Summer is here, and it’s time to do outdoor projects. A project that will have long-lasting benefits is installing a patio. Depending on the configuration of your backyard, you may have a choice between a deck and a patio. The installed price is often comparable depending on tractor access and the type of desired accessories, like seating arrangements, fire pits or water features. In the long run, the patio will require less maintenance. Installing a concrete stone patio is not technically difficult, but it is very labor intensive. Many people are attracted to concrete paving stones because they come in a variety of shapes, patterns and colors. They come in a range of colors similar to most house bricks and if installed with a blend of colors, they visually soften the appearance of large areas of paving.
Concrete paving stones differ from old-fashioned bricks in that they are solid concrete all the way through. Bricks are baked like a loaf of bread and are soft in the center where they can absorb water and break. Paving stones also must pass stiffer standards than regular concrete as set by the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM). A regular concrete slab must pass a compression test of 3,500 pounds per square inch (PSI). The individual stones must pass 8,000 PSI. The ASTM test for maximum water absorption for concrete is 20% to 25% of its total weight. For paving stones, it is only 5%. If concrete absorbs more than 10%, the surface can flake off. Another benefit of paving stones is evident during freeze and thaw cycles in the winter. A concrete slab moves in an all-or-none fashion that causes cracks, while paving stones can relieve the tension in tiny, unseen and easy-to-replace increments.
