Stone Pavers Vs Concrete For Your Pool Area

Stone Pavers Vs Concrete For Your Pool Area

If you are designing the outdoor area of your new home or considering renovating an existing pool area, you might be thinking about whether stone pavers or concrete pavers are the right choice for you.

The truth is that both materials offer advantages and disadvantages, and ultimately it will come down to factors such as your budget, personal preference and needs. However, to help you understand the difference between concrete and stone pavers, we have put together this handy breakdown.

Choosing Pavers - Concrete vs Stone Strengths and Weaknesses

Both natural stone and concrete pavers are used widely as flooring materials, especially for outside applications, such as a pool area.

But there are some key differences between the two.

1. Cost

Generally, using natural stone pavers is more expensive – in material cost and labour – then concrete. But, understandably, this does depend on the type of stone you choose as well as the type and style of concrete pavers you opt for.

Both materials have options suitable for a range of budgets.

2.Durability

Similarly, both stone pavers and concrete pavers are highly durable. Of course, this is a significant contributing factor as to why they are among the leading options of building material for use around a pool area.

Pools and outdoor areas require high levels of durability. There is the level of activity that goes in and around a pool, but uniquely your pavers will be exposed to a lot of water as well as environmental and weather elements.

Stone pavers are highly durable materials and an investment that will last for a long time. However, these sorts of pavers can shift slightly over time. On the other hand, concrete pavers, whilst also being durable, can be prone to cracking over the long term and after intensive water exposure.

3. Maintenance

Natural stone pavers are easy to clean but to keep them looking and functioning as good as new, regular cleaning is necessary. This just means using a soft cleaning tool and non-harsh chemical cleaners to give a quick wipe down every so often. Many types of stone also require occasional professional resealing to ensure that water from the pool doesn’t seep into the stone.

Concrete pavers are also very low maintenance. But, like stone, it requires resealing every few years to ensure its integrity and prevent water or moisture from seeping into the material and causing cracking.

4. Aesthetic

Comparing the aesthetics of natural stone pavers vs concrete pavers is really a matter of personal preference. Natural stone comes in a versatile variety of design options with a range of colours, shades, patterns and styles – all effusing natural beauty and uniqueness. 

By contrast, concrete pavers can be made to mimic the aesthetic of other materials or have the visual style and uniform look of classic concrete.

5. Safety

Safety is a top priority of everyone and around the pool area it is of even greater concern. Natural stone is highly slip-resistant when dry and stone pavers for your pool can be tailored with anti-slip treatments to make them even safer when wet.

Concrete pavers tend to be more slippery, when untreated, than stone pavers. However, like stone, they can also be treated with anti-slip coverings.

Choosing Stone Pavers: The Pros and Cons

As we mentioned before, the right choice for your pool area is going to come down to personal factors, constraints and preferences.

What is your budget?

It can be easier to determine your budget from the outset as it can drive your decision making. Remember to account for not just the material costs but initial installation costs and long-term maintenance costs.

What style are you looking for?

Both stone pavers and concrete pavers come in a variety of aesthetic styles but they are also distinct from one another. Think about what sort of visual impact you want your pool pavers to have. Are you after something unique and natural, like stone, or something more uniform and consistent, like concrete? Take into account the rest of the design style of the outdoor and pool area as well so that your pavers do not stick out like a sore thumb. 

What is your lifestyle like?

Different pools, different rules. Think about who will be using your pool area and how they will be using it. If children will be frequenting the area and playing in the pool, using more slip resistant materials is a must. If the pool is going to be used by adults, who will do so in a far more low-key and restrained way, there may be less concern regarding additional safety features.

What is your long term plan?

Different building materials can make expanding your pool area more or less difficult, or influence the resale value of your house should you choose to move in the future. Think about how you intend on using and living in your home when making a decision.

Where do you live?

Consider your local climate. Stone and concrete are both hardy materials but if you live in an area prone to extreme heat, cold or rain, you might want to consider a particular type of material accordingly.

The Pros of Choosing Natural Stone Pavers

The Cons of Choosing Natural Stone Pavers

  1. Stone pavers are designed to be highly slip-resistant.
  2. Stone pavers are easy to maintain.
  3. Stone pavers come in a wide range of colours, patterns and styles.
  4. Each stone paver is unique.
  1. The cost of material and labour for installation can be higher.
  2. Stone pavers need to be resealed every few years.
  3. In some instances, stone pavers can shift slightly over time.

The Pros of Choosing Concrete Pavers

The Cons of Choosing Concrete Pavers

  1. Concrete is generally more cost-effective.
  2. Concrete pavers are easy to maintain.
  3. Concrete can be stamped, stained and produced to design specification in many cases.
  1. Concrete can be prone to cracking when the temperature is extreme or after heavy activity.
  2. Concrete can be slippery without anti-slip protection.
  3. Concrete can be more difficult and costly to repair.

When diving into the natural stone pavers vs concrete pavers debate for your pool area, there is no wrong answer.

