What is cheaper pavers or stamped concrete

Compaction and base prep are key for both, but poured concrete can be radically impacted by daily weather conditions. Rain, heat, cold and humidity can all affect dry times, strength and finish in a big way.

Stamped concrete slabs, on the other hand, can only be guaranteed to crack at some point. Both stamped concrete and pavers should be sealed regularly to increase durability. However, stamped concrete may require sealant to be applied more frequently for comparable durability.

Not only does this increase lifetime maintenance costs, sealant can affect the color of stamped concrete and can also make the surface slippery. In contrast, paver sealant does not affect the colo unless purposely using a Color Boost or Wet Look sealant and pavers retain their slip-resistance.

Is stamped concrete cheaper than pavers? Although it varies by market, the cost of a stamped concrete installation is actually very comparable to a paver installations in most cases.

One of the easiest and best ways to create a more usable and attractive yard is installing stone or concrete outdoor features. This will enhance the look and feel of your entire home and create spaces for you and your family to enjoy in the great outdoors.

Now, there are tons of design options to choose from — but most homeowners prefer to install either stamped concrete, pavers, or slabs. So, many often wonder what is best: stamped concrete vs. There are many benefits to each of these features — but some designs are better than others under specific circumstances.

Concrete is incredibly strong and is resilient against even extreme weather. This makes it a popular choice for landscaping design — but the appearance of plain poured concrete is not always preferred for homeowners.

Stamped concrete is a design tactic that creates the look of stone, wood, or brick. Concrete is poured into molds of varying designs to create virtually any pattern you want.

Stamped concrete is poured, molded, and installed all on-site. Wet concrete is poured out into the desired space, and molds are pressed onto the top layer to press in the desired pattern.

It can also be poured into shaped molds to create the appearance of tiles or cobblestones. Since the concrete design is created on the property, you can have the final say in exactly what color and design you want. Concrete layers can add in cement coloring to create the desired look, such as a more natural stone or marbled appearance. Poured concrete is also ideal if you want a smooth surface.

Most builders recommend stamped, poured concrete for wheelchair-accessible spaces since it creates a more even surface. It is also great for large surface areas or oddly-shaped spaces. The installation and labor costs for poured, stamped concrete is also fairly low compared to other options. Workers will need to first clear out space and set up frameworks and drainage portals. Then, the concrete will be poured in and stamped with the desired textures and designs. This may only take a few days to complete.

One of the most significant downsides to stamped concrete is that it can be quite difficult to repair or replace.

For example, if cracks form or part of the concrete is discolored, it will need to be either patched or cut out completely. It can be difficult to match the repaired part with the original design, too. Another issue is that stamped concrete tends to wear down, especially under consistent heavyweight or traffic.

For this reason, patio areas and driveways typically need to be resurfaced every 5 to 7 years! They come in a wide array of colors, stone-like shapes, and sizes, and you can mix and match paver patterns and colors to create striking borders and color contrasts see our concrete paver photo gallery. You can combine two or more paver colors for added variation. Stamped concrete also allows you to create pavements that resemble natural stone or brick, but unlike pavers, random stone and wood patterns are possible as well see the most popular stamping patterns for concrete patios and driveways.

Stamped concrete also gives you the ability to impart seamless stone-like textures — without pattern or grout lines — through the use of texture skins. Another advantage of stamped concrete is the ability to customize the color. Through the use of concrete stains or dry-shake color hardeners, stamped concrete can be made to look identical to real stone and antiqued to create realistic weathering effects.

How to choose: Both stamped concrete and concrete pavers give you endless design flexibility. The choice often depends on the look you want to achieve. If customization of color is a priority, stamped concrete will better suit your needs. Both stamped concrete and concrete pavers require routine cleaning and maintenance to keep them looking their best and to protect them from wear and tear. Both can also benefit from the application of a sealer every few years to enhance the color and minimize surface abrasion.

But with concrete pavers, additional maintenance is often required to keep the joints between paving units filled with sand.

This means stamped concrete requires more maintenance to keep it looking nice over the years. It needs to be sealed annually and, even so, the color will fade over time. This is why most contractors suggest pre-cast pavers over stamped concrete for driveways since the weight of the vehicles could crack or break the stamped concrete over time. This weight-bearing issue is also something to consider if you plan to place heavy objects like large planters on your patio or path. Interlocking systems do an excellent job of handling and distributing the weight of both driving cars and parked cars moving weight and static weight , while still maintaining strong, uniform flexibility.

This ensures longer-term performance and value. In areas with heavy rains or cold winters, the ground is prone to heaving and expanding, which will accelerate cracking in stamped concrete.

Pavers and slabs, with their regular seams between each piece, will withstand these forces better over the long term. Featured products: Industria Polished patio slab and Graphix retaining wall. Matching the existing concrete with the new patch or repair is tricky because the old area will have faded over time. If only one or two pieces need to be replaced, you might even be able to do it yourself.