
When planning your dream outdoor space, the type of patio construction you choose is a pivotal decision. From aesthetics to durability, cost, and long-term performance, each method has unique advantages and considerations. Below, we’ll explore the most common types of patio construction, including their investment ranges, pros, cons, and expected lifespan. Kansas City Patio Builders offer a vast range of options and differing methods, so it’s beneficial to understand each type before investing.
Patio Construction and Foundations: How the Patio is Built
1. Concrete Patios
Overview: Concrete is a widely used material for patios due to its affordability and versatility. It’s poured and shaped on-site, offering a clean, solid surface.
Investment Range: $13–$30 per square foot
Pros:
- Affordable initial cost
- Smooth, uniform appearance
- Can be customized with colors and finishes
- A lower skill-level is needed for install, so it’s easier to find companies.
Cons:
- Prone to cracking over time due to shifting soils, temperature changes, and natural settling. Minor craze cracks can appear in year-one in Kansas City
- Repairs are often visible and difficult to blend
- Limited design flexibility compared to other options
- Can be slippery when wet and gets hot due to inability to disperse heat
- Corroded by salts in ice melts
- Can also chip or crack when things are dropped on it
- Porous: Stains if unsealed
Lifespan: 5-20 years, with proper maintenance
2. Stamped Concrete
Overview: Stamped concrete mimics the look of natural stone, brick, or tile by imprinting patterns and textures into wet concrete.
Investment Range: $15–$45 per square foot
Pros:
- Offers a more decorative look compared to standard concrete
- Wide variety of patterns and colors available
- Lower cost than natural stone or pavers
Cons:
- Susceptible to cracking, just like standard concrete
- Requires sealing to maintain color and pattern longevity. Color is often only at surface level and has significant fade.
- Repairs can be challenging and noticeable
Lifespan: 5-20 years, with sealing every 2–3 years
3. Conventional Crushed Aggregate Base with Pavers or Stone
Overview: This method involves laying pavers or stone on a compacted crushed aggregate base. It’s a popular choice for its classic look and flexibility. This is the common, conventionally accepted method in Kansas City.
Investment Range: $20–$50 per square foot
Pros:
- Allows for easy repairs—individual stones or pavers can be replaced
- Provides a timeless, natural look
- Permeable surface helps manage drainage
Cons:
- Prone to settling and separating over time
- Requires consistent maintenance, for sealing and joint-sand stabilizing
- Weed growth can occur between joints
- Not acceptable for most driveways
Lifespan: 25–40 years, depending on maintenance
4. Concrete Base with Pavers, Porcelain, or Stone
Overview: This method combines the stability of a concrete slab with the aesthetics of pavers or stone laid on top. This is often used on driveways and pool decks. Ten years ago, this was the preferred method for many architects (prior to the best architects learning about trass bedding). It is still an acceptable building method, just slightly inferior to trass bedding.
Investment Range: $30–$60 per square foot
Pros:
- Provides a stable, uniform surface
- Reduced risk of settling compared to aggregate bases
- Aesthetic appeal with long-lasting structural support
Cons:
- Traps moisture, which can lead to heaving in freeze-thaw climates
- Repairs are more complex and costly
- Higher initial investment
Lifespan: 30–45 years, with proper drainage and sealing
5.Legacy Method by High Prairie: European Trass Bedding with Porcelain or Stone Finish
Overview: This innovative method uses a permeable trass bedding that mimics European construction standards. It’s ideal for patios where both performance and beauty matter. Since trass bedding has the rigid durability of concrete and the porous nature of aggregate, it is both strong and allows moisture to pass through without damaging the patio/drive. It is used in both roads and plazas all over Europe and can withstand heavy vehicles.
FYI: High Prairie helped develop this method by collaborating with European contractors over the last decade. Our owner, Robyn, met the (then) president of the European Contractors’ Association in 2011 and began the journey towards learning how the Europeans craft hardscapes to last decades longer than our conventional methods. Since then, High Prairie has sourced their trass bedding from Germany, where some of the world’s most durable stone roads and plazas exist.
Investment Range: $55–$75 per square foot
Pros:
- Permeable surface allows moisture to drain, reducing the risk of heaving with the added benefit of being incredibly good for the environment
- Exceptionally durable and stable, even in extreme climates. Is not affected by frosts.
- Low maintenance with minimal risk of cracking or settling
- Artisan appearance with timeless style
- Aesthetics are flexible depending upon the surface stone or porcelain selected to match any style
- The joint stabilizing sand is super-durable with the ability to resist power washing and does not need yearly sealing to remain rigid.
