Pavers: Granite Vs. Concrete
WHY USE PAVERS?
Pavers have been used in construction for thousands of years with the oldest known use being about 5,000 years ago in Egypt. Back then, pavers were used to create stable roads that would refrain from turning to mud or dust and make transportation a much easier process. In today’s world, pavers have become a popular option due to their durability, affordability, ease of maintenance, and variety of design options. So, whether you are looking to upgrade your hardscape at home or create a grand entrance to a commercial building, pavers are always a great choice to increase your project’s value and add some aesthetic charm along the way.
With the wide variety of materials available today, it is important to choose the correct one for your application so that you can sit back, relax and enjoy your newly paved project for years to come. Two popular paving materials on the market today are Granite and Concrete – let us take a deeper look at how each of these might play into your project vision, aesthetics, usability, and of course, your budget.
Giza Road - At a distance of seven and a half miles, the oldest paved road in the world was used to transport large blocks of stone.
GRANITE PAVING
A walkway with Superior Northern Granite Pavers
How it’s made: Being a natural stone, Granite exists as a usable material directly in its in-situ position in the earth and emits no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – harmful and sometimes cancerous pollutant gases emitted into the air from products or processes. The only steps necessary for creating a granite paver are quarrying, transportation, and fabrication - making it a much more sustainable process than some of its manufactured counterparts like concrete.
Advantages: Granite is one of the most durable building materials we have on this planet. It is sure to perform very well in pedestrian and vehicular applications with little to no maintenance needed. It also has a very high abrasion resistance making it able to withstand the wear and tear of normal use without losing its beautiful appearance. With a very low absorption percentage, you can expect a granite paver to withstand freeze/thaw cycles well and remain stain-free throughout its lifetime. In addition, the sun will not be giving you any problems with color fading as granite is very UV resistant.
Disadvantages: When it comes to granite, there are very few disadvantages to note. However, it still is very important to understand these before you make your decision. The upfront cost will be slightly higher in comparison to a manufactured material like concrete. Common tones like black, white, and grey are usually a little cheaper, whereas vibrant colorful tones may cost more. It is important to note that though the upfront cost will be higher, the service life of granite will outlast concrete and other manmade materials, making your lifetime cost of granite much lower. Another disadvantage is that some surface finish treatments may leave imperceptible holes that can cause the stone to absorb more water over time and stain.
Learn more about our Granite Pavers.
A driveway with concrete pavers.
CONCRETE PAVING
How it’s made: The process of creating a concrete paver is quite complex. It starts with the quarrying of different minerals including calcium, silicon, aluminum, iron, and more. These minerals are then mixed together and heated at extreme temperatures to create concrete’s major ingredient, cement. The cement will then be mixed with crushed rock, steel, fly ash, water, and other ingredients. As you can see, the manufacturing process of concrete is one of its major disadvantages. There have been recent efforts to increase the sustainability of concrete, but the amount of energy used in the process is still much higher than any natural material. Learn more about the sustainability of natural stone.
Click for the manufacturing processes of Concrete & Natural Stone.
Advantages: Like granite, concrete is a very durable material that will perform well in both pedestrian and vehicular applications. Concrete can also be made highly abrasive in its manufacturing process, so it will withstand normal use very well. Another advantage is that you almost have infinite possibilities when it comes to color and finishes. Cost is going to be a plus as well as granite and other natural materials are more expensive.
Disadvantages: Concrete is a very porous material, so in areas where freeze-thaw cycles are common you may start to see desegregation, cracking, and staining over time. Color fading has also been a common disadvantage of concrete, this is due to its low UV resistance allowing UV rays to alter the surface of the material. As noted earlier, the sustainability of concrete is a major disadvantage – it is estimated that at least 8% of global emissions come from the concrete industry alone.
THE BOTTOM LINE
When it all boils down, these are two very comparable materials that will allow you to get creative and be sure to leave you pleased with your new paver project. Granite will ultimately give you the longest service life and keep its beautiful aesthetic for years to come. Concrete will also perform well but could run into maintenance problems down the road with color, degradation, and staining. In the end, the price will most likely be the biggest factor in your decision, but we believe that the service life, lifetime cost, sustainability, and beautiful natural aesthetic of granite cannot be beaten.
A sidewalk with Superior Northern Granite Pavers
