Benefits of Installing Concrete Pavers Over a Concrete Slab

You may have decided on concrete for your patio or driveway but be struggling over whether to opt for concrete pavers or a poured concrete slab. Here are several of the benefits of the paver option. 

Cracking

Concrete is a material that can expand and contract as the weather changes. If you pour a slab of concrete, it has no give, which can sometimes lead to cracking. Concrete pavers, though, are set on a bed of gravel and sand. Once they're laid in place, extra sand is sprinkled into the gaps, and the paving is compacted for the last time. The surface has give as each paver has wriggle room to move and adjust, stopping the need for cracking. This movability also helps in the case of minor earth tremors, which could cause a continuous slab to crack. Of course, a paver may break if a heavy object is dropped on it, which leads to the next benefit.

Replaceability

You can pick individual pavers from the surface if one becomes damaged. This flexibility helps you to keep the paving looking attractive and intact. Simply remember to purchase spare pavers during the installation so you can easily pop a new one in place.

On the other hand, repairing a damaged concrete slab can be time-consuming and not always possible. So you may have to put up with some deterioration rather than quickly replacing the damaged part, as with pavers. Some issues are difficult to predict. For example, say a nearby tree's roots grow massively and lift the paving. While this would likely damage a slab, with pavers, you can clear the affected area and fix the tree root situation. Then you can relay the pavers.

Curing

Even though pavers take time to establish the subbase and create a pattern, you don't need to wait for the surface to cure. You can use it almost immediately. The paving subbase is compacted, as are the pavers themselves, which settles the patio or driveway. There's no mortar that needs to harden. On the other hand, a concrete slab can take an extended time to dry. This adds to its inconvenience as you must wait for the prescribed number of hours or days.

Design

Paving has to be beautiful as well as practical. Both continuous concrete and pavers provide plenty of options. You could choose one of the many decorative concrete alternatives for a slab.

However, concrete pavers also offer a massive range of design choices. The pavers can mimic natural stone, timber, and other elements. They'll look more genuine than stamped concrete that mimics paver patterns. You can choose different shapes and sizes of the concrete pavers and lay them however you wish.