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Whether you need to pave your driveway, a patio or a garden path, you need basic knowledge of various paving materials. The choice of a paving material will depend on many factors. So, consider environmental factors such as temperature and moisture while choosing paving material. In order to be able to find the perfect paving material for your pavement project, we researched a bit and we give you the basics you will need to know.

Concrete

A good thing about concrete is that it comes in various shapes, sizes and colours. It can be finished with a variety of textures. Stamped concrete texture finish can resemble a variety of other materials such as brick, slate, flagstone, tile and many other materials. Stenciling concrete pattern can be installed by any layperson. You can make shapes on the surface such as swirls. These are called float and trowel finishes. One of the traditional types of finishes are broom finishes. The maintenance cost of this type of pavement is very low. The great thing about concrete pavers is that they can be produced in order to resemble natural stone. In that case, they cost less than a natural stone. You should be careful with concrete as it can crack over time.

Stone

When it comes to stone, you can use natural or synthetic stone. Synthetic stone is of course much cheaper than a natural one. One of the less expensive options is crushed stone but it has disadvantages such as rutting from tires and weed growth. There are so many types of natural stone: marble, limestone, sandstone, granite, flagstone and many others.

Tiles

The most important feature of tiles is that they can be very small. Bear in mind that tiles are not durable as other paving materials. Tiles are usually used for paving patios and terraces. The advantage of using tiles is that they are easy to install. On the other hand, they can become very slippery when it is wet.

Earth materials

When it comes to earth materials, the ones usually used are sand, gravel and turf. Even though sand can be used as a surface material, you should be aware that it generates dust. Another earth paving material is gravel. They are easy to construct and not very expensive. On the other hand, gravel should be maintained more frequently than other materials. Additionally, if you have a lot of snow during winter, gravel is not a best option. Turf is not a common paving material. The disadvantage of this material is its maintenance. The turf should be maintained regularly otherwise it can become as solid as concrete when weather is too dry or it can become completely unusable during wet periods.

Synthetics

Most common synthetic materials are sponge rubber, rubber mats, plastics, plastic lumber. They are easy to maintain and come in various colours.

Asphalt

Asphalt is one of the most durable paving materials since their life expectancy can be 20 years. On the other hand, they have a high cost of installation. Asphalt can be combined with other materials such as sponge, rubber or cork. This material is easy and inexpensive to maintain. A disadvantage of this kind material is that they can become very hot during summer days.

Brick

Since the ancient time, brick was one of the most common paving materials. If you want a traditional style of paving, you should certainly use brick. Being easy to use and produce, brick is not very expensive. However, it is more expensive than concrete. The advantage of brick is that they come in various patterns. It is very durable material. Since they are natural material, their colour almost never fades. Brick pavers come in a variety of colours from brown to red down to pink shades. According to pavers Sidney brick pavers are the most popular choice available today.

Rubber pavers

For environmentally conscious consumers, rubber pavers are an excellent choice. They are made from recycled tires. This paving material is inexpensive and easy to install.

As we have seen, the list of paving materials is endless. There so many types of them on the market. Be careful while choosing them because every each one of these types has its own advantages and disadvantages. Make sure you have chosen the right one for your needs.