Advantages of Using Pavers for Your Driveway

Many homeowners are looking for ways to either increase the value of their home or increase the beauty and functionality of their forever home. In either case, improving curb appeal is the main goal. Whether your home’s driveway is cracked, dull and crumbly, or is simply looking dated, the driveway is the perfect place to start.

If you were to walk down any neighborhood street, you would see a wide variety of driveway materials – paving stone, asphalt, poured concrete, stamped concrete, and even mixed materials. What, then, are some of the advantages of selecting pavers for your driveway?

1. Strength

Concrete paving stones are carefully manufactured to make them incredibly strong. In fact, paving stones are typically two to three times stronger than poured-in-place concrete. The combination of higher concrete loading per piece, and the quality control that goes into a manufactured stone means a paver is likely to have increased strength consistently throughout, whereas large poured slabs could have inconsistencies throughout, leading to long term issues with durability.

2. Flexibility

The method by which concrete pavers are installed leads to a natural flexibility of the surface. This flexibility allows the pavers to adjust with the freeze/thaw shift, virtually eliminating cracking, found more typically with pour-in-place concrete or asphalt.

3. Easy to maintain

Maintaining driveway pavers is actually far easier and more affordable than with standard asphalt driveways. Stains and cracks that occur on asphalt can lead to costly and time-consuming restoration. These types of repairs will, more than likely, have to be done several times throughout the lifetime of the driveway. In contrast, if a paver does become damaged or stained, that paving stone would simply be removed and replaced with a new one.

Plus, some paving stones, like Unilock EnduraColor or Elegance pavers, have unique manufacturing technologies that help protect the pavers against staining.

4. Easy to replace

When an asphalt or concrete driveway fails, typically the entire driveway will need to be removed and replaced. While patch work is possible, it is evident there have been patches due to color differences, leading many homeowners to replace the whole driveway. However, with paving stones, you can replace only the area that needs replacing. Replacing a paver is straightforward, does not require large specialized equipment, can be done in a day and can even be done yourself.

5. Style versatility

With paving stones, your design is limited only by imagination. Mixing colors and textures and laying patterns can create magnificent designs, making your driveway the talk of the neighborhood. You can select pavers to match your home’s character and color, giving your driveway a modern flair or old-world charm.

6. Environmental benefits

Stormwater management is quickly becoming a major environmental issue affecting municipalities. In some cities, permeable paving solutions are actually required by law, which quickly eliminates most traditional driveway paving options. Unilock offers the widest selection of permeable paving options on the market, meaning you can meet local requirements without sacrificing your aesthetic. Learn more about the advantages of permeable paver.

7. Quick installation

With paving stones, there is no waiting period to drive on the installed product. With asphalt and concrete, there is a waiting period before it is safe to drive on the surface. This is typically a bigger issue in urban areas where street parking is limited, or even disallowed.

While paving stone projects do tend to cost slightly more than others, it’s a worthwhile investment for the amount of use that space receives. Unilock also offers a transferrable lifetime warranty on the structural integrity of our paving stones, something you won’t find with other surface materials. This, in combination with the above benefits, makes paving stones an unparalleled option for your driveway.

If you are considering having a new interlocking concrete paver driveway installed, take a look at our Driveway Project Ideas, visit a Unilock Outdoor Idea Center, or contact a Unilock Authorized Contractor today.