Claypave - A Video Guide to Laying Pavers

A Video Guide to Laying Pavers

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Benefits of Sealing Concrete Pavers

Sealing a paver surface is beneficial for many reasons. First and foremost, the pavers will be protected from grease, spills, oil stains, etc. In addition to preventing stains, many sealers can dramatically improve the appearance of a home or business. A "wet" look or high-gloss sealer brings out the colors of each paver. For those individuals and companies desiring less of a visual impact there are "satin" and "natural" finishes that provide the same great protection while minimizing the changes in appearance.

Here is a quick summary of both the aesthetic and functional benefits you can expect from sealing your pavers:

APPEARANCE - Enhance the appearance of your hardscape with a sealer that is able to bring out and intensify the natural paver colors. In many cases, the change can be quite a dramatic improvement.
MAINTENANCE - Sealing pavers creates a surface that improves maintenance efforts by making it faster and easier to clean. Sealed surfaces can be wiped down with a mild detergent or pressure washed to remove any spills, dirt and debris.
PROTECTION - Sealed surfaces are more resistant to undesired stains such as oil, food and drink spills, etc. Some sealers also may protect against salts, acids, and other corrosive substances.
PRESERVATION - A UV-rated sealer will not yellow as it protects the paver colors from fading under a constant barrage of harmful sunlight.
STABILIZATION - Many sealers can reinforce pavement integrity by stabilizing joint sand which also deters weed growth and insect activity such as ant hills.
VERSATILITY - The same sealer used on your pavers can also be used on other areas in your hardscape including concrete, exposed aggregate, stone, etc.

Once your pavers are installed, sealing them is the logical next step. It protects your investment and gives them that added visual punch to really make your property stand out. Consider hiring a professional paver sealing company to complete your project. Search the Internet and visit a local professional's website to see some photos of the results they are capable of achieving.

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Concrete Vs Pavers

Poured concrete is the most common material used for outdoor spaces and offers the advantage of a durable surface with plenty of design options to match any landscape. Pavers are individual pieces that could have an interlocking or square-edged design and can be made of different materials such as pre-cast concrete, bricks, stone slabs, or cobbles. Pavers are used as an alternative to concrete in paving driveways, patios, walkways and other exterior areas.

Cost and Installation
The cost per square foot of concrete is lower than any type of pavers, making it a more affordable paving material. Concrete also offers savings on labour costs and time because its installation is relatively easier than installing pavers, which require tedious site preparation as the base must be packed extremely well so the pieces will not settle.

Visual Appeal
Without question, pavers look a lot better than a plain grey concrete paving. The colours and texture of pavers exhibit natural charm. The great thing is concrete is such a versatile material that many techniques can be done to it to completely transform its appearance. Being able to resemble real pavers is just one of the effects that can be achieved with concrete, without the price tag of pavers. Concrete can be stamped, stained, engraved, scored, stencilled, and embedded with stones, to name a few possibilities.

Maintenance
Concrete slabs are practically maintenance-free, especially if they are sealed which makes the surface impervious to all kinds of spills and stains. With pavers, the material itself is also low maintenance but the spaces between each piece often need regular care because weeds, grass and moss will grow in these joints. Aside from regularly removing weeds before they infest the area, the owner should also watch out for shifting pavers and cracks on mortared pavers. Brick and concrete pavers are also susceptible to stains. The gravel or sand in between the joints

Durability
Concrete slabs are significantly more durable than pavers but ground movement greatly affects concrete, making it more prone to cracking if the soil underneath it becomes unstable although its surface will still remain flat. Pavers, however, will not crack when the ground settles because the settling will affect individual units. However, they could become tripping hazards when some of the pavers shift up as a result of ground movement.

Repair and Replacement
This is where pavers have an advantage over concrete. Since pavers consist of separate units, if a couple of pavers get damaged, you just take out those pieces and replace them with new ones - easy and not expensive. It's the opposite with concrete if the slab suffers severe damage and calls for replacement. The whole slab would have to be removed and a new concrete surface installed. Such a problem can be greatly avoided by hiring a professional concrete contractor to do your concrete work to ensure quality base prep and concrete installation. Also, do note that concrete replacement is always the last resort and is done only when the structure is no longer sound. Cosmetic problems on the concrete's surface can be repaired or the concrete resurfaced at reasonable cost.

Combining Pavers and Concrete
As you can see, concrete and pavers have their own advantages and disadvantages. If you're having a hard time deciding which to use, why not combine them? Concrete makes a great base for pavers. Laying pavers over concrete will eliminate problems with pavers moving out of place and creating uneven surfaces. Consult with a professional concrete contractor to explore this option.

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