Considering Brick Pavers? Understand the Advantages and Disadvantaged First
When it comes to your driveway, there are a lot of materials to choose from. You can pour concrete or asphalt, or go with pavers that are attached together to form the driveway surface. If you want to go with pavers, a quality material to consider is brick. Brick pavers are usually made by heat curing clay and forming it into classic brick-like shapes. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of brick pavers.
You Get Better Curb Appeal
This is often the first thing homeowners think about in terms of their driveway material. The driveway is easily visible to anyone who walks or drives by, so the material can really determine what your curb appeal is like. Brick pavers have a warm, classic appearance, which is great for a wide range of architectural designs. From a cottage or country-style home to a more traditional home in a suburban neighbourhood, it works with a lot of different styles.
They Cost More
One of the bigger disadvantages to having brick pavers installed on your driveway is that they often cost more than other materials. Asphalt and concrete are typically on the budget-friendly side, but you'll have to pay more for the brick as well as installation if you aren't doing it yourself. Keep brick's benefits in mind, however, as you might find the higher cost to be well worth it.
Brick Is Highly Durable
While brick pavers do cost a little more, you are also paying for durability. Brick pavers have a long life and can handle various elements and heavy weights. They are ideal for driveways, since they can handle the weight of vehicles and heavy equipment. Another thing to consider is that even if a brick paver cracks, it is easy to remove and replace with a new one. If you were to have a concrete driveway that cracked, it would require repairing the entire slab, as you can't easily remove small pieces of concrete to replace them.
The Pavers Require More Maintenance
You should also think about the amount of maintenance required for brick pavers before you decide on this driveway material. Brick pavers can erode and tree roots can grow up in between the pavers, which can be a headache when you're trying to repair any cracked bricks. You also need to pull these weeds regularly to keep the driveway looking nice, which is not an issue if you have asphalt or a poured driveway like concrete. You also need to seal the bricks so they remain hard and durable over time.