In today’s tough economy, the last thing on your mind is probably home maintenance. The first thing maintenance brings to mind is money and that’s something many of us have very little of. Even though times are tough, paving stones are one of the best ways to save money while making your home look great.

Paving stones are interlocking stones that provide a beautiful décor to any home. These stones are used on patios, driveways, walkways and even as pool decks. Paving stones come in a variety of colors from earth tones to multi colored, giving you the freedom to accent the outside of your home in just about any style you please.

One of the best things about paving stones besides making your home look beautiful is that unlike concrete driveways, they don’t require maintenance. Driveways that use tar and concrete have to be paved every few years in order to avoid cracks and discoloration. Not only does this method take a lot of time and effort but it also adds up in cost. The chemicals alone can ruin your clothing and the smell can last for days, destroying what could be great outdoor opportunity with family and friends. Paving stones don’t lose their color either, regardless of temperature and sunshine. Your landscaping will keep its color and look great for many years, without maintenance!

Another fantastic thing about paving stones is that they are easy to remove in case of emergencies. With road expansion and utility companies upgrading their lines, you never know when your driveway will have to be torn up so maintenance work can be done. Even though the utility company is the one who tears up your driveway, you’re the one who is going to be stuck with the costs of repaving. Paving stones are a great way to avoid this expensive hazard. Since they are interlocking, they come right apart, making it easy for the utility company to get in and get out and for you to repair your driveway without the added cost.

Paving stones can also be used to create a more modern looking front yard. Lawn care takes a lot of time and energy, from mowing to trimming to raking; it can be a full time job. Not only does the maintenance take time and energy but it also gets very expensive. Buying seed, watering the yard, buying weed killers and fertilizers all add up very quickly. The worst part about these costs is that they have to be done year round; they’re not just a one-time purchase! Paving stones on the other hand don’t have that kind of upkeep- they look great year round without needing to be watered or fertilized.

Paving stones are the best answer to economic woes. Unlike lawns that require maintenance and upkeep, paving stones stay beautiful looking year round and last for many years. They are both the modern and economic answer to driveway repaving and concrete walks. If you’re looking to save money this year but still want to drastically improve your home, paving stones are the way to go.

Anytime you decide to do a home improvement project like paving over the cracks in driveway, how much the materials cost and how much the man power costs are the first things that come to mind. Most people prefer to do the repairs and upgrades themselves, in order to save some money. If that doesn’t save them enough money, they will often go with the cheapest materials available, using things like concrete and asphalt instead of quality paver stones. Even though this seems like the most cost effective choice, it ends up costing you an arm and a leg in the end.

Concrete is one of the most common paving methods used today instead of paving stones, due to the low cost of the materials per square foot. Concrete provides a uniform look of either gray or brown and makes your home blend in with other homes around it unlike interlocking pavers, which come in a variety of colors. Although concrete seems like a good cost-saving option, it lacks many benefits that interlocking pavers provide. Concrete tends to shrink when it hardens resulting in cracks in your new driveway within two days of placement. Not only do the cracks appear after you put the concrete down, they will also continue to appear over time due to dry-shrinkage.

In fact, not only does your concrete crack but also it’s even expected to crack. When your concrete is installed, contractors place joints in the concrete pavements and floors to allow the concrete to crack in a straight line. These joints are installed with the dry-shrinkage cracking in mind. Sure, there are ways you can repair these cracks as they appear but you will have to return to the store and buy more materials to continue to do this maintenance. In fact, on average, you can expect to spend about eight to eleven dollars per square foot when replacing your existing concrete. One of the main advantages of interlocking pavers is that they do not crack- they simply lock together, creating a beautiful yet flexible driveway.

The other cheaper method that people try using, instead of paver stones, is asphalt. Asphalt has numerous issues, ranging from having less tensile strength, a tendency to become slick and soft in hot weather, and a gradual release of hydrocarbon pollution into the soil, groundwater and waterways. Besides these numerous flaws, asphalt also cracks like concrete, making it yet another item requiring both maintenance and money.

Paver stones are a great alternative to both of these cheap methods. Paver stones can last for decades, requiring little to no maintenance. Paving stones lock together, allowing for flexibility due to weather or even natural disasters like earthquakes. Should one of your interlocking pavers crack, you can easily repair it simply by removing the broken paver stone and putting a new one in its place, rather than repaving the entire driveway.

If you're poured concrete driveway becomes stained by motor oil, can you flip it over and get rid of the stain? Heck no! You can do this with paving stones though, impossible to remove stains with this paving method are fixed in a jiffy. Overall, when trying to save money on home maintenance, it is essential to look at the long-term maintenance costs. Although concrete and asphalt seem like cheaper alternatives, paver stones save you much more money in the end and provide you with a beautiful investment that can increase your home value.

With all the time, research and work that went into your patio pavers, you'll more than likely want to keep the entire outdoor project in top shape for as long as possible. These pavers are fairly easy to maintain, but require special attention in some regard. The detail of upkeep is really dependant on what type of paver you've installed, and the installation method. Other things to consider are the location of your pavers, the patio setting, etc.

When you select your pavers, it's a good idea to inquire about the recommended cleaning and maintenance methods that are suited for the design and product you've chosen. A professional installer will typically provide you with maintenance and cleaning information with the purchase and installation package. Most practices are shared across the board, but it's best to know the specifics about your own patio designs. For example, you could pressure wash the interlocking pavers in your driveway but you wouldn’t want to pressure wash patio pavers that use sand to fill between the stone.

The most basic steps to care for your paving stones around your home is to keep the patio area clear of any debris that come onto your property. Set a regular schedule for cleaning and maintaining the patio pavers. You'll want to prevent large deposits of debris from collecting in the cracks of the pavers. If the surface area isn't cleaned regularly, those debris will bury themselves into the seams of your patio creating ugly dark lines. This prevents the water from draining properly and you could end up with standing water on your paving stones.

Another practice to keeping your patio pavers clean is general washing. You should ideally be washing your pavers about once every two weeks or when you notice a buildup of grime, mud or (rarely) mold adhering to the stones. While flush stones may be sprayed clean, it's more practical to hand wash stones that have sand fill as mentioned earlier
Be mindful of any pavers that may come with special instructions from the manufacturer, as these should be treated with care and special consideration. If the manufacturer of your patio pavers suggests a specialized cleaning agent, then you may want to request a sample so you have a better understanding of how the product works with your patio designs and what the ingredients are. Often, cleansers and cleaning agents for pavers are very mild. Stronger chemicals aren't recommended for cleaning paving stones.

Consider any cleaning solvent and the effect it has on the environment. Don't use any cleaning agent on your paving stones that doesn't clean up easily, meaning it should quickly wash away once you're finished scrubbing. Avoid using strong chemicals that could damage the environment, cause chemical grass burns, or may bleach/stain surrounding plants or wood. Patio pavers don't need industrial strength solvents.

Test the cleaning products on small areas that are inconspicuous around you patio pavers. If you do damage one of your pavers, or discolor a section of your patio, you can easily replace that section and work toward a softer chemical to keep your pavers clean and vibrant. If you have any doubt about the cleaning products or methods used, contact your installer or manufacturer for details.