What Are Pavers?
Concrete pavers are cast bricks made of Portlandcement and aggregate.
Cobblestones are natural, quarried stones cut into paver shapes.
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Clay Brick Pavers vs.
However, high-quality concrete pavers can also add value to your home.
Brick and concrete pavers offer beautiful classic paving surfaces that work well with almost any home style.
Clay brick paversGH01 / Getty Images
Concrete pavers are made from cement and aggregate poured into forms, compressed, and air cured.
Concrete can be formed into various shapes and sizes and pigmented in various colors.
However, concrete pavers usually have a shorter lifespan than bricks.
Concrete paversThe Spruce / Jacob Fox
The bricklayer needs to take extra care when laying the bricks, increasing construction costs when using them.
However, they are more sustainable.
But, many types of concrete pavers are manufactured nowadays to be harder and more durable than clay brick.
The Spruce / Kaley McKean
Bricks and concrete pavers also need periodic sealing to prevent stains.
Clay brick and concrete paver driveways need periodic weed and dirt removal from between the pavers.
Proper maintenance can significantly extend the life of your driveway to 25 years or more.
Clay bricks resist staining and require less maintenance and cleaning than concrete pavers.
It will need washing with apressure washeronce or twice a year.
In comparison, a concrete paver driveway will need cleaning with a cleaning solution every few months.
Sealants will also extend the lifetime of your clay brick or concrete paver driveway.
If left unsealed, clay brick will flake and peel over time.
Avoid gloss-finish sealers, which often result in a splotchy surface.
However, there are “wet look” sealers that look shiny without producing a gloss.
Sealers can be applied with a good pump sprayer or rolled or brushed over the surface.
Bricks tend to flake and disintegrate with weather, wear, and shift.
If the pavers are mortared, repair any cracks with fresh mortar and let it dry thoroughly.
Here are the step-by-step instructions for laying brick pavers.
you’re free to use a base ofpaver sandor mortar.
Outline the Area
Outline the area you intend to pave using layout strings.
Compact Again
Compact the gravel again after each 2- to 4-inch layer is added.
Add Sand
Layer 1 1/2 inches of sand and level it.
Lay Down Brick Pavers
Lay bricks in a pattern you like when the base is ready.
Level With a Roller
Flatten and level the brick surface using a roller.
Fill the Cracks Between the Brick
Fill the cracksusing loose sand or mortar.
Sand-setting is an increasingly preferred method for environmental reasons since it allows rainwater to seep through into the ground.
