Pavers are the ideal outdoor flooring surface as they’re strong, durable and come in a variety of colours, patterns, sizes and shapes to help you create beautiful looks.  Two of the most common types of pavers used outdoors today are concrete and clay pavers.  Concrete and clay pavers both have their good points, so which you choose really depends on your preference.  Here we outline everything you need to know about each type of paver so that you can begin making your choice. If you need more information, simply speak to your local paving supplier.

All about Concrete Pavers

Concrete pavers are a popular choice as they are strong, long lasting, low maintenance and very cost effective.  Concrete pavers are versatile and come in a huge range of shapes. Not only do you get the standard square and rectangular pavers, you can also find circular, triangular, and hexagonal pavers as well as other shapes. This allows you to create an almost limitless range of patterns.  Concrete pavers also come in a huge range of colours, not just natural colours.  Add to this the range of sizes that you can get and you get a paver that is nearly unsurpassed.

Another thing that many people like about concrete pavers is the fact that they can be made to imitate other, more expensive, materials such as natural stone.  This means that you can get the look and style of natural stone at a fraction of the cost!  You can use concrete pavers anywhere in the home – for paths, around pools, for entertaining areas, for driveways, as garden edging and more.  Their strength and non slip properties make them a very safe choice.  The fact that they are laid as a paving system means that they are flexible and will move with the underlying earth as it expands and contracts.  If one paver should become damaged somehow, simply lift it out and replace it with a new one!

All about Clay Pavers

Clay pavers are strong, flexible pavers that are suited for use in most areas of the home.  They will last for years with practically no maintenance, and their flexibility means that they will move with the underlying soil, preventing cracks or other damage in your paving.  In the unlikely event that one of your clay pavers needs replacing, you can simply lift out the damaged paver and replace it with with a new one.  Clay pavers come in a range of warm, natural earthy tones such as browns, reds, oranges, and tans.  This makes them a great choice for most gardens as they’ll blend well and enhance the natural beauty of your home.  Also, because they are naturally textured they are quite slip resistant making them a safe choice for areas with lots of foot traffic, or even around the pool.

One thing that you have to be aware of with clay pavers is that they generally only come in a limited range of shapes, namely square or rectangular.  This is sufficient for most applications in which you will use pavers but if you’re after a more unique shape, clay pavers may not be for you.  Clay pavers also may not be suitable for driveways, as they may have “weak points” where the weight of a car can cause them to crack.  However, there is no problem with using clay pavers anywhere else around your garden!