Affordable Pavers for Stylish Patios on a Budget

Designing an elegant patio area doesn't have to break the bank. With some savvy shopping and creative design, you can build a beautiful outdoor living space using budget-friendly pavers.

Cheap doesn't have to mean boring or bland when it comes to pavers. Affordable options like concrete, brick, and stone can inject color, shape, and texture into your patio. Combining inexpensive pavers with decorative touches gives you a customized look without premium prices. Read on to discover affordable paver possibilities for patios along with factors impacting costs.

Comparing Paver Materials for Cost-Effectiveness

The type of paver material significantly influences price. Common patio paver options include:

Concrete Pavers

Concrete pavers offer versatility at low cost. Expect to pay $2-$5 per square foot for basic styles and earth toned colors. Popular budget brands are Pavestone, Techo-Bloc and Belgard. Concrete pavers resist cracking and require little maintenance.

Clay Brick Pavers

Clay bricks lend a classic timeless look for $5-$15 per square foot. Acid-washed bricks add texture. Affordable brands include Glen-Gery, Pine Hall and Belden. Bricks come in endless colors but need resealing every 1-2 years.

Natural Stone Pavers

Flagstone and travertine provide organic shapes for $4-$8 per square foot. Suppliers like Arizona Flagstone, Artistic Paver and Kepner Products offer bulk discounts. Natural stone withstands weather but requires more base prep.

Porcelain and Ceramic Pavers

Porcelain and ceramic pavers mimic looks of stone, concrete, and wood for $4-$12 per square foot. Durability and low maintenance make them cost-effective long-term. Color fades less than concrete. Brands include Daltile, American Olean, and StonePeak.

Weighing cost against factors like durability, maintenance, and longevity helps determine true value. Porcelain pavers cost more initially but resist cracking and fading better than concrete or brick.

Factors that Impact Paver Prices

Several variables affect patio paver pricing. Being aware of these cost factors helps you choose affordable options.

Paver Materials and Associated Costs

Material prices vary based on type, manufacturing, and transportation. Concrete costs less due to ubiquitous ingredients and high production volume. Clay bricks involve extensive processing and kiln firing. Natural stone requires quarrying and shaping. Synthetic porcelain pavers need raw materials and molding.

Labor and Installation Fees

Professional paver installation averages $10-$20 per square foot. Complex patterns, base prep, site access and permits can increase project costs. DIY installation with rented tools is cheaper but requires physical labor.

Shipping Expenses Based on Material Weight

Heavy materials like natural stone, concrete and porcelain increase shipping fees. Lighter clay bricks ship cheaper. Compare quotes with delivery costs included.

Special Shapes, Colors, Textures, Finishes

Paver upgrades add costs. Unique shapes, rich colors, chiselled edges, textured surfaces and glossy finishes all raise prices. Keeping to standard rectangles, subtle earth tones, smooth sides and matte finishes saves money.

Base Preparation Needs

Some pavers need more base prep than others. Porcelain and stone require a deeper gravel base and precise slope grading. Concrete and bricks need less sub-base if the ground is already compacted and level.

Tips for Finding Cheap Patio Pavers

Savvy shopping tactics help uncover budget-friendly pavers. Useful tips include:

• Shop clearance sales and discontinued paver lines.
• Buy pavers in bulk quantities for tiered discount pricing.
• Use mosaic laying patterns to stretch paver coverage.
• Install DIY with inexpensive paver base materials.

Check home improvement stores weekly for marked down pavers. Online liquidators like PaverMart and QuickPatio offer bulk bundle deals. Interlocking 12"x12" pavers in pinwheel mosaic patterns optimize square footage. Use inexpensive crushed gravel or stone dust for DIY base layers.

Affordable Paver Brands and Retailers

Known for value pricing, these brands and stores offer patio pavers under $5 per square foot:

Top Budget Paver Manufacturers

• Pavestone
• Techo-Bloc
• County Materials
• Mutual Materials
• Eagle Bay

Big Box Stores with Paver Deals

• Home Depot
• Lowes
• Menards

Online Discount Retailers

• Wayfair
• Overstock
• eBay
• Craigslist

Check weekly sales events both in-store and online. Price match guarantees can also help maximize value. Be flexible on color and style for the best deals.

Creative Design Ideas with Cheap Pavers

With clever design tricks, inexpensive pavers can still create a signature patio look:

• Mix paver sizes, shapes, colors for visual interest.
• Use decorative gravels and pebbles as accents.
• Arrange pavers in sweeping curves or patterns.
• Add embellishments like planters, benches, lighting.
• Elevate sections to multi-levels.
• Outline with gardens, flowers, foliage.
• Encircle a fire pit or water feature.
• Extend from decks, porches, pergolas.

Concrete pavers in warm brown hues laid in a circular motif around a fire pit make for cozy gatherings. Distressed brick pavers along a meandering pebble path leading to a back yard reading nook create old-world charm. Bluestone slate flagstones divided into quadrants by gravel walkways exude Zen tranquility. Be creative and think beyond just the floor!

Installation Tips for Affordable DIY Pavers

For DIYers with moderate skills, installing your own patio pavers cuts costs. Useful techniques include:

• Excavate topsoil. Remove 4-6 inches for a 3-4 inch crushed rock base.
• Compact soil with a plate compactor.
• Spread base gravel. Slope 1/4 inch per foot for drainage.
• Screed gravel flat. Shovel on 1 inch layer of sand.
• Set pavers close together. Tamp to settle.
• Fill joints with sand or polymeric sand. Sweep off excess.
• Compact finished surface with hand tamper or plate compactor.

For best results, build up base layers gradually. Compact and level between each layer. Lay pavers tightly without gaps and vibrate into the sand bedding using a compactor. This locks pavers solidly in place.