Block paving VS imprinted concrete – which option provides the best fit for your home? Well, that largely depends on the specific requirements of your property. But, on the whole, it’s block paving that offers property owners the widest range of benefits.
In recent years, imprinted concrete has been an increasingly popular option. However, despite this, block paving has firmly retained its position in top spot, and it’s easy to say why. Block paving delivers a neat, professional finish, while being quick, easy and affordable to install.
Although imprinted concrete is becoming a more common choice for driveways, we would still recommend block paving to our customers. In this blog post, we’ll be explaining why.
Keep reading to find out more about the two types of paving methods, what each one entails, and the benefits of using block paving over imprinted concrete.
What is block paving?
Concrete block paving (also known as CBP) is made by laying moulded concrete blocks into a repeating pattern.
Block paving is available in a wide range of different colours and patterns (depending on the mould used for the concrete blocks).
Since concrete is the main material of block paving, this paving method is affordable and quick to install, while being extremely durable and hard-wearing.
What is imprinted concrete?
As with block paving, imprinted concrete is a paving method that also uses concrete as its primary material.
But, rather than using pre-moulded and concrete blocks, imprinted concrete involves pouring a single layer of concrete onto a sub-base, set to the parameters of your driveway. Then (as the name suggests) a pattern is imprinted onto the concrete as it sets.
Imprinted concrete is also available in a range of different colours and patterns, as the pattern is set into the concrete using specially made stamps, featuring the chosen design. These are made to resemble the same repeating patterns as those that are created in a process of block paving.
What are the unique benefits of block paving?
Although imprinted concrete is an even quicker and cheaper paving option than block paving, what you save in time and money, you sacrifice in longevity.
Let’s expand on this, the benefits of choosing block paving over imprinted concrete are:
- Aesthetics – concrete block paving achieves a stylish, neat and timeless finish. Whereas, when you look closely, you can see that imprinted concrete is not actually made up of real blocks.
- Durability – block paving is made to withstand regular heavy traffic and extreme weather. It is an extremely durable paving option. In comparison, imprinted concrete is more prone to cracking and showing visible signs of wear.
- Easy to move or repair – as it is made up of individual concrete blocks, it is easy to uplift, repair, move or modify a section of the driveway.
- Permeable – you can choose to feature permeable concrete in your block paving, meaning that no extra drainage work is required for your driveway construction.
- Consistency – these concrete blocks are made in specialist factories. As a result, each individual block is extremely neat, accurate and consistent, ensuring a flawless finish for your driveway.
- Minimal maintenance – to keep it in top condition, block paving only requires occasional maintenance and check-ups. For imprinted concrete, you will need to replace the sealant once every 4 years (minimum).
So, to summarise, both types of paving offer concrete’s trademark strength and durability. Imprinted concrete is a great choice if you are constrained by budget or time limits. But, block paving is well worth the extra investment.
If you would like to find out more about the best type of paving for your driveway, or to enlist the services of GV Paving for your construction project, get in touch with our team today.