Your Guide to 10 Popular Landscape Paving Materials
To choose the best paving for your landscape, look at climate, cost and context
Falon Mihalic
September 12, 2015
Houzz Contributor. Landscape Architect in Texas and Florida and owner of Falon Land Studio LLC. Through landscape design, I create spaces for quiet reflection and lush gardens using native plant palettes and sustainable stormwater techniques. I'm a contributing writer to Houzz so that I can be active in the conversation about sustainable design for residential projects. Learn more about my company's work at falonland.com
Houzz Contributor. Landscape Architect in Texas and Florida and owner of Falon Land... More
Paving is a landscape investment, and the cost varies considerably based on the type used and how readily available it is. Cast-in-place concrete is usually the cheapest and most easily installed paving option, but those who live in regions with naturally occurring stone like limestone, granite or slate can use that local stone at a more affordable price.
Here are our guides to 10 of the most popular paving materials. Whether you are repaving or paving new, you can use them to understand the basics about paving to make an informed decision based on your situation and where you live.
Here are our guides to 10 of the most popular paving materials. Whether you are repaving or paving new, you can use them to understand the basics about paving to make an informed decision based on your situation and where you live.
Cast-in-Place Concrete: Budget-friendliest
Concrete is the standard because it’s affordable, easy to install and easy to maintain. However, cast-in-place concrete doesn’t have to be boring just because it’s the standard. There are many ways to create patterns, textures and colors to liven it up.
Guide: Pros and cons of cast-in-place concrete
Concrete is the standard because it’s affordable, easy to install and easy to maintain. However, cast-in-place concrete doesn’t have to be boring just because it’s the standard. There are many ways to create patterns, textures and colors to liven it up.
Guide: Pros and cons of cast-in-place concrete
Precast Concrete Pavers: Best color and texture variety at an affordable price
Precast concrete pavers are modular pavers that come in a dizzying number of sizes, shapes, colors, textures and patterns. Precast concrete pavers are a great choice for those who want a different look but don’t want to pay for natural stone. Modular permeable systems, which soak up water instead of creating runoff, are available for driveways, walkways and patios.
Guide: Pros and cons of precast concrete paving
Precast concrete pavers are modular pavers that come in a dizzying number of sizes, shapes, colors, textures and patterns. Precast concrete pavers are a great choice for those who want a different look but don’t want to pay for natural stone. Modular permeable systems, which soak up water instead of creating runoff, are available for driveways, walkways and patios.
Guide: Pros and cons of precast concrete paving
Brick: Classic style and works in all climates
Brick in the standard 4-inch-by-8-inch size can be used to make many fun patterns, including herringbone, without looking too busy, and its reddish tones bring warmth to the garden. Brick also works well with many other hardscapes, which is why you’ll often see it used with wood decks and other paving materials.
Guide: Pros and cons of brick paving
Brick in the standard 4-inch-by-8-inch size can be used to make many fun patterns, including herringbone, without looking too busy, and its reddish tones bring warmth to the garden. Brick also works well with many other hardscapes, which is why you’ll often see it used with wood decks and other paving materials.
Guide: Pros and cons of brick paving
Gravel: Great for permeability and to soften a hardscape
Gravel is available as decomposed stone by the bag or pallet and can be used for paths and patios where you want a softer look. It needs to be bound by some kind of rigid edge, like in the space shown here, to contain it.
Guide: Pros and cons of gravel paving
Gravel is available as decomposed stone by the bag or pallet and can be used for paths and patios where you want a softer look. It needs to be bound by some kind of rigid edge, like in the space shown here, to contain it.
Guide: Pros and cons of gravel paving
Limestone: Great for reflecting heat in hot climates
Limestone is typically white to off-white and sometimes a grayish white. Its light colors make it fantastic for warm climates, where it can reflect heat. It also brings a nice brightness to shaded garden areas — lightening up even places in deep shade.
Guide: Pros and cons of limestone paving
Limestone is typically white to off-white and sometimes a grayish white. Its light colors make it fantastic for warm climates, where it can reflect heat. It also brings a nice brightness to shaded garden areas — lightening up even places in deep shade.
Guide: Pros and cons of limestone paving
Travertine: Best for surrounding a pool
Travertine is harder and less porous than its cousin limestone, which makes it somewhat easier to maintain. It stays cool to the touch and makes a lovely poolside surface for bare feet.
