Life is hectic. After a busy day, nothing is better than getting outside and breathing in the fresh air. A great backyard patio can be just the escape you need to unwind and improve your quality of life.
A patio also increases your living space, giving you a great spot for outdoor entertaining, sipping your morning coffee and listening to the birds, or even just reading a good book. What’s not to love?
Whether you’re looking at adding a new patio or renovating an old one, one of the biggest decisions you’ll encounter is the choice of patio material. There are a variety of options to choose from when it comes to design, but you’re probably wondering what the best patio material is for your needs.
We understand that. A patio is a big investment, and you want to enjoy it.
Let’s take a look at the most common patio materials in Greater Chicago to help you figure out which one might be best for you.
It’s an age-old debate: Do I want bluestone or pavers for my patio?
And it’s a good question to ask. Depending on your specific wants and needs in your outdoor space, this decision can make all the difference on patio enjoyability, longevity, and durability.
There are technically three solid options when choosing the best patio material: bluestone, clay pavers, and modular pavers. Let’s review the pros and cons of each one.
A bluestone patio makes an incredible statement in your landscape. A classic, timeless look, bluestone comes in color variations that range from beiges, grays, and blues to ocres, rusts and even lavenders and plums.
This natural look comes with solid durability, making bluestone pavers practical for high traffic areas. Resistant to fading from sun exposure, a patio properly installed with these pavers can last decades.
A natural stone like bluestone tends to cost more than other pavers because of the cost of quarrying, as well as availability. Because bluestone is highly desirable and only comes from a few regions, it is often priced at a premium.
Clay pavers are similar to bluestone in terms of longevity and durability. They are also resistant to sun fading. There is a reason you still see some old streets with these pavers; that old world feel can take a beating and still provide long-lasting value.
Today, there are more options with clay pavers than ever before in terms of colors and achieving patterns for unique designs or high contrast. For an impressive paver patio, clay is a great partner to bluestone in providing details like quilting, banding, or soldiering to create a specific look.
Clay can be comparable to bluestone in price, but is usually in the middle cost-wise between bluestone and modular pavers.
Modular pavers, or cast concrete pavers, are the most popular out there for a variety of reasons.
They come in the most colors, shapes and sizes. So if you want a family crest created out of pavers in the center of your patio, this is the product that can achieve that look. The endless design options make a modular paver patio an attractive option.
For the cons, modular pavers are sensitive to UV rays, so they tend to fade over time, making them less long-lasting compared to bluestone and clay pavers.
While modular pavers are the cheapest option most of the time, some premium modular pavers are consistently priced with bluestone today.
Whether you want a timeless, classic look or a contemporary, modern feel for your paver patio, bluestone, clay pavers, and modular pavers can all get the job done.
With a solid patio installation that follows best practices, maintenance should be relatively easy for all three products.
In the end, after figuring out where you want your patio, you want to choose a product that you’re most comfortable with. What kind of look and feel will you enjoy seeing day in and day out in your landscape?
Still having a hard time deciding? This can be a complicated decision, and since a patio is long-lasting, you want to love it the first day as much as you do 30 years later. Ultimately, you just want to have a patio you can invite friends and family to enjoy. We get that.
Let us help you talk out your patio material options. We can look at your space and show you some ideas for designs and then discuss the pros and cons of each paver so you can feel confident making your product decision.
Ready to see how KD Landscape can transform your Greater Chicago landscape into something you can really enjoy? We’d love to share our design and installation expertise with you and deliver a space you’ll never want to leave. Get started today with a free consultation. Together, we can prepare a patio plan that is ideal for your needs. Then all you have to do is sip coffee and chill.