Cons:
- Highest upfront investment
- Requires skilled craftsmanship for installation
Lifespan: 50+ years, with minimal maintenance
Patio Surface or Finish Options: Material Selections for the Surface
Concrete Pavers
Overview: Concrete pavers are factory-made, interlocking units available in various shapes, sizes, and colors, offering a versatile solution for patios and driveways.
Common Brands: Unilock, Belgard, and Techobloc
Investment Details: Pavers cost more than regular concrete but often less than natural stone or porcelain. There are different grades of pavers, so there is a vast range of pricing.
Pros:
- Easy to install and replace if damaged
- Wide variety of styles and colors available
- Durable and suitable for driveways and heavy traffic areas (Verify proper thickness!)
- Cost-effective compared to natural stone
- Timeless styles
Cons:
- Can fade over time if not sealed
- Cheaper pavers can degrade over time with fading and visible stone aggregate
- Salts erode the paver surface
- Porous: Can stain if not sealed
- Susceptible to weed growth in joints
- May settle or shift without proper base preparation
Lifespan: 25–40 years, with maintenance. Depending upon base
Porcelain Pavers
Overview: Porcelain pavers mimic the aesthetics of natural stone or travertine while offering superior performance. High Prairie’s signature line is a luxurious option for elegant outdoor spaces.
Investment Details: Porcelain pricing aligns similarly to top-end pavers or natural stone while being more durable and color stable.
Pros:
- Highly resistant to stains, scratches, and fading: The most durable and lasting finish option.
- Mimics the appearance of natural stone or travertine
- Lightweight yet durable, suitable for elevated patios
- Requires minimal maintenance
- Low Maintenance: No sealing needed
Cons:
- Higher upfront cost (Compared to budget lines of pavers)
- Requires precise installation to avoid cracking or shifting
- Thinner profile may not be suitable for vehicular traffic
Lifespan: 50+ years, with minimal maintenance if installed on a stable base
Natural Stone
Overview: Natural stone patios offer unmatched beauty and elegance, making them a classic, preferred choice.
Investment Details: Natural stone is a premium surface typically at the top-end of surface investment ranges due to the timeless appeal and higher level of expertise needed to install well.
Pros:
- Timeless, luxurious appearance
- Each piece is unique, adding to the aesthetic value
- Suitable for a variety of styles and applications
- Both flagstone and cut squares can be used
Cons:
- Most expensive option
- Requires professional installation due to weight and irregularities
- May need sealing to prevent staining
- Natural product can crack and chip since it came from the ground. This makes it unpredictable
- May have iron-ore in the stone, which can cause rust-stains as the stone is exposed to light and moisture
- May peel or shale in our freeze-thaw cycles
- Porous: Can stain if not sealed
Lifespan: 50+ years, with proper care. Can be much less if cracking or peeling begins to happen
Brick with Mortar Joints
Overview: Brick patios offer a classic and warm aesthetic often associated with traditional or historic homes. Typically installed with mortar joints, they provide a stable and polished appearance.
Investment Range: Brick and mortar pricing is similar to the pricing associated with porcelain or top-end paver.
Pros:
- Timeless and traditional aesthetic
- Durable and long-lasting when properly installed
- Works well with various architectural styles
Cons:
- Can crack or chip over time, especially in freeze-thaw climates
- Mortar joints require maintenance and may deteriorate with weather exposure
- Can become uneven if the foundation shifts
- Porous: Susceptible to staining without sealing
Lifespan: 30–50 years, with proper care and maintenance
Tips and Tricks:
- When using concrete: Watch for companies who don’t include a gravel base below the concrete to help move moisture and soil fluctuations away from the concrete slab. High Prairie does not offer finish concrete in-house due to the longevity concerns.
- Ensure your contractor is including sleeves (pipes) under your hardscape to allow for access to lighting wire, electrical, gas, drainage, and irrigation. (Even better… have them mark where the sleeves are!)
- Choose lighter colors to help avoid hot surfaces in the direct sun.
- Consider maintenance and lifespan when choosing your method and material.
- Look at company portfolios and assess the smoothness of their curves and cuts. Lower-end hardscapers have not yet mastered smooth lines and balanced curves. (You can tell a cheap hardscape by the quality of those curves and gaps between pavers on curves.)
- Don’t be fooled by fancy photos