We think concrete and pavers both make a great material to use for your new patio, but which one is better for you? Well it all depends on a couple of factors. Let’s take a look at some of the most common things that people are looking for in their new patio so you can make the right choice for your project.
Durability
Having a patio that will hold up to all of the wear and tear that it’s bound to experience is one of the most important factors when it comes to choosing the right material. Concrete is by far one of the best materials out there when you look at its durability. When you take care of it, concrete has been known to last up to 30 years or even longer. This makes it an awesome choice if you want your patio to last a long time.
Pavers are also pretty durable. They can handle a large amount of wear and tear and since they are individual pieces they are less prone to cracking than concrete. However, sometimes you need to re-level them if they end up shifting or settling.
Maintenance
Concrete is a low maintenance option for your patio. If you go with a concrete patio you may need to occasionally have a pressure washing service come out to clean and seal your concrete every few years. This will help keep your concrete from getting splotchy and protect it from weather damage too.
Pavers do take a bit more upkeep to continue looking fantastic. As we said above you may need to re-level them occasionally, but the joints between pavers can also be perfect spots for debris and weeds to build up. This means that you’ll need to periodically go in and pull weeds, clean out the joints, and resand as needed. This ongoing maintenance can start to add up quickly.
Aesthetics
One of the most fascinating things about concrete is that you can make it look however you want. If you want to change the color, the way it looks, or add other decorative elements to it, that’s all available to do with all the advancements that have been made in decorative concrete. You can get a high end look without having to clean out your wallet.
Pavers also have a lot of different colors and looks that you can achieve by simply placing different pavers in certain ways. The way that they are arranged will dictate what the finished product will look like. You can certainly create a gorgeous patio with pavers but if you’re looking for a custom design you’ll have to do a lot of planning and preparation to make sure you get exactly what you want. Not to mention they cost way more to install.
Conclusion
Pavers do create incredible looking patios, but concrete really stands out with its overall strength, low maintenance, and cost effectiveness. If you’re still thinking about installing a new patio you might want to look at concrete as your option. With its wide design variety you can get just about any look that you want for your project.
This article was written by the professionals at Custom Concrete & Forms. We are the top local choice when you’re looking for Fort Collins concrete contractors to take care of your concrete project from start to finish. We specialize in concrete driveways, stamped patios, sidewalks, and concrete repair.
