A Helpful Guide to Choosing the Correct Pavers for a Residential Area

 

A Helpful Guide to Choosing the Correct Pavers for a Residential Area

Paving is a great way to enhance the look of your home, and more importantly, it can increase comfort and functionality. There is a huge selection of pavers available on the market, and with various colours, shapes, materials and designs, it can be hard to determine which ones are best for your home. We’ve put together a list of some things to think of to ensure you pick the correct pavers for your place.

Residential vs Commercial Pavers – What’s the Difference?

The difference between pavers suitable for domestic use and commercial is generally the weight-bearing capacities. Commercial grade pavers are usually thicker than those used at a home. This is to allow for heavy machinery and vehicles. Commercial locations such as shopping centres usually have a higher rate of foot traffic along with trolleys moving across them, so they need to be highly durable.

Areas you can Pave at your Home

Here are some common areas that homeowners use paving for:

  • Entertainment area
  • Walkways/paths
  • Driveways
  • Pool area

The Area you are Paving

There are many areas of a home that you can use paving as a flooring option, and what may be a great option for one area, may not be for the next, so to ensure your pavers last, you should check to see if they are suitable for your paving project. To give you an example, a thin paver might be a good choice for an area such as a walkway as it doesn’t need to weight bear heavy loads, whereas a driveway will have cars driving across it and parking on it for extended periods and it needs to be able to withstand these conditions without cracking or shifting out of place.

How the Paving Will be Used

If you are paving around your pool, the paver you choose will need to have non-slip properties to prevent injuries, and it will need to able to withstand exposure to salt or chlorine without deteriorating. You will also need to consider how the paver feels underfoot, for instance, having Pebble Crete pavers in a pool area or entertainment area that will regularly have people walking on barefoot isn’t going to be a comfortable option.

The Layout of the Space you are Paving

You’ll need to factor in how the pavers will look once laid down. Oversized pavers may not work for a tiny space, and you’ll need to think about the amount of labour that is involved with using small pavers in a large area. The shape that the proposed paved space will be can affect the layout of your pavers, and you’ll likely need a brick saw to cut them to size.

Types of Pavers - The Home Depot

Paving Pattern vs Normal Layout

Many choose traditional paver laying over patterned, but patterned paving is a great way to add a point of interest to a space. Different size and colour pavers can be used to create a contrasting effect. A quick internet search will reveal an array of paving patterns, this is a good starting point to help you get some ideas and find some styles that you like.

Ideal Paver Choices for Residential Areas

  • Limestone
  • Concrete
  • Travertine
  • Brick
  • Cobblestone
  • Slate

Consider the Colour Scheme of your Exterior

When deciding on a paving material for your home, it’s a good idea to choose one that compliments the exterior of your home and the other existing elements in your backyard. When the colour and material ties in with your home, you can create unison between the two. It will look like it’s supposed to be there rather than just an afterthought.

The Amount of Sunlight the Area Sees

The amount of sunlight the area sees can have a huge impact on your paver selection. Why? Because using light coloured pavers in an area that is exposed to full sun may see the light bounce off the pavers and up into your face. If they are in an area where you plan on spending some time, this can make it quite unenjoyable, and you may not use the area as much as you’d like. On the other hand, if you have dark pavers in a spot that gets a lot of sun, they can become extremely hot and burn feet when walking on them. Knowing how much light hits the space and when can help you find the perfect pavers for the space.

Why Choose Pavers for Your Home?

There are many reasons why pavers are a good idea, here are just a few of them:

  • They look fantastic.
  • Economical compared to some other types of outdoor flooring options.
  • They can be walked on virtually straight away.
  • Endless material, design, colour options – there’s something for everyone.
  • Strong and durable.
  • Easy to maintain and repair.
  • Straightforward to install.
  • Designed to withstand the harsh Aussie climate with ease.

We hope this post has given you a basic understanding of what to look for when choosing the correct pavers for your place. If in doubt, it’s smart to speak to a paving professional for expert advice. If you are looking for stunning pavers for your home that have been hand-crafted right here in Western Australia, check out our collection here at Bonita Stone! You can check them out online or alternatively give us a call to discuss your options, we’d love to help if we can.