Natural Stone vs. Pavers

[jatoxico]

I am looking to move forward on a landscaping project that includes removal on a large gunite pool, new driveway and a patio. Never had pavers before anyone care to give their experience?

How long do they last, maintenace etc?

I'm hoping whatever I use will shed water rather than allow it to penetrate since I have some water control issues.

 

[kennyp2339]

Paver patio's are an excellent choice, I personally like Cambridge brand pavers, they seem to last the longest. The key to making a paver patio last is your base, do not skimp out on it, depending on your existing grade I would recommend a minimum 6" qp base, that is tamped with a plate compacter (it will set up like concrete) then an additional layer of stove dust that you will lay your pavers on. Some contractors will differ and say use sand, I personally don't like sand because it will move over time with heavy ran since it doesn't compact well. Pitch need to be determined while laying in your base of qp, you want to point the whole patio in one direction (away from the structure) where ever it drains to, if its not ideal then install a French drain (water is your enemy here) The pavers once laid down will be locked in with a special polymeric sand that will lock in once its misted with a garden hose.

 

[velvetfoot]

I wonder if there might be settlement issues if the patio goes over the old pool.

 

[jatoxico]

I know if the pavers are installed correctly they are durable but do they need much maintenance to keep looking good? For instance resealing or new polymeric sand every couple years?

A couple years ago though when we had that very cold winter and the ground froze deep we had some heaving of the driveway and patio area where I want to replace with pavers. I won't know for sure until the existing stamp-crete is removed but I think have clay in the areas where the patio will go.

Not sure if a good base of RCA solves such problems but I want to make sure they don't heave or settle. I thought of possibly adding a drainage system in one area of particular concern. Also heard of using geo-tech fabric but not sure what that is or what it does.

Fortunately the patio is not going where the pool is/was. Even so they are compacting the fill between lifts and guarantee in the contract it won't settle.

 

[sportbikerider78]

I love the look of my paver walkway to my front door. But I wish it was a cement walkway. You can easily powerwash cement and keep it looking good. Plus, there are some awesome molds out there that make it look like a paver walkway.

 

[Ashful]

Why not natural flagstone? I've lost track of how many patios and walks we have surrounding this old house (where does one end, and the next begin?), but my three favorite by far are our natural flagstone patios.

No masonry is maintenance-free, whatever you're told, but my natural flagstone patios seem to only get better with age and they require very little maintenance. Everything else looks worse as it ages.

 

[jatoxico]

You just described the positives of natural stone and hence the question.

I think the one thing in favor of pavers is that, as I understand it, they will shed water well rather than allow it to penetrate when installed with the polymeric sand. Moving water away from the house is important in this instance.

I need to keep looking and asking questions but the uniform look may be preferable too.

 

[Ashful]

My natural flagstone patios are pointed, so they shed water very well. I guess some may set them in grit (the basement of this house was that way for 230 years), but I assume most point them, these days.

About every third year a little spot of pointing here or there will require a little attention. Then I chisel out the loose spot, and re-point it fresh. In six years here, I've repaired less than 3 lineal feet of pointing, out of maybe 600 square feet of flagstone. Not bad, if you get on it when you see a failure. They only require major work if you let them go, and then one failure leads to the next.

 

[velvetfoot]

What is flagstone? Granite?

 

[jatoxico]

I think the term is generic. I think mostly of slate but applies to any large flat stone for paving.

 

[Ashful]

What is flagstone? Granite?

Any mostly-flat large stone, mostly of the shale type (they naturally split off along grain lines. Mine are a mix of red shale, granite, and field stone... whatever the farmers dug up in the fields when this house was built. Some of it dates back to 1738.

I'll see if I can find some photos posted here before.

 

[Ashful]

Okay, here is one of the natural flagstone patios, with one of the exposed aggregate patios down below:



We have three patios built like this, two completely exposed, and one under a porch roof (where I keep my firewood). They all hold up very well.

Another option I'd consider, if you want a more contemporary look, is cut flagstone. The previous owners of this house used that for an entrance to the newest addition, and while I don't think it really suits this house, it is a good material: