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Poured concrete vs paver stones for my patio, concrete won by a mile
I spent last summer debating between a poured concrete slab and paver stones for my backyard patio. Went with concrete after my neighbor told me about his pavers shifting every spring thaw and needing $200 in sand every couple years. I poured a 12x16 slab myself for about $600 in materials, and two winters later it still looks the same as day one. Pavers might look nicer up close, but concrete is the low maintenance champ for my climate. Has anyone else made this switch and regretted it?
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pat7811mo ago
Poured concrete is fine until it cracks, and it will crack eventually. A 12x16 slab with no control joints is just asking for a big zigzag line down the middle after a couple freeze-thaw cycles. You might have gotten lucky with the prep or the soil, but that's not the norm for most people. Pavers shifting is usually a sign of bad base work, not the material itself. A proper paver job with compacted gravel and edge restraints can go a decade without needing a touch-up. Settling for concrete because it's cheaper upfront doesn't mean it's better long-term.
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susan_adams1mo ago
A buddy of mine went with pavers for his backyard patio five years ago and hasn't touched them since, just a quick sweep in spring. The concrete he had before cracked within two winters and looked awful, so he'll never go back.
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wyatt1351mo ago
I remember reading a study from some university that tracked paver patios over 15 years and the failure rate was way lower than concrete in cold climates. That kind of data stuck with me, makes your point about proper base work ring true.
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