How to Choose Between Interlocking Pavers and Paving Slabs

Should You Pave with Slabs or Pavers?

Between your ornamental shrubs, under your specimen trees and sitting alongside your perennial border are the pathways, patios and other hardscapes that help define your yard and make it useful. When planning these features, one of the first questions a landscape contractor in Santa Rosa will ask is whether you want to use interlocking pavers or paving slabs. Selecting the right option for your paving project is a matter of balancing design, location, function and cost.

Paver Deciding Factors: A Landscape Contractor in Santa Rosa Perspective

Several considerations will affect which type of paving product you choose for your landscape project. These factors may include characteristics of the site, such as the size and grade of the site you’re planning to pave and what existing features are already there. Naturally, a major component will be how much time, money and effort you can invest into the project. The look you’re trying to create will also be at the forefront of your mind, and this may entail considering how the hardscaping will fit with the style of your house. The different materials available add another layer of complexity, as you will have to weigh the practicality and versatility against the aesthetics and uniqueness of brick or natural stone.

Upsides and Downsides

While the variety of options and considerations can make choosing one material over another seem overwhelming, a practical approach will make the process simpler. The key is methodically weighing the advantages and disadvantages of pavers and slabs, and then factoring in unique qualities that may nudge your landscaping design in one direction or the other. Consulting with a qualified landscape contractor in Santa Rosa will give you a full understanding of your options, but we’ll briefly survey a few of the major strengths and weaknesses here.

The biggest advantage that you’ll see when you look at interlocking pavers is, well, what you see! The countless shapes, colors and styles of interlocking pavers are why so many homeowners today dream of yards and gardens that incorporate highly personalized hardscaping.

The disadvantage of pavers is that their beautiful and personalized appearance comes at a cost, in terms of time and money. Using interlocking pavers means your project will likely take longer and require more skill. Unsurprisingly, this extra time and skilled labor may mean you need a higher budget. One thing that can offset the higher upfront cost is a potentially lower cost of maintenance and repair. Pavers are very strong, and their individual pieces can be replaced more easily than large slabs when damaged.

As popular as pavers have become in recent years, there are many good reasons for choosing paving slabs as well. One of the biggest draws may be getting your project done faster and more affordably. Large paving slabs can form a path or patio fairly quickly once the site is properly prepared. Although every project is different, you can expect a slab-based project to be a bit less labor-intensive and finicky, translating to savings in time and money.

One major weakness of slabs is that they can’t stand up as well as pavers for heavy-duty use. Slabs are more prone to breaking than pavers, due to the fact that they are relatively thin when compared to their large size. Their weight also makes them unwieldy to handle and transport, which can then increase the odds of one or more of the slabs being damaged before your project is even completed.

Sometimes the Choice is Obvious

If you’re lucky, the specific circumstances of your project will make deciding between pavers and slabs easier for you. That’s because there are some use requirements, site or budget limitations or other details that will clearly call for one paving solution rather than the other.

One example of such a simple scenario pertains to whether your paving will have to stand up to vehicles rather than foot traffic. If you’re planning a new driveway and don’t want poured concrete, you have no realistic choice but to choose interlocking pavers over slabs. While slabs can be long-lived and durable in their proper place, that place is definitely not in an application that must regularly bear the weight of vehicles. Any reputable landscape contractor in Santa Rosa would advise against using slabs this way, unless you want to see your new driveway cracking up sooner than later.

On the other hand, choosing paving slabs can be a no-brainer if fast installation and making the most of a small budget are top priorities for you. Some examples of this might be a short and streamlined pathway or a simple patio in a small backyard. In instances where space, money or time is tight, some well-placed paving slabs will get the job done beautifully and affordably. Thank your lucky stars when a landscape paving choice is this straightforward!

A Landscape Contractor in Santa Rosa Can Help You Decide

Walkways and garden paths are amenable to either interlocking pavers or paving slabs. Likewise, both pavers and slabs are suitable for your patio or outdoor kitchen. In most cases, your choice will often be more driven by the space and budget you have available, plus the look you hope to create. An expert landscape contract Santa Rosa homeowners depend on can help make your options easier to understand, thus simplifying your decision-making. For help selecting the right pavers for your project, contact Canepa Landscaping today.