Choosing Stamped Concrete or Concrete Pavers
When replacing or creating a concrete patio, pool deck, or other outdoor living space, there are several factors you'll need to be taken into consideration. Besides the patio size and design, the type of material you use is just as important. If you’re ready to take the next step to start planning for a stunning outdoor space, we've provided you with comparisons so that you can make a concrete decision (sorry for the pun) before investing in this type of property improvement. Will you choose stamped concrete or pavers?
Design Versatility
Concrete Pavers
Concrete pavers come in a wide variety colors, shapes, and sizes. Some concrete pavers can be made to look like stone. The multitude of smooth-edged and interlocking paver styles, and the endless patterns gives you many design options to choose from.
Stamped Concrete
Stamped concrete can replicate a variety of natural materials at a significantly lower cost than using the real thing. It can be made to resemble natural stone, wooden planks, slate, bricks, and many more. Stamped concrete is also more customizable than pavers since images of foliage, monograms, and graphic stamp designs can be incorporated into to your concrete for a personalized and unique look. The endless numbers of colors and texture combinations available add even more design versatility than concrete pavers. This is achieved by combining an integral color for the base with a complementary accent color stain over the the stamped concrete or textured surface.
Project Installation Speed
Stamped concrete takes about half the time to install as concrete pavers. Stamped concrete wins out on installation time hands down over installing individual pavers.
Maintenance
Pavers Individual concrete pavers are more durable when sealed, as with stamped concrete. However, the color on pavers can fade over time in sunny areas. Take into consideration that there will be ongoing maintenance since weeds and grass will continue to come through in the spaces between individual pavers.
You also may need to fill in those spaces with a polymer sand from time to time to reduce the amount weeds that pop through. Polymeric sand is not a ‘once and done’ method, since it can break down over time and weeds will find their way up to the surface again. Ground settling can also cause your paved surface to become uneven. If this occurs, you will need to have the base under the pavers re-leveled and reinserted.
The upside of using concrete pavers is that individually, they are less likely to crack or break. If they do, individual pavers can easily be replaced.
Stamped Concrete
Everyday maintenance with stamped concrete takes very minimal effort because 1) It is a continual surface where weeds do not have a channel to pop through (as with pavers) and 2) A sealer is applied to protect it from stains, damage, and color fading.
If you're concerned about minor cracks in your concrete surface, with quality workmanship and materials, your stamped concrete will be extremely durable and have little or no cracking for many years.
With proper installation methods in place, structural cracking and damage from shrinkage will be rare. A top-notch concrete contractor, like Gruttadaurio Masonry, follows proper installation standards and take measures to prevent cracking. These include using rebar reinforcement, a surface retardant, relief cuts, and other preventative measures.
Sealing: Stamped concrete surfaces will need to be resealed every few years to protect its surface.
Cost Comparison
The average cost for pavers vs. stamped concrete is about the same when you add up labor plus the cost of materials. Both can cost anywhere between $10 and $30 a square foot and will depend on a number of variables. These include the project complexity, the lay of the land (if it's on a hill, in a remote location on the property, etc.), the type of materials used, and the level of quality and experience of the concrete masonry contractor. Less competent contractors may be cheaper, but using them will cost more due long-term due to repairs or the complete replacement of your patio, pool deck, or walkway, due to sub-par workmanship and materials. Quality concrete contractors may be more a little more expensive, but well worth the investment.
Conclusion
The choice between using concrete pavers vs. stamped concrete is easy if you want natural-looking material for your patio or pool deck. Pavers will give you a more structured, manufactured look, while stamped concrete can resemble natural materials like stone and wood. The key to any masonry project is to find a contractor that goes above and beyond the industry standards and who are skilled artisans in their field.
The masons at Gruttadaurio Masonry are experts in creating stunning, durable, and unique stamped concrete patios, concrete pool decks, and other outdoor living areas.. Discover why stamped concrete may be a better option for you over pavers. We provide free estimates and can help you decide on the best stamped concrete solution for your outdoor living space. You may want to visit our website photo gallery to see examples of our stunning stamped concrete work. Contact us today at (315) 310-7193.
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