My Favorite Paving Material - Bluestone

So you are thinking of a new patio (or walkway)! Sizes and shapes are important, but have you thought about paving materials?

There are lots of ways you can go, but it depends on your budget. Assuming that you don't want concrete, the other options (without breaking the bank!) are pavers, bluestone pavers, bluestone and travertine.

Here is why.

I am a natural stone kind of person. Pavers are made from concrete. You can get a nice look if that is what fits in your budget.

However, for a bit more money you can have a patio made of natural stone.

Natural stone has a look that typically can't be duplicated. Bluestone pavers (pavers that look like bluestone) can fool many people, but since the end cost will be similar to real bluestone, why not go for real stone? (Bluestone pavers are more expensive than regular pavers.)

The only time I might consider bluestone pavers is at a pool since they are cooler than bluestone.

Travertine is gorgeous, but bluestone will look better with many homes and landscapes. Travertine has a formal look to it, almost like marble. Again, travertine is a good option for around a pool since it is cool on the feet.

Do you have a budget? Let's see the difference in cost between pavers and bluestone and if bluestone is within what you are willing to spend.

Let's take a patio that is 20 feet long by 20 feet wide which is 400 square feet. This is a nice size patio.

Pavers cost about $15/square foot installed. Bluestone costs about $20-22/sf installed. Let's not skimp and assume they will cost the higher amount of $22. If you can get it for less, you can celebrate!

So the paver patio will cost about $6000 and the bluestone patio will cost about $8800. What do you think?

Can you swing it? No? But maybe you can? Here are some ideas.

1. Hold off on the plants until another time.

2. Make your patio a bit smaller.(Or make your walkway a bit more narrow).

3. Shop around and get a better price.

If none of this works for you, consider pavers. However, look for those that have interesting shapes and resemble stone.

I like the larger sized pavers. I also like those that look like cobblestones by mixing various sizes together. Add interest by adding a seat wall!

Here are a lot more patio ideas .

Susan