When it comes to most outdoor projects, your top choices for flooring include concrete pavers and natural stone. Both options produce gorgeous results and are often specifically manufactured to withstand a range of weather conditions. Choosing between concrete pavers and natural stone is not an easy decision because you really can’t go wrong with either. Narrow down your aesthetic and practical goals to ensure you pick the right flooring material for your outdoor space.
Prioritize Design Elements
Concrete pavers are prized for their design versatility, since they may be manufactured to emulate materials such as brick, stone, or wood. Pavers give you a spectrum of colors, textures, and patterns to work with, bringing nearly any creative vision to life. Use concrete pavers’ aesthetic flexibility to evoke a sense of classic timelessness in one part of your landscape, and an earthy garden oasis in another.
Organic natural stone is available in countless weights, shapes, and textures that guarantee one-of-a-kind designs. Suitable for rustic and geometric applications alike, natural stone brings a sense of warmth unmatched by any other hardscaping material to your landscape. Complex stone patterns provide beautiful accents, but keep in mind they often require meticulous attention to detail, patience, and skill.
Consider Climate and Maintenance Factors
Changing weather conditions and concrete pavers go hand-in-hand when you choose interlocking styles, which encourage proper water drainage and have high load-bearing capacity. Interlocking joints allow pavers to expand and contract with seasonal weather patterns, while permeable types prevent harmful runoff from seeping into pools and municipal irrigation systems. Routine maintenance is minimal, requiring an occasional sweep and weeding. Repair is also a breeze, as individual pavers may be removed and replaced quickly and easily.
Although not all natural stone is created equal, many kinds are known to accumulate lichen and moss over time. Most natural stone products must be regularly maintained under harsh weather conditions. However, some options, such as Natural Stone by Unilock, boast low water absorption and resistance to freeze-thaw cycles, meaning your stone hardscaping will retain its unique beauty, long-term.
Get Function-specific
Both concrete pavers and natural stone are available in tumbled styles to prevent slips and falls, which is ideal for outdoor kitchen or pool deck areas. While concrete pavers have many practical applications, natural stone often works just as well, provided the manufacturer has designed them to be slip-resistant and waterproof.
Choosing between concrete pavers and natural stone for your landscape should be influenced by your design vision, climate, and maintenance considerations, and intended functionality. The beauty of this decision? Both options yield gorgeous and durable outcomes, provided you do a little extra planning.