But if you are not sure what the ‘right’ answer is for your application, home and needs, make sure to reach out to the team here at Euro Marble. We are more than happy to talk you through the difference between stone pavers and concrete, answer questions about your particular preferences and considerations, and walk you through our showroom of amazing natural stone.

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Why Choose Marble For Your Kitchen Splashback

Why Choose Marble For Your Kitchen Splashback

There are many fantastic ways of incorporating marble in your home and specifically your kitchen. But one of the more subtle ways of using this natural stone in a low-key yet high-impact way is with a marble kitchen splashback.

Does marble work well for a splashback? What do you need to consider when choosing a marble splashback in your kitchen?

This article is here to cover all that and more.

Marble Splashbacks: The Perfect Choice for your Kitchen

Choosing marble as the material for your kitchen splashback brings both practical and effective functionality as well as style and a strong aesthetic appeal. 

Marble stone has long been associated with regality, luxuriousness and sophistication. Since the ancient days, it has been effectively used to add a sense of opulence to flooring, walls, and – more recently – kitchen benchtops, fireplaces and more. 

But the humble splashback offers an opportunity to really highlight the practical and fashionable advantages of marble stone.

Why Splashbacks Are Important

A kitchen splashback serves more than one function in the kitchen. Most obviously, it provides a ‘wall defense’ and protects the walls behind your cooking and washing areas. Kitchens are often hives of activity. To keep your wall from being exposed to splashes, stains and heat, the splashback acts as a protective shield. Without which, your walls would be damaged and dirtied by moisture, grease and heat. In some circumstances, this can lead to everything from mould growth and discolouration to degradation and damage.

Splashbacks are particularly critical behind the stove and sink, as those are the areas of the kitchen where spills and splatters are the most likely.

Another benefit of splashbacks is its hygienic contribution to the kitchen. Intentionally designed to be smooth, they are easy to keep clean and easy to keep free of bacteria build-up and offensive odours or stainage. 

Of course, one further element of a splashback that is no less important to consider is the aesthetic appeal. Splashbacks are not just functional elements – they form an important piece of the design puzzle. Customising your splashback in terms of colour, pattern and material can help to bring the overall area to life and act as a visual focal point, much like a feature wall.

The contained nature of a splashback means you can both opt for a bold colour scheme or intricate design, without risking overwhelming the space, or simply add a complementary and neutral splashback that blends in with the rest of the kitchen.

Why Choose Marble For Your Kitchen Splashback

1. Marble is highly durable

Let’s start with the practical benefits of a marble kitchen splashback. Marble is renowned for not just its visual appeal, but its hardiness and durability. Properly sealed and regularly maintained, marble splashbacks offer high levels of stain resistance and mark resistance. So, even the busiest of kitchens can benefit from using marbles.

Marble stone, compared to some other types of stone and construction material, is relatively porous. While professional sealing goes a long way to counteract this, splashbacks experience minimal wear and tear from water and liquid due to the fact that they are a vertical installation. This means marble brings with it all the durability you need for the application and will maintain its beauty and functionality over the long term.

2. Marble is heat resistant

Marble stone was formed and is thus designed to withstand high temperatures. Many splashbacks are located near or behind the stovetop, where – of course – there is likely to be high exposure to heat. 

Using marble splashbacks in your kitchen will give you the safe and reliable barrier against heat that you need.

3. Marble is easy to clean

This one is important! Marble is famous for its iconic beauty. But if you are worried about whether or not this brilliant aesthetic will degrade over time – don’t be! With simple, easy and regular maintenance of your marble kitchen splashback you can keep your stone looking fantastic for many years to come.

A daily wipe with a soft, warm and wet sponge (non-abrasive) and non-harsh chemical cleaners with low acidity is all you need to clean your marble effectively. 

4. Marble increases your home’s value

Investing in using marble stone for your kitchen splashback is a win-win. You get to enjoy using this stunning material in your kitchen and it increases your home’s value. Between the value of the stone itself and its longevity (thanks to its high durability) as well as the enduring psychological appeal of marble, this natural stone often draws potential buyers if you are thinking of reselling and makes the home more attractive, and therefore higher value, in the real estate market.

5. Marble is gorgeous

We couldn’t leave this one off the list! With all the practical considerations said and done, the truth is that nothing stands up to the beauty and aesthetic appeal of marble. Synonymous with luxury and sophistication, there is a reason marble has been used in royal palaces and mansions for centuries.

The classic off-white and grey-veined marble offers a timeless elegance that won’t date your kitchen as interior design trends change over time. And, at the same time, marble stone comes in a surprisingly wide range of colours, patterns and styles, so that you can find the perfect slab to suit any aesthetic preference and kitchen design.

Whether your home is designed to feel minimalist and modern, or rustic and Earthy, there is a type and style of marble to suit your preferences. Moreover, marble splashbacks can also be finished in different ways. You can opt for a polished finish to achieve a sleek and shiny look, or a honed finish to achieve a more natural feel.

There is another important point to note here. Marble, like all natural stone, is quarried from the ground and not produced in a cookie-cutter factory. This means every single slab of marble is distinct and unlike any other in the world. If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind material that hits all the right function and fashion notes, a marble kitchen splashback is right for you!

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