Ah yes... the good ol debate. Stamped concrete vs paver patio. Which do you choose? 

1. Durability: Paving stones are two to three times stronger than decorative concrete. Pavers are designed to stand up to harsh freeze-thaw cycles. Decorative concrete often fades or chips away with time, especially in climates such as ours in Kansas City. When temperatures drop to below freezing, moisture in the concrete can expand, creating pressure and stressing the surface layer.  
2. Maintenance and Repairs: Stamped/decorative concrete must be sealed after installation and then at regular intervals to maintain its appearance. When it comes to pavers, maintaining the joints is important for longevity. Topping up the joint material when needed is the best way to prevent weed growth. Repairs are more of a challenge with stamped concrete. A large area around the damage must be professionally cut, removed and concrete must be re-poured, which can be very disruptive. Moreover, because the color of stamped concrete fades over time, color-matching is difficult – if not impossible.
3. Joints: Both pavers and stamped concrete have joints. Stamped concrete needs to be cut with expansion joints to help control future cracking. With stamped or patterned concrete, these joints can show up in the middle of a pattern, which disrupts the line and will eventually invite weed growth.
4. Colors, Textures & Patterns: Paving stones come in many colors, patterns and textures. Pavers allow you to do multiple inlays or borders without dramatically adding to the cost of the project. The characteristics of each line are created during the manufacturing process giving you a unified, consistent look from stone to stone in your paver project. With stamped concrete, the color, texture and pattern are added during installation. The concrete is poured, colored and stamped with a pattern to make it look like stone, brick or slate. This may mean that you get some variances between the picture in the brochure and the final product. Furthermore, stamped concrete must be sealed at regular intervals to preserve its look – otherwise it will fade over time.
5. Cost: Homeowners will often choose stamped or decorative concrete because it is cheaper than paving stones. While pavers may cost more initially, they look better, last longer, and require less maintenance making your investment more worthwhile. We only use pavers with a lifetime warranty at Pfeifer Landscaping .