If you are planning to build or refurbish a patio or garden on your property, one of the first decisions you must make is whether to use concrete or patio pavers. The cost of paving concrete varies greatly. Concrete is the more traditional choice, but with so many suppliers and products available today it can be tricky to find the best deal. Concrete may be cheaper to lay initially, but it will require a lot more maintenance and may crack or pit over time. In addition, the noise from drilling and pumping can be intrusive to your sleep and the added work takes a lot of labor off your back.
It is much easier and less expensive to lay patio pavers. Patio pavers are made from very heavy, sturdy materials like stone and they are extremely durable and hard-wearing. This means that patio pavers require very little maintenance after they have been laid. Most patio pavers are sealed to keep out the rain and snow and are left relatively unattended to, so you don’t need to remove them during the course of the year.
If you decide to use concrete for your patio or garden, you will find that you will have to plan carefully to obtain the best quality products. Concrete is very susceptible to cracking and it is even more susceptible to flaking and other forms of wear and tear. The material also has to be heat-treated in order to resist staining and corrosion. Once the patio is covered, you must be prepared to protect it from the elements. Sun, wind and rain can all do serious damage to unprotected concrete.
The best option for covering your patio is a weather-proof membrane that is installed on the surface. This waterproof membrane is bonded to all of the slabs and then sits tightly over the top. Once this is done, the patio is ready to use. You do not need to apply any paint to the patio because it is water-resistant and will be impervious to water. With a weather-proof membrane installed on the surface of your patio, there is nothing to prevent the patio from getting dirty.
In most cases, a patio is not going to be the focal point of a home. There are many other parts of a home that homeowners spend time on, so why add an expensive patio to the list? A small patio is often used as a playroom for children or as a patio and playroom combination for teenagers. It might even be a place to entertain guests!
There are many factors to consider when determining whether it is cheaper to install a concrete paving slab over the traditional gravel or wood surface. One of the major considerations is how much the concrete is going to cost. Wood is significantly more expensive than concrete. In addition, if the area is very large (which is often the case), it may cost considerably more to lay stone or brick instead of concrete.
Another thing to take into account is the maintenance cost. Concrete is considerably more difficult to maintain over time. Pavers are very easy to care for. The cost of the concrete will go down as the years go by, but the cost of the pavers will continue to remain relatively low.
Many people think that installing a patio is far too complicated a job for them to tackle. This simply is not true. If you have an excellent set of plans and an equally adequate skillset, you can have your patio installed in just a few hours. The materials required are simple enough to buy at your local hardware store. If you decide to hire someone to do it, be sure to get an estimate for both labor and the cost of the materials before the job is started.