Guide: Pros and cons of travertine paving
Travertine is harder and less porous than its cousin limestone, which makes it somewhat easier to maintain. It stays cool to the touch and makes a lovely poolside surface for bare feet.
Guide: Pros and cons of travertine paving
Tile: Great colors for warm climates
Tile is bold and funky because it comes in bright and rich colors and is a nice choice for warm climates. It can be tricky to maintain, so be sure you are ready to keep up with tile maintenance.
Guide: Pros and cons of tile paving
Tile is bold and funky because it comes in bright and rich colors and is a nice choice for warm climates. It can be tricky to maintain, so be sure you are ready to keep up with tile maintenance.
Guide: Pros and cons of tile paving
Granite: A superior tough stone that’s excellent in cold climates
Granite is expensive, at $14 to $20 per square foot installed, but it may be worth the investment for you because it lasts several lifetimes. If you live near the granite quarries of the Northeast, it’s also a sustainable, local building material.
Guide: Pros and cons of granite paving
Granite is expensive, at $14 to $20 per square foot installed, but it may be worth the investment for you because it lasts several lifetimes. If you live near the granite quarries of the Northeast, it’s also a sustainable, local building material.
Guide: Pros and cons of granite paving
Slate: Great for cold climates and deep in color
Slate has a deep, rich color and is available in many tones, from deep charcoal to jade green. Slate withstands the coldest climates and works like a champ in the freeze-thaw cycle.
Guide: Pros and cons of slate paving
Slate has a deep, rich color and is available in many tones, from deep charcoal to jade green. Slate withstands the coldest climates and works like a champ in the freeze-thaw cycle.
Guide: Pros and cons of slate paving
Bluestone: Elegant, upscale and fantastic in a flagstone pattern
Bluestone is a flaky kind of stone that is broken along its fissure lines to create some of the most elegant flagstones. It’s also available as dimensioned rectangular pavers, if you want a regular pattern for your patio.
Guide: Pros and cons of bluestone paving
Bluestone is a flaky kind of stone that is broken along its fissure lines to create some of the most elegant flagstones. It’s also available as dimensioned rectangular pavers, if you want a regular pattern for your patio.
Guide: Pros and cons of bluestone paving
Designer tip: Bricks, precast concrete, stone pavers and all the other modular paver types listed here are available for reuse — you just have to know how to find them. Some municipalities have reuse warehouses where residents can pick up salvaged building materials, and some paving suppliers specialize in historic reclaimed granite pavers and street bricks.
More: See more patio ideas on Houzz
More: See more patio ideas on Houzz
Scott Davidson founded Davidson Builders in 1998. Scott graduated from Michigan State with a BS in Construction... Read More
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I never realized that there were so many different options for paving your yard and patio. I really liked how the limestone and bluestone looked in those photos. They are a very natural stone that gives off a high-end feel. It seems like it would be nice if you want your yard to become a big feature of your home and give it more value. http://www.asphaltvalley.ca
I really like the granite, and or slate, so awesome.
I live in a hot climate-Oklhoma. Concrete gets much hotter than brick. I love concrete myself-I think it is honest and practical. My pool deck is salt finished concrete which is not slippery and was also the cheapest coping they would do. I have a pool designed by an artist turned pool designer. Nothing about it was cheap and it is very nice. So I am not complaining about the lowest price decking and others have told me they wished they had it because it isn't slippery. Also my pool is shaded by mid afternoon so it never gets ferociously hot. But I also have brick walkways and a brick patio which I love. They are about 80 years old as far as I know. In the south we know that you can spray down brick with water and that it has a cooling effect. This does you no good with concrete-30 seconds later it is just as hot. I loved the limestone pavers featured in the article. I'd actually like them inside as well but such a change will not be made in or out. I would use granite in New England where it is vernacular. In the south it would feel dark and heavy. I loved that Phoenix example with the cobblestones and bricks in the comments section. Truly artful and beautiful. I have gravel in some utility areas-around the pool equipment behind an ornamental screen. There is an excellent use-keeps out the mud, allows access to the pump, heater, lights, hot tub controls, but baby trees, flowers and weeds and grass do sprout there regularly. It's a small area so hand pulling is easy. I also have gravel in a side yard which is too shady for flowers and only used as a passage to the air conditioner. Again in a utility area for mud control it is great. If I had to sweep it, snow shovel it or remove leaves regularly it would be a nightmare. I do have to remove some leaves but perfection is not important where it is. I'm going to read the pros and cons more carefully in this article which is a good one. Thanks,