A beautiful hardscape is the hallmark of any home with curb appeal. Those who want to make their properties stand out while getting the most out of their outdoor living spaces know that the best way to go about improving their hardscape is to make use of faux-stone pavers.
Both concrete and porcelain pavers are extremely popular throughout the northeast, each offering their own unique advantages and each being equipped with their own merits. While either option is excellent, though, one might be more “right” for your property than other.
How do you choose between the two? This guide is here to highlight the benefits and considerations associated with both concrete and porcelain pavers, as well as tips for choosing the right material for your hardscaping upgrade.
Concrete Pavers At-A-Glance
As the name indicates, concrete pavers are made from concrete. This isn’t just your ordinary, standard, gray slab of concrete cement, though. Instead, skillful engineers work to design and manufacture pavers that look and feel just like real stone.
The concrete is cast in molds with specific cuts and shaping that resemble that which could be found in nature, and a natural texturing is also applied to all sides of the “stone”. The concrete is also dyed all the way through in order to give the material a beautiful, natural stone appearance that won’t fade or diminish over time.
In addition to manufacturing pavers that look like stone, some concrete paver manufacturers have also experimented with generating pavers that emulate wood.
Porcelain Pavers At-A-Glance
Not all faux stone pavers are made with concrete. In recent years, it has become popular to create beautiful pavers from tough and durable porcelain.
High tech manufacturing processes make it possible to generate a ceramic material that is much thicker than the ceramic tile used indoors, making it very suitable for use throughout a home’s exterior.
Porcelain pavers, like their concrete counterparts, are often designed to emulate natural stone, or even other elements like natural wood, both in coloring and in texture. The result is a very affordable, practical and beautiful alternative to natural products.
Concrete Pavers: Benefits and Considerations
There’s a lot to love about concrete pavers. Some of the many perks include:
- Beauty – There can be no mistake about the fact that concrete pavers are absolutely gorgeous. They are designed to look and feel just like the real thing, and even the most well trained eye often can’t tell the difference.
- Style – Concrete pavers are made with many different styles in mind. Whether you’re into an old world European style, prefer a touch of whimsy, or are looking for something very modern and stylish, you’ll find the perfect fit.
- Affordable – Although concrete pavers look just like the real deal, they are available at a fraction of the price. This means that you can work with concrete pavers on any budget.
- Versatility – Concrete paving materials are the perfect fit for an array of different hardscaping projects. Some of the most common uses for concrete pavers include patios, driveways, paths and walkways, swimming pool decks, etc.
- Consistency – Unlike natural stone, concrete pavers are manufactured with care, precision and attention to detail. You’ll enjoy the same consistent quality from unit to unit.
- Longevity – Concrete is able to withstand the tests of time. Once you install your concrete pavers, you’ll be able to enjoy their beauty for many years to come.
- Weather Resistant – Concrete pavers are resistant to the effects of the elements. They are able to hold up nicely in heat and cold, and aren’t impacted by the sun’s UV rays or rain.
- Low Maintenance – You won’t have to invest a lot of your precious time and energy into taking care of your concrete pavers.
Of course, there are some things to consider when working with concrete. It’s important to make sure that you use the appropriate chemicals for melting snow and ice during the winter month so as to avoid corrosion. In addition, keep an eye out for cracks and address them quickly to avoid problems with freeze and thaw cycles.
Porcelain Pavers: Benefits and Considerations
Porcelain pavers also have a lot to offer. Here’s a look at some of the key perks to working porcelain into your hardscape:
- Gorgeous – With a single glance, you’re sure to fall in love with the rich yet subtle beauty offered by porcelain. The ceramic material lends itself to being manufactured into a product that is nearly identical to natural stone and wood.
- Budget-Friendly – Porcelain is an extremely low-cost alternative to working with natural materials.
- Traction – Porcelain offers fantastic traction and is perfect for swimming pool decks or for creating walkways in areas subject to rain or water from irrigation systems.
- Tough and Durable – Porcelain is an extremely hard and tough material, and the pavers are even thicker than normal which adds to their strength.
- Easy to Clean – Porcelain is relatively stain-resistant and is very easy to clean and maintain.
Although extremely hard and durable, porcelain is fragile during the installation process and should be treated with the utmost care.
Concrete vs Porcelain Pavers: Which Should You Choose?
All things having been considered, it’s easy to see that both porcelain and concrete pavers are excellent options for anyone wanting to take their home’s hardscape to the next level.
Because both materials are very affordable, practical and readily available throughout our area, the decision will really come down to your personal tastes and desires, and the options that are available from each type of paving material.
It’s a good idea to take the time to really envision how you would like your completed project to look so that you can make the right decision about the style of paver you are most interested in, as well as pertaining to the color schemes that you invest in.
This will help to narrow down your options significantly so that as you browse through the different product lines available from leading paver manufacturers, you can make a quick and confident decision.
Should you have any questions about the benefits or drawbacks of either concrete or porcelain paver products, we strongly recommend that you take the time to visit a local supplier and pick the brains of the professionals who are experienced with both types of materials.
You can also request samples of materials from many suppliers so that you can get a better sense for what each has to offer.
Buying Concrete and Porcelain Pavers in NJ
Regardless of whether you’ve elected to work with concrete or porcelain, it’s important that you find an honest and reputable paver supplier in your locale. Braen Supply is the leading supplier of Belgard concrete and porcelain pavers throughout all of NJ and its surrounding areas.
We offer beautiful, high quality products from the top manufacturers of concrete and paving materials in the world so that you can enjoy the peace of mind that you’re working with the best of the best. Our prices are always as low and competitive as possible.
Give us a call or stop by today to pick up your pavers or talk to one of our friendly professionals about having your order bulk delivered to job sites throughout parts of NJ, NY, NYC and PA.
