Stamped concrete or real stone pavers in driveway?

Question

i currently have an asphalt driveway that i may reseal. I know having someone put in stone pavers is expensive unless i try to do it myself but i don't know how hard it is?

how is stamped concrete? does it hold up better than stone pavers? is it less expensive?

i know you can have tons of patterns and color with concrete now a days. which would you choose, concrete or pavers? how do they both compare cost wise? the size of my driveway is 20x28.

Answer 1

I also think that is a HUGE DIY project and you may not be happy with results.  In my opinion, stone pavers are beautiful but can become loose and uneven; even dangerous...especially if you have a lot of vegetation around them with big root systems.  Stamped concrete can be done in so many designs and colors...truly awesome.  I think they are lower maintenance and probably maintain better overtime.  The price range of stamped concrete really depends on your choices.  There are quite a few companies popping up that rent the equipment out to DIY with a lot of pointers but I would first hire someone to either remove or level the asphalt.  ...go with the concrete.

Answer 2

pro and cons ..... stamped concrete is so final... looks alittle  plastic  aka  unreal... its cheaper by far  .....

  pavers look a lot better but the cost is maybe the same...

  the price of concreate/  stamping it . staining  it   ,works out the same ......

  paver will cost you also , they anit cheap...  but can be removed a lot easyer than concreate....

   maybe use,   used pavers . go green ,and save  some money as well

Answer 3

That's not a DIY project I would take on.  Setting pavers is HARD work!  

Besides, you'd have to remove the pavement, regrade and compact the driveway and then set the pavers.

Stamped and/or stained (colored) concrete will hold up well, same as a concrete driveway.  Pavers, if not installed properly will move over time due to traffic and weather.

Answer 4

Look at this from this prospective.You already have a serviceable drive.I would reseal and let things be.

Pavers ---  soil conditions and freeze thaw are major players on this.Another thought is de-icers and the damage done.Also they are made with integral concrete,meaning they can,will,do fade.

Stamped concrete --- yes it looks great but extremely expensive to place.I get $17.50 a square foot with a 250 sq ft minimum.Also you need to seal every year to protect your drive.A sizable investment and it may make to big of a statement in your neighborhood.

If I was to replace I think I would do in regular concrete.I have done so many I fathom to think of the numbers.Talk to your contractor and have him make your stones smaller and do a sweat and shine or cross broom and shine finish.

He will most likely cry the blues and tell you the stones don't have to be that small,that's cause he's lazy and doesn't look at ascetics.

sweat finish looks like a fan and the shine is using edger and control joint tool to open the groves.

cross broom and shine is where every stone is broomed the opposite direction,creating a checker board effect.

Remember to wait 28 days and use a good quality sealer to reduce the chance of oil leak damage.

Good Luck

Answer 5

I would reseal the driveway.  You will never get the money back for the cost of pavers, which will break under the weight or the added expense of the concrete. The reseal is a clean look and can be easy to mantain.

Answer 6

dan is 100% right,,,,,go with concrete!!

Answer 7

Having someone else put in stone pavers is prolly expiensive. If you tired to do it yourself then goodluck because i herd its alot of hard work. Stamped concrete is pretty nice. I would say that it prolly holds better than stone pavers. There prolly alomost about the same price but stamped concerte is prolly a little more expensive. I would prolly choose concrete. Once again cost wise they are prolly about the same but concerte is prolly little more expensive, and if your driveway is 20x28 it is still prolly the same. I would prolly just go with stamped concrete. Good Lcuk! :)

Answer 8

hello my name is joe I'm a paver installer out here in California.. pavers can range from 1.5$ to 5$ square foot.. by the time you ad in AB(road base), sand, edging. and labor its 12 to 17 bucks a sq.. foot installed... it is a little more than concrete.. but they have a better pounds per sq inch rating and they are just plain out better looking than concrete.. they have more detail and better color contrast... plus concrete is almost  guaranteed to crack throughout the years...  pavers can always be pulled up and fixed no matter what the situation might be.. check us out at paverscapessacremento.com