PAVER V/S FLAGSTONE: WHAT’S THE RIGHT PATIO CHOICE FOR YOU?

Introduction

Outdoor area plays a significant part for improving a home’s attractiveness. They act as additions to the living spaces, adding to the overall appearance of the home while providing a cool and welcoming atmosphere. Well-planned patios, balconies, or gardens can blend in with the architectural architecture of the house. 

Adding natural elements like as plants, water features, or outside lighting boosts curb appeal, creates a calmer atmosphere, and increases visual appeal. Well-kept outdoor areas enhance the overall quality of life by offering practical places for leisure, enjoyment, and recreation in addition to being aesthetically pleasing.

Are you ready to step into your dream place? Well, it is a crucial decision that one needs to take while planning a construction project. There are lots of factors need to consider along with right choice of stone product. Afterall, it’s about your living place – that needs to be perfect.

In today’s era, natural stone is gaining high popularity. Talking about floor coverings, two ever-trending options are available – pavers and flagstones.  Both these natural stone products offers timeless beauty and rich physical properties. 

One should deeply understand what are they both, their uses, benefits, scope of application etc. This helps in better decision making that suits your style & budget.

Let’s get familiar with both these terms one by one and learn about their salient features:

WHAT ARE NATURAL STONE PAVERS?

Natural stone pavers are the flat (saw cut) stone pieces typically square or rectangular in shape. These are cut with the machine that gives it a defined look. They serve a durable choice for your driveways, lawn, passage areas or outdoor flooring. SUI stone pavers are meant to give a custom look to your construction project. Be it a pathway, sidewalk or an entire patio flooring, this hardscaping option is an incredible choice. Because of their consistent size and shape, these pavers are straightforward to install and have a polished, clean appearance. They are a popular option for creating paver patio since they are quite adaptable and provide modern, sleek aesthetics. Paver patios are renowned for their low care requirements, resilience to cracking, and long-lasting durability.

MAIN USES OF PAVERS:

Uses of natural stone pavers is not limited to a particular extent. They offer wise scope of application:

1. Talking about most common application, pavers are well-designed for covering the patio areas. Their uniformity and variety in colors, textures, and finishes allow for a clean, polished look that complements any home style. In fact, one can choose from various patterns, such as herringbone, running bond, etc to match your aesthetic preferences and budget.
2. Pavers are perfect for defining paths through gardens, lawns, or connecting different outdoor areas like patios to garages or pools. Unlike gravel or dirt paths, paver walkways are smooth, long-lasting, and resistant to erosion. They create an inviting and cohesive look, enhancing the overall landscaping design.
3. Pavers create a solid, fire-resistant base for outdoor kitchens, barbecues, or dining tables. Homeowners can blend paver patios with counters, fire pits, and seating areas to create a cohesive entertainment space.

PAVER OPTIONS THAT STONE UNIVERSE INC OFFERS:

To make your floor coverings more attractive and authentic, SUI offer pavers in different patterns. From small (4 size pattern) to large (8 size pattern), we carry pavers in various dimensions. 

Paver Ashlar 8 size pattern– The Paver Ashlar Pattern combines eight distinct paver sizes. Pavers measuring 12″ x 12″, 12″ x 18″, 12″ x 24″, 12″ x 30″, 18″ x 18″, 18″ x 24″, 18″ x 30″, and 24″ x 24″ are included that is being offered. It comes in thickness 1”. Because of its wide range of sizes, it is commonly referred to as the eight-size paver pattern. 

Paver Jumbo 4 size pattern: 4 size paver flooring pattern carry sizes 12”x12”, 12”x24”, 24”x24”, 24”x36”. To create an interlocking pattern, dimensional pavers are cut into squares and rectangles of varying sizes. The sawn edges give the overall design a clean, crisp appearance. The variety of colors found in natural stones gives any area a look that is unmatched.

Paver Random 3 size pattern: Clear from the name, paver random pattern carry 3 various sizes of pavers to create a flawless flooring pattern. These machine cut stones generates a natural, non-repetitive appearance by arranging pavers of three different sizes. Although it appears “random,” it actually adheres to a planned pattern that repeats across a wider region to preserve uniformity.

