Stamped Concrete vs. Concrete Pavers: An Honest Review

Homeowners looking for a high-end, luxury design for their driveways, patios, pathways, and other outdoor spaces often ask …

Which is better? Stamped Concrete or Concrete Pavers?
The honest answer – either, neither, or both.

Both stamped concrete and concrete pavers offer their fair share of benefits and challenges. The best option for one home, may not be the best choice for another. Some factors to consider in your selection may include location, landscape, local laws, design preferences, and the purpose of the structure.

STAMPED CONCRETE

Stamped concrete, aka imprinted concrete or textured concrete, is freshly poured onsite from the same ready-mix concrete used to pour basic concrete slabs that are decorated with color additives and patterns that imitate other hardscape building materials ( i.e. slate, tile, flagstone, brick, wood, etc.).

CONCRETE PAVERS

Concrete pavers are precast concrete stones made by pouring ready-mix concrete into a mold. While these materials are often erroneously referred to as cement pavers, cement is actually only an ingredient in concrete mixtures. Additionally, referring to concrete pavers as paving stones can be somewhat confusing, because of the popular use of natural stones for paving.

INSTALLATION

Both Stamped Concrete and Concrete Paver installation typically require similar preparation steps including: grading, laying and compacting of a proper subgrade. However, there are some notable differences in each installation process going forward.

For stamped concrete, your concrete contractor will need to build forms, order and have concrete delivered with the appropriate specifications, place/float/trowel the concrete, broadcast color hardeners and/or release agents, re-trowel, apply concrete stamps, pressure wash the concrete, and apply concrete sealant to preserve the design.

PROS of Stamped Concrete Installation

• The ability to make minor changes to color and design
• Faster installation for larger stamped projects 1-3 days (about the same for smaller projects 1-2 days).
• Flexible concrete stamp mats allows for placement over steeper slopes than concrete pavers

CONS of Stamped Concrete Installation

• Stamped concrete projects are not readily usable during, or immediately after construction is completed.
  • Wait 24 to 48 hours before allowing foot traffic
  • Wait 7-8 days before allowing vehicle traffic
  • Wait 28 days or longer before allowing heavy vehicle traffic
• Timing, planning, and frequent inspection is crucial to a successful stamped concrete design.
  • There is a limited window of opportunity to fix errors with stamped concrete designs without requiring replacement of all or part of the concrete.

That being said, concrete paver installation has it’s own advantages and disadvantages for homeowners. Once the subgrade has been installed and compacted, bedding sand must be laid evenly, edging installed (optional), and then the concrete pavers need to be placed, cut (as-needed), and sealed (optional).

PROS of Concrete Paver Installation

• Ready to walk, or drive, on within 2-4 hours after installation

CONS of Concrete Paver Installation

• Applying sealant may increase wait times for walking or driving.
• While concrete pavers allow for flexibility in regard to expansion, they are limited in individual flexibility.
• Steep slopes may require retaining walls, or additional grading compared to stamped concrete.

DESIGN

As a homeowner, you’ll have seemingly limitless options for design regardless of which paving materials you choose here. Both materials offer the ability to be used in combination with each other, mix & match colors, patterns, and placement strategies. However, you’re likely to encounter a variety of benefits and challenges between the two.

Stamped concrete may use integral colors, release colors, custom form designs, custom joint placement, and stamp patterns to achieve its desired appearance.

PROS of Stamped Concrete Design

• Highly customizable colors, and patterns available.
• Lightweight materials create few barriers to the availability of supplies.
• In the event that the colors or patterns in the design don’t align with the desired aesthetic, it is possible to make minor adjustments before the concrete sets or sealant is applied.
• Proper maintenance and sealing can preserve the color and pattern of your stamped concrete, prevent stains, and protect from damage.
  • However, without proper maintenance and upkeep, stamped concrete designs can quickly become faded, chipped, and/or stained.

CONS of Stamped Concrete Design

• Due to variations in the dyes and materials used for coloring concrete, stamped concrete colors and color combinations may vary from samples and images available. In general, these variations are usually minor
• Poorly placed sawcuts can disrupt the design.
  • Turn this CON into a PRO by asking your concrete contractor about…
    • Custom sawcut designs (i.e. irregular intervals, or cuts along stamp seams.)
    • Seamless Skin Stamp – provides a much more pleasing look when paired with traditional sawcuts.
• NOT a first-time do-it-yourself kind of project.
  • Stamped concrete installation is time-sensitive, and requires meticulous attention to detail. If you don’t have experience with stamped concrete, then it is highly recommended that you bring in a professional.

Concrete pavers compete nicely with the design variety of stamped concrete, but there are a few things you’ll want to consider before making your final choice…

PROS of Concrete Paver Design

• Wide variety of colors, shapes, textures, and combinations are available when using concrete pavers.
• While they might require extensive planning, concrete pavers offer the ability to create uninterrupted, highly intricate designs.

CONS of Concrete Paver Design

• Designs cannot be easily adjusted once concrete pavers have been laid.
• Regional supply availability of some concrete pavers may be limited, and/or may be extremely costly to ship from distant locations.

DURABILITY & STRENGTH

Both stamped concrete and concrete pavers are exceptionally durable materials, but there are a few important factors to consider with each of these materials.

Stamped concrete…

PROS of Stamped Concrete Durability & Strength

• Lasts 20 to 25 years with standard strength mix and proper maintenance.
• Compressive strength of stamped concrete mix can be customized to your specifications with upgraded PSI mix, mixed in fiber mesh, and reinforcements.
  • Concrete PSI can range from 3,000 PSI to over 20,000 PSI, although 3,000 – 5,000 PSI is most common for residential structures.

CONS of Stamped Concrete Durability & Strength

• May be susceptible to cracking if maintenance is neglected, the concrete is subjected to extreme temperatures or precipitation.
  • This can typically be avoided by accounting for regional climates in designing your concrete.
    • Increasing concrete strength, or adding reinforcements, may have a significant impact to price.

On the other hand, concrete pavers…

PROS of Concrete Pavers Durability & Strength

• Lasts approximately 30 years with proper maintenance
• Average compressive strength of 8,000 PSI – much higher than the standard 3,000 PSI concrete mix.
• Highly recommended in colder regions due to it’s flexibility. Pavers are not susceptible to freeze-thaw cycles like stamped concrete.

CONS of Concrete Pavers Durability & Strength

• May be easily chipped, damaged, or stained without timely cleaning and care.
• Loose joint fillers may be susceptible to erosion

MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS

When homeowners start comparing concrete pavers to stamped concrete, they often worry first about initial costs. At Virtue Concrete, we feel strongly that homeowners should consider the ongoing investments in maintenance and repairs for both options.

Maintenance and repairs for stamped concrete…

PROS of Stamped Concrete Maintenance & Repairs

• Requires less frequent maintenance, especially when sealed with an appropriate sealant for the structure’s intended purpose
• Rinse dirt and debris as needed
• Re-seal every 1-2 years on average, depending on frequency of traffic
  • Extremely high traffic areas may require sealing every 6 months for optimal preservation, but this is very rare.

CONS of Stamped Concrete Maintenance & Repairs

• Repairs may be more challenging, depending on the type and extent of damage.
  • Partial or Full Concrete Replacement may be required.
    • Partial replacements may be difficult to match exactly to existing stamped concrete’s pattern and/or color.
    • Full replacements may be costly, but are rare for properly sealed and well-maintained concrete.

When it comes to maintenance and repairs of a project using concrete pavers…

PROS of Concrete Pavers Maintenance & Repairs

• Partial repairs can be made quickly and easily – just remove and replace broken or damaged pavers.
• Using a weed-preventing binding agent, or a concrete slab subgrade can prevent weed growth in paver joints.
• Some manufacturers of concrete pavers offer transferable lifetime guarantees.

CONS of Concrete Pavers Maintenance & Repairs

• Concrete pavers can be porous, susceptible to stains, and prone to fading.
• Spills must be cleaned urgently to prevent staining of the pavers.
• Sealing pavers may reduce the burden of stains and color fading for homeowners.
• Require frequent sweeping
• Heavy rainfall and other environmental factors may cause erosion of joint sand, which will need to be replenished.
• Repairs will require exact supplies – it is important that the homeowner consider their ability to purchase and store extra pavers.

The porous and permeable qualities of some concrete pavers may be a PRO for homeowners living in areas where permeability is required in hardscape installations to promote the filtration of harmful pollutants from waterways, reduce stress to sewage systems, and manage the conservation of rainwater. 

COST & VALUE

Custom hardscapes vary dramatically in price from one project to the next, and have the potential to add value to your home. Stamp and paver projects are subject to higher initial prices with every added feature, customization, and change to scope. So, we’re going to walk through a few key considerations for the costs and value associated with each type of project.

Initial Cost

The cost to install stamped concrete and concrete pavers fall within a similar range with professional stamped concrete installation running about $14 – $18+ per square foot, and concrete pavers coming in slightly higher at $20 – $24 per square foot.

Maintenance and Repair Costs

Maintenance and repair costs are more than monetary. Homeowners should consider the time and energy they are prepared to spend in proper maintenance and upkeep for their chosen hardscape, in addition to the financial costs.

Although sealant and binding agents are deemed “optional” for concrete pavers, homeowners who opt-out of these upgrades and/or lack a routine maintenance schedule may spend more over-time on, or lose significant value in, their investment. With proper maintenance and foresight, however, concrete pavers are usually much more affordable in terms of minor repairs.

Compared to pavers, stamped concrete is much easier to maintain. Homeowners scarcely need to do more than rinse as-needed, and reseal every 1-2 years for normal traffic. Alternatively, if stamped concrete is not maintained properly, or gets damaged, repairs have the potential to be much more expensive than pavers.

Resale Value

Value can be a subjective term. While both stamped concrete and concrete pavers can add value to your property, homeowners should be careful to compliment the landscape and existing structures for the best return on their investment. If the colors and design contrast too heavily, then potential buyers could view the hardscape as an anticipated future cost.

In our opinion, concrete pavers offer the best long-term value due to their estimated resale value and estimated ROI in the sale of the property. According to U.S. News & World Report, one study found that concrete pavers could provide as much as a 109% return on investment. Homeowners should be aware, however, that keeping up with the maintenance costs and schedules is imperative to preserving the value of your concrete paver driveway, patio, or walkway. 

Stamped concrete is equally valuable in a similar, yet completely different way. Stamped concrete cannot be relocated, and/or resold as raw material. Rather, stamped concrete designs provide value through enhanced customization, convenience, and affordability over time. According to various sources, it is estimated that stamped concrete may increase the value of your home by as much as 15%. While there is limited information available regarding the actual return on investment, some sources site anywhere from 65% – 80% ROI for stamped concrete.

It should be noted that homeowners are not likely to recoup maintenance and repair costs in resale in either scenario.

Now that we’ve taught you everything we know… which would you rather install -stamped concrete or concrete pavers? 

Ready to Get Rockin’ and Rollin’ on a New Stamped Concrete or Concrete Paver project?