Pavers are great. They are simple, albeit time consuming, to install. Unlike concrete, they rarely require permitting. You can build any flat area, from a low speed road to a small walkway out of pavers. If one breaks or settles, you can fix it with minimal tools. They won't break apart from an earthquake, they look stunning and classic, and they can even be built on permeable bases. That's right, pavers can capture water instead of turning it into gutter-filling runoff.
But which are the best?
I'm not paid by anyone to say anything. I pay the same prices and receive the same treatment as any other local contractor. Most pavers are great, but I have my favorites. The wonderful family-owned materials yard in Santa Rosa we frequent sells them all. There's a paver here for everyone, and we are comfortable and skillful at installing each one.
5) Basalite Plank Series
Basalite's Plank Pavers are very modern, and very sleek. The human eye picks up on long, straight edges. Regarding new builds and urban flares, tidy, geometric shapes are definitely in vogue. It's a "Love it or hate it" style - and I love it, in the right context. This won't look right around and old victorian duplex, but it's great on a new tract home.
Long, skinny pieces of concrete aren't renowned for crack resistance. Unless your daily driver is a dump truck you'll still get a lifetime of driveway service out of the thicker traffic rated models - but do be careful with who you let use the driveway. Basalite is accessible - It's sold in most material yards, and chances are any Basalite dealer can get you planks.
There are three grey colors - all of them are mixed in here for an eclectic look, but sticking with a single color is probably the safest pick for most tastes.
PROS: Very modern, moderately priced, good dealer network.
CONS: More technical to install, limited colors, may crack if base prep isn't perfect.
#4 - Calstone Belgian Stone
Here's the anti-plank paver. The Belgian Stone is an interlocking paver harkening back to the first roads built by the romans and greeks out of cobbles cut from real stones. These are dyed concrete, but retain the same size and characteristics which allowed the ancient roads and pavilions to endure. If you want a rugged old-world look that never goes out of style, this is your paver. Old 18th century homes and historical neighborhoods look best with this style of pavers.
Belgian Stone comes in three colors - all mottled, all weathered, but with a few color shade differences. Calstone is based in California, so expect most landscaping yards to have access to these readily and easily.
Belgian Stone's wide joints lend itself to permeability. This paver, on a permeable base, will satisfy even the most rigorous permeable hardscape requirements. These wide joints may work against you during install and maintenance. These pavers will use nearly double the $50-a-bag polymer sand, and require more touch-ups and sand applications throuought the years.
PROS: Timeless looks, very durable, best permeable option.
CONS: More maintenance in the long term, limited color pallette.
#3 - Keystone Hardscape's Holland
Holland's appeal lies in its simplicity. A simple, 4x8 brick style paver offered in a bevy of color choices and four thicknesses. Keystone's Holland could succeed as an affordable, high coverage walkway paver or a bulletproof 90-mm thick building block for a commercial vehicle thoroughfare. We like the 60mm - it's affordable enough for a patio, and capable of handling mom-vans and tankish SUV's with a solid stone base. We often order Holland stones for soldier and sailor courses for many other pavers.
Holland stones and their arrangement are limited only by one's imagination. You can lay the resilient, classic herringbone pattern, a running bond, squares, the list goes on. The end result is neat, clean, and simple. Holland's strengths are also its downfall. Sometimes a basic 4x8 paver is just too basic, perhaps lacking a bit of character for certain tastes. Despite its simple appearance, we believe the Holland will satisfy most customer's paver needs. It's the Toyota Sedan of pavers.
PROS: Many color and thickness options, quick install, reasonable price, neat looks
CONS: One size - 4x8.
2) Belgard Origins
Belgard makes seriously nice pavers, and I suppose HGTV agreed with this consensus - these pavers were featured in HGTV's Dream Home 2023. It's easy to see why. They look just like slate, without the annoying prepwork and need to level every single different-sized slab. Belgard isn't new to making slate style interlocking pavers, this just so happens to be their most convincing model.
Slate never was a suitable driveway material, and neither are these. They're simply a little too large-format and ornate to be driven on everyday. For a patio or outdoor living space, they're a perfect choice. The appearance of slate, with the uniformity, modularity, and ease of installation only concrete could warrant. Consider the seven available color options, accept the price tag, and never look back.
PROS: High quality, many colors, realistic slate look
CONS: A little more expensive than most interlocking pavers, not suitable for driveways
1) Keystone Hardscapes Citystone Demi/Supra
Keystone hit the mark with the Citystone - a neat interlocking paver with bold colors and a very diverse range of shapes and sizes. By far the most popular installation pattern Keystone sells and we install is to make an "Ashlar" pattern, with a 4x8, 8x8, and 8x12 combo, creating a random, yet tidy look that vibes well with the majority of areas and themes. The surface exceeds ADA compliance measures for public and commercial areas.
Keystone's "Demi" pattern includes the big,medium,and small components needed to make the random ashlar pattern. The "Supra" pattern is a super-size larger format version. The Supra isn't ideal for driveways and heavy car traffic, but the Demi shines in the role. This is by far the most popular paver we install, and we can attest that the quality control from Keystone is incredible. The packaging and shipping is always excellent, and we never get cracked stones or wonky colors. Apparently this is due to Keystone's iron oxide color treatment that prevents color loss due to wear and UVs, but let's keep marketing out of this.
PROS: Durable, Versatile, many color and size options and quality control
CONS: Limited dealer network, Similar designs can be had for a few dollars less
Honorable Mention - Keystone Hardscapes Panorama Demi/Supra
This is the Citystone dressed up to look like slate. It's not quite the showpiece like Belgard Origins, but it's a happy medium between the toughness and versatility of the random ashlar Citystone while serving some rustic and organic looks like the Origins. It's an easy way to get slate looks in your driveway without fear of damages or destruction. Consider the Panorama if you love the looks of slate or flagstone, but want a more sensible, indestructable option for high traffic and commercial areas.
Winglewich Landscape Contracting can easily install all of these - and more. Call 707-755-0612 for a quote. We will do everything we can to make your paver experience more than you could expect.
- Sam Winglewich.
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