CONCRETE PAVERS ARE THE SMART DRIVEWAY CHOICE FOR YOUR ALAMEDA COUNTY HOME

Concrete pavers not only make your driveway stand out, they’re a more durable, lower maintenance alternative to concrete or asphalt that can improve your home’s curb appeal and add value. If you’re installing a new driveway or thinking about improving or resurfacing your existing concrete or asphalt driveway, consider replacing it with concrete pavers.

Concrete pavers come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, patterns, styles and textures. Unlike poured concrete, pavers are not prone to cracking and damage can be easily repaired. When professionally installed and properly maintained, paver driveways require minimal care and can last a lifetime.

Here’s why you should consider replacing your Bay area home’s old driveway with one made of concrete pavers.

CONCRETE PAVERS ARE STRONG!

Today, manufacturers are producing concrete pavers that have more load bearing capacity than either poured concrete or asphalt. Meaning that they’re more durable than the alternatives. In fact, most manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty for integrity.

With a weight rating of 8000 to 9000 pounds PSI, concrete pavers are three to four times stronger than concrete, stamped concrete, or asphalt. Unlike poured concrete or asphalt, a concrete paver driveway consists of individually placed stones. As a result, it’s a more “flexible” surface. The joints expand and contract with the temperature. This movement prevents them from cracking, unlike a concrete pad or asphalt surface. This can be especially significant in an area that is prone to the occasional earthquake, like much of the California Bay area and Alameda County.

EASY INSTALLATION, NO CURING PERIOD REQUIRED

Concrete pavers are typically interlocking, which makes installation fast and adds strength to the surface. While poured concrete can cost less initially, professionally installed concrete pavers offer great benefits over the long term. First, a typical concrete driveway requires a significant curing time before it can take any weight.

From Berkeley To Freemont, We Install Driveway Pavers In Alameda County: View Our Projects

While it’s usually safe to walk or drive on your new driveway 3 to 5 days after it’s installed, it can take up to a month to fully cure. Additionally, concrete slabs, whether poured or stamped are prone to cracking over time. This can mean expensive repairs after just a few years. Matching the color can be challenging and repaired concrete never looks quite as good as it did originally.

Concrete pavers require no curing time. That means you can park your car in the driveway as soon as the installers leave. If your driveway is soiled or a stone is damaged, repair is fast and easy. Simply remove the damaged stones, replace them and your driveway looks as good as new. Pavers are also a safer surface and offer more traction than poured concrete on those rainy mornings.

CONCRETE PAVERS ARE A MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY OPTION

With a poured concrete driveway, much of the water that hits it is deposited into drainage systems that lead to lakes rivers and streams. This runoff is often full of contaminants like lawn fertilizer, insecticide, and debris which can contribute to localized flooding, erosion, and contamination of local aquifers.

Concrete pavers allow water to drain through the seams and the pass through the substrate into the ground reducing harmful runoff. If permeable pavers are used, this drainage is enhanced and most of the water that hits your driveway is deposited back into aquifers, or can be routed to water your lawn or other plantings, making pavers an much more environmentally friendly choice.

THE DOWNSIDE IS MINIMAL

The only real downside to concrete pavers is the initial cost. A professionally installed concrete paver driveway can cost more to install than poured concrete. That’s because the installation process requires proper site preparation which includes excavation, laying a substrate of gravel and compacting, placing a weed barrier, adding a layer of sand and the placing each stone by hand.

However, while the upfront cost can be higher, the fact that concrete pavers can last 30 years or more, are easier to maintain and repair, are more environmentally friendly and can increase the value of your home, more than offset the higher initial cost.

THE TAKEAWAY

The fact is, using concrete pavers for your Alameda County home’s driveway, is a smart investment that offers a high return. It’s aesthetically pleasing, more durable, and adds value at resale. In California especially, concrete pavers are considered by experts to be the best option for earthquakes because slabs and asphalt are less flexible and prone to cracking or heaving.

Consider the benefits of concrete pavers and give the experts at Bayside Pavers a call. We’re always happy to answer your questions and we carry a wide selection of the highest-quality products from the top manufacturers.

If you live in the San Jose area, stop by one of our two locations in Concord at 2455 Bates Ave, Ste K, or visit our location in Santa Rosa at 1619 4th Street Ste 12 for a free no obligation consultation. Here at Bayside Pavers, we love helping homeowners achieve their creative vision!