good in Winter
Natural Stone Benefits
You may have seen thousand-year-old walls, plazas, and roads made with stone. Some are still in use today, and other than having achieved a natural patina from centuries of exposure to the elements, they are still functional and still beautiful (arguably more so).
A thousand years ago, of course, there was little choice but to use materials that were nearby. Limestone, granite, marble, and sandstone are preferred building materials even today—and not just because of their durability. They offer nearly endless design opportunities and are suitable for use alongside any architectural style.
Natural stone offers something that concrete pavers cannot: pure individuality. Each stone, even from the same quarry, will have variations in tone and patterning, and these endless variations can’t be exactly matched in manufactured stone.
Natural Stone Drawbacks
Depending on the stone, natural stone can be slippery when wet, making it unsuitable for wet areas or walkways. Bluestone and marble are two examples.
Sedimentary stone, namely flagstone and bluestone, tend to spall (flake) when moisture infiltrates the layers. This can cause a tripping hazard and may necessitate the replacement of stone over the years. Other types of stone, such as granite and limestone, are not layered, yet they are denser and less affected by moisture.
Related: Creating a Winter-Proof Driveway With Concrete Pavers in Troy and Macomb, MI, Areas
Concrete Paver Benefits
Two benefits of concrete pavers stand out that may make them a preferred choice over natural stone. The first is ease of installation, as each paver is designed to fit like a puzzle with its neighbors. This can lower the installation cost and time involved on a large or complex project.
Concrete pavers are available in a much broader range of colors, shapes, textures, and finishes than natural stone—a plus if you want a color not easily available in natural stone.
Many concrete pavers come with a non-slip finish (even the smooth ones) which can make them more suitable for wet areas and walkways.
Concrete Paver Drawbacks
Pavers can’t accurately replicate the individuality of real stone. With that said, concrete manufacturing has come a long way, and certain varieties, like tumbled pavers, come very close to the real thing.
So which is best? For wet areas (pool decks and hot tubs) and walkways, consider concrete pavers, which offer a non-slip surface. Or, limestone, sandstone, or granite, which are not as affected by moisture, especially when sealed.
For patios, either natural stone or concrete alternatives are a great choice. The decision may come down to whether you want your patio to be completely unique, or if you prefer to have more choices in colors.
For driveways, both natural stone and concrete pavers are suitable if they are thick enough and durable enough to withstand vehicular traffic (flagstone, for example, is not a great driveway material because it’s a layered stone that can easily succumb to the damage caused by snow plows; but granite can be used for a long-lasting driveway).
Related: How Masonry Can Accentuate a Classic Outdoor Fireplace in Macomb, MI
