What is the difference between thick and thin pavers? Where should you use either product? Do thick pavers cost more than thin pavers? Can I install thin pavers on top of my driveway? These are common questions we get from homeowners all of the time.
Thick pavers range from two and three eighths of an inch to three and half inches in thickness. They are typically used in new construction. When you build a new home and choose pavers for your hardscaping, thick pavers will be used. If you add a new pool to your existing home and decide to install pavers as the decking surface, thick pavers will be used. If you want a new patio in your backyard, thick pavers will be used. If you want to redo your driveway with pavers, the existing concrete should be removed, and thick pavers will then be installed on top of base material.
Thin pavers were created to remodel existing pool decks, patios, sidewalks, and front entries. They are perfect for any non-vehicular application that remodels an existing concrete slab. By a technical definition, thin pavers are not considered pavers. Instead, they are considered to be a tile. Their thickness relative to their shape prevents them from being considered a paver. Typically, thin pavers are anywhere from three quarters of inch in thickness to an inch and a quarter. Since they are about half the thickness of regular pavers, they should cost less, right?
Unfortunately, on a material only basis, thin pavers cost the same as thick pavers. The reason for this is that overwhelmingly, thick pavers are in much higher demand than thin pavers. Therefore, it is a burden on the production company to produce their less frequently demanded thin counterparts. Paver manufacturers are in business to produce as many pavers as quickly and as efficiently as they can. When they have to shut the system down to change out shape molds and adjust machinery to accommodate thin paver thickness, they lose a lot of valuable production time. It can take hours to switch from one mold to the next. Additionally, since thin pavers aren’t ordered as often, the order quantities are frequently less and the manufacturer is forced to produce less pavers per mold and color. This inefficiency causes increased costs for the producers and they pass those costs on to their customers. So even though thin pavers use fewer raw materials to be produced, they take up more time, and time is money.
The good news is that if you are considering pavers for your home and you want to remodel an existing concrete surface, your job cost will be less than if you want to build something new. This is where the cost benefit of going with a thin paver versus a thick paver comes into play. To learn more about thick or thin pavers and how they can help beautify your home, contact Park Avenue Pavers today.