By Mark J. Donovan
Question: We are building a new home in Texas and have been trying to decide on which material to use for the installation of our driveway. Our old home had an asphalt driveway and we were less than pleased with its performance and the maintenance required. The decision has come down to using either concrete or pavers. Maintenance is a big concern for us. Do you have any comparison thoughts between concrete and pavers?
Answer: Though asphalt is used in many driveways throughout the country they admittedly do require regular maintenance. They usually need to be sealed every year or two.
Regarding pavers: Pavers are more expensive than concrete, both from a unit cost and from an installation standpoint. The installation of pavers requires more up front site prep work, as the base needs to be extremely packed to prevent settling. Even with a solid base, however, inevitably some settling will occur. Also, the edges of a paver driveway will always be highly susceptible to movement. As a result, a paver based driveway will require maintenance over time.
Concrete on the other hand is easy to install, and is extremely strong, particularly when used with rebar. Concrete driveways are virtually maintenance free, however they are susceptible to staining and salt damage.
Living in Texas, your probably less likely to have to deal with salted roads so in your case salt should not be an issue.
Finally, there are techniques now employed with concrete that enable you to get a paver look (including the color) without paying the price of pavers.
My recommendation, go with concrete driveway if cost and maintenance are high concerns.
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