Paver rectangular 5 size pattern: The layout carrying sizes – 12”x12”, 12”x24”, 12”x36”, 24”x24”, 24”x36” repeats over a larger area to create a cohesive appearance. Although the design appears random, it is pre-arranged to maintain balance and prevent clustering of similar sizes.

WHAT IS FLAGSTONE?

Quarried and cut into thin, flat slabs, flagstone is a natural stone that is commonly used for outdoor paving. Because of its organic, rustic look and adaptability to both construction and landscape projects, it is very popular. These are the random shape flagstone pieces used for creative flooring designs.

An elegant and useful addition to any outdoor area is a flagstone patio. It raises your property’s total value, usefulness, and aesthetic appeal. Flagstone’s earthy, rustic charm mixes in perfectly with the surrounding landscape. 

MAIN USES OF FLAGSTONE:

Flagstone is a multipurpose natural stone that may be used in both construction and landscaping projects. It is a popular option for both functional and ornamental purposes because of its natural textures, durability, and aesthetic appeal. Here are some of its primary applications:

1. Flagstone is frequently used to build sophisticated, long-lasting patios for alfresco dining, lounging, and seating. Its organic appearance creates a timeless and rustic charm by blending in perfectly with the surrounding surroundings. For a more structured design, it can be sliced into uniform forms or set in organic, asymmetrical patterns.
2. Flagstone is perfect for laying out non-slip floors around swimming pools. Safe and comfortable for barefoot use, it provides good traction when wet and remains cool to the touch in the sun.
3. Flagstone is a common material for building outdoor fireplace bases or fire pit surrounds. It is a safe and long-lasting material to use close to open flames because of its heat-resistant qualities.

Key Differences Between Flagstone and Pavers

Feature	Flagstone	Pavers
Shape and Size	Irregular or random shapes	Uniform shapes (square or rectangular)
Durability	Highly durable but can crack under extreme pressure.	Durable and can cover traffic areas easily
Appearance	Rustic and natural	Sleek and modern
Slip Resistance	Naturally slip-resistant due to textured surfaces.	Can be slip-resistant depending on the material and finish.
Versatility	Best for patios, walkways, pool decks, and garden accents.	Suitable for patios, walkways, driveways, and retaining walls.
Maintenance	Requires occasional sealing; joints may need refilling.	Low maintenance; minimal joint refilling if properly installed.
Installation	More labor-intensive; requires a solid base and precision fitting.	Easier to install with interlocking systems and pre-set patterns.
Design Style	Ideal for rustic, natural, or traditional aesthetics.	Perfect for modern, contemporary, or symmetrical designs.
Weather Resistance	Withstands weather well but can become slippery when wet.	Resistant to weather, cracking, and extreme temperatures.
Weight	Heavier and harder to handle during installation.	Lightweight and easy to transport/install.

 

Considerations for Selecting a Quality Patio Material

It’s crucial to consider a number of aspects while choosing the ideal material for your patio, including cost, durability, beauty, and utility. Here is a summary of important things to think about:

Style and Design: Coordinate the patio material with your home’s and your landscape’s overall design. Flagstone, for instance, provides a rustic, natural appearance. Pavers for symmetrical and contemporary designs.

Color Selection: Pick hues that go well with your outdoor area. While natural stone like flagstone offers earthy tones, materials like concrete and pavers give a range of colors.

Weather Condition & Traffic: Patio materials that you choose, can vary depending upon weather conditions and amount of traffic. Like natural stone like slate endures well in colder climes. Take into account the anticipated foot traffic as well as the material’s resistance to fading, cracking, and scratching.

Maintenance Requirements: Certain materials need more upkeep than others, depending upon their nature. Flagstone may occasionally require joint refilling and sealing. Pavers require little upkeep. Make sure the material is simple to clean, particularly if the patio will be near plants or used for outdoor dining.

Budget is one of the major factor to consider while choosing patio material/ Along with material cost, the cost associated with installation also matters.  Professional installation may be necessary for materials flagstone. Despite the higher initial cost, it is advisable to make an investment in long-lasting materials for good return in future.