Types of Paving Materials
Which type of paving is best? Dry cast concrete paving, wet cast concrete paving, natural stone paving, clay brick paving or tar?
The table below is a useful comparison between the most common types of paving found in South Africa and was developed to help identify which type of paving best suits your needs.
Dry Cast Concrete |
Wet Cast Concrete |
Natural Stone |
Clay |
Tar |
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As Advertised |
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What can be created |
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Possible Problems |
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In One Word: |
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Durability |
Design |
Natural |
Clean |
Road |
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Advantages |
Lowest cost of segmented materiels. Dimensionally accurate and easy to install. Various shapes and sizes for a wide variety of applications. Durable. | Aesthetically a more pleasing alternative to brick. Re-creating the look of natural stone in a practical way. Less damage to environment than natural products. Various shapes, textures and sizes. | There is a positive, fashionable perception regarding the use of “Natural” products in building and construction. Natural stone can be beautiful | Clay pavers have a natural appearance with good colour fastness. Durable. | Low initial cost of installation. Smooth driving surface. |
Be Aware of |
Weathering of surface in the long term. Some shapes of pavers are not modern and exciting. |
Obvious weathering of surface in the long term | Lack of long term consistency. Limited dimensional accuracy. | Limited options in colours, shapes and sizes. Not modern and exciting. | Aesthetically, tar is limited. Not suited to low traffic areas or heavy vehicles turning sharply and slowly. |
Most Obvious possible post-installation imperfections inherent to a specific paving material |
Fading colour. Long term abrasion. White efflorescence. Black efflorescence. | Fading colour. Long term abrasion. White efflorescence. Black efflorescence. | Flaking or breaking. Staining. Discolouration. | Spalling or chipping of edges. Very susceptible to white efflorescence. | Cracking and potholes. Needs a lot of traffic to assist expansion and contraction. |
Most obvious possible manufacturing defects. (Mostly applicable when purchasing from inferior suppliers.) |
Dimensionally inaccurate products. Uneven edges. Colour inconsistencies. Not SABS compliant in terms of strength. | Dimensionally inaccurate products. Pin holes on surface. Not natural and sometimes irregular colours. Colour stains especially on larger products. Weak products. | Dimensionally inaccurate products. Soft material. Stone that flakes or breaks. Colour inconsistency. | Weak product, breaking or crumbling. Chipped products. Dimensionally inaccurate products. | Bad engineering or composition of material. |
Most obvious possible defects due to bad installation. (Mostly applicable when installed by an unqualified installer.) |
Complete site failure or pavers breaking and spalling due to earthworks. Unlevelled or irregular surface. Cement staining when installed with cement grouting. | Complete site failure or pavers breaking and spalling due to earthworks. Unlevelled or irregular surface. Cement staining when installed with cement grouting. Crooked installation lines. Failure of cement grouting. | Complete site failure or pavers breaking and spalling due to earthworks. Cement staining. Installation of chipped and irregular products. Crooked installation lines. Unlevelled or irregular surface. Failure of cement grouting. | Complete site failure or pavers breaking and spalling due to earthworks. Cement staining when installed with cement grouting. Crooked installation lines. | Site failure due to earthworks. As asphalt paving is “installed” in-situ, there are great risks involved when compared to other paving materials produced in controlled factory environments. |
Aesthetics |
Limited larger options. Limited textures. Many colours available, but limited realistic, natural options. | Many shapes and sizes. Includes large pavers. Available in various combinations which can be installed together. Unlimited textures. Natural colours. | Mostly available in square, rectangular or totally irregular options. Limited textures. Natural colours. | Limited shapes and textures. Mostly available as standard “bricks”. Limited colours. | N/A |
Most suited for: |
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Residential Driveways |
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Pool Surrounds |
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Internal tiling |
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Landscaping |
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Pathways |
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Commercial Parking |
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Commercial Driveways |
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Public Roads |
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Industrial Driveways |
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Dry Cast Concrete |
Wet Cast Concrete |
Natural Stone |
Clay |
Tar |
As Advertised |
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|
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|
What can be created |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
Possible Problems |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
In One Word: |
||||
Durability |
Design |
Natural |
Clean |
Road |
Advantages |
||||
| Lowest cost of segmented materiels. Dimensionally accurate and easy to install. Various shapes and sizes for a wide variety of applications. Durable. | Aesthetically a more pleasing alternative to brick. Re-creating the look of natural stone in a practical way. Less damage to environment than natural products. Various shapes, textures and sizes. | There is a positive, fashionable perception regarding the use of “Natural” products in building and construction. Natural stone can be beautiful | Clay pavers have a natural appearance with good colour fastness. Durable. | Low initial cost of installation. Smooth driving surface. |
Be Aware of |
||||
| Weathering of surface in the long term. Some shapes of pavers are not modern and exciting. |
Obvious weathering of surface in the long term | Lack of long term consistency. Limited dimensional accuracy. | Limited options in colours, shapes and sizes. Not modern and exciting. | Aesthetically, tar is limited. Not suited to low traffic areas or heavy vehicles turning sharply and slowly. |
Most Obvious possible post-installation imperfections inherent to a specific paving material |
||||
| Fading colour. Long term abrasion. White efflorescence. Black efflorescence. | Fading colour. Long term abrasion. White efflorescence. Black efflorescence. | Flaking or breaking. Staining. Discolouration. | Spalling or chipping of edges. Very susceptible to white efflorescence. | Cracking and potholes. Needs a lot of traffic to assist expansion and contraction. |
Most obvious possible manufacturing defects. (Mostly applicable when purchasing from inferior suppliers.) |
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| Dimensionally inaccurate products. Uneven edges. Colour inconsistencies. Not SABS compliant in terms of strength. | Dimensionally inaccurate products. Pin holes on surface. Not natural and sometimes irregular colours. Colour stains especially on larger products. Weak products. | Dimensionally inaccurate products. Soft material. Stone that flakes or breaks. Colour inconsistency. | Weak product, breaking or crumbling. Chipped products. Dimensionally inaccurate products. | Bad engineering or composition of material. |
Most obvious possible defects due to bad installation. (Mostly applicable when installed by an unqualified installer.) |
||||
| Complete site failure or pavers breaking and spalling due to earthworks. Unlevelled or irregular surface. Cement staining when installed with cement grouting. | Complete site failure or pavers breaking and spalling due to earthworks. Unlevelled or irregular surface. Cement staining when installed with cement grouting. Crooked installation lines. Failure of cement grouting. | Complete site failure or pavers breaking and spalling due to earthworks. Cement staining. Installation of chipped and irregular products. Crooked installation lines. Unlevelled or irregular surface. Failure of cement grouting. | Complete site failure or pavers breaking and spalling due to earthworks. Cement staining when installed with cement grouting. Crooked installation lines. | Site failure due to earthworks. As asphalt paving is “installed” in-situ, there are great risks involved when compared to other paving materials produced in controlled factory environments. |
Aesthetics |
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| Limited larger options. Limited textures. Many colours available, but limited realistic, natural options. | Many shapes and sizes. Includes large pavers. Available in various combinations which can be installed together. Unlimited textures. Natural colours. | Mostly available in square, rectangular or totally irregular options. Limited textures. Natural colours. | Limited shapes and textures. Mostly available as standard “bricks”. Limited colours. | N/A |
Most suited for: |
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Dry Cast Concrete |
Wet Cast Concrete |
Natural Stone |
Clay |
Tar |
Residential Driveways |
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|
|
|
||
Pool Surrounds |
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|
|
|
|
|
Internal tiling |
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|
|
|||
Landscaping |
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|
||
Pathways |
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|
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Commercial Parking |
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Commercial Driveways |
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Public Roads |
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Industrial Driveways |
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