Paver Walkways & Driveways

Why Pavers Beat Concrete for Walkways and Driveways

When you need a new driveway or walkway, you have choices. Plain concrete is the traditional option, but paver installations offer significant advantages that make them worth considering. Pavers do not crack like poured concrete does. If ground movement or tree roots cause settlement, individual pavers can be lifted and releveled without tearing out the entire surface. If one paver gets damaged or stained, you can replace just that piece instead of patching concrete that never quite matches.

Pavers also give you design flexibility that concrete cannot match. You can create patterns, borders, and color combinations that add character to your property. Modern pavers come in dozens of styles, from traditional brick patterns to contemporary linear designs. You can match your home architecture or create contrasts that draw the eye. These design options help your walkways and driveway become attractive features rather than just functional necessities.

Here in Roseville, CA, we install paver walkways and driveways for homeowners who want quality and appearance. At RV Roseville Masonry, we handle everything from initial design through final installation. We help you choose paver styles and patterns that complement your home, prepare proper bases that prevent settling, and install with precision that ensures your surfaces stay level and beautiful for decades. Whether you need a simple front walkway or a complete driveway replacement, we bring the same craftsmanship to every project.

Choosing Pavers for Your Project

Material and Design Options

The variety of paver options can feel overwhelming at first. Understanding the main categories helps you narrow down choices that work for your specific application and budget.

Concrete pavers are the most popular choice for both walkways and driveways. They offer excellent durability at reasonable prices and come in countless colors, shapes, and textures. Modern manufacturing creates pavers that resist fading and can withstand vehicle traffic for decades. Concrete pavers work well in any climate and are easy to source for future repairs if needed. Most residential driveways use concrete pavers because they offer the best balance of performance, appearance, and value.

Clay brick pavers provide a traditional look that many homeowners love, especially for walkways and historic home driveways. Brick pavers develop a rich patina over time and can last 50 years or more with proper installation. They cost more than concrete pavers but offer authentic character that manufactured products cannot quite replicate. Brick pavers work especially well when you want to match existing brick on your home or create a classic formal appearance.

Natural stone pavers like granite or bluestone offer premium appearance and exceptional durability. Stone pavers handle heavy traffic and weather exposure better than any other material. They also stay cooler underfoot in summer compared to concrete. The tradeoff is higher material cost and more complex installation. We typically recommend stone pavers for high-visibility walkways and special applications where budget allows for premium materials. For coordinated outdoor spaces, stone walkways pair beautifully with stone patios.

Our Paver Installation Process

Building Surfaces That Last

Successful paver installation depends on proper base preparation more than any other factor. The base is what prevents settling, maintains drainage, and keeps your surface level through years of use and weather cycles. We excavate to adequate depth, typically 7 to 12 inches depending on whether the application is a walkway or driveway. Driveways require deeper excavation and heavier base materials to handle vehicle loads.

Here is what proper paver installation includes:

• Excavation to proper depth with correct slope for drainage
• Compacted gravel base in layers for maximum stability
• Landscape fabric to prevent base mixing with subgrade
• Sand leveling bed screeded to precise elevations
• Edge restraints to contain pavers and prevent spreading
• Careful paver placement following your chosen pattern
• Cutting and fitting at borders and obstacles
• Joint sand application and compaction
• Final surface compaction to lock pavers in place

We also coordinate with other site features. If you need retaining walls to create level areas for your driveway, we design everything together so walls and paved surfaces work as an integrated system. We handle grading to direct water away from your home and into proper drainage areas. These planning details prevent problems that many homeowners do not think about until water pools on their new driveway or runs toward their foundation.

The time investment in proper installation pays off for decades. We see many paver driveways and walkways that were installed 20 or 30 years ago and still look great with minimal maintenance. We also see plenty that were rushed or built on inadequate bases and failed within a few years. The difference is in the details, and we never cut corners even when you cannot see the work underground that makes your surface last.

Frequently Asked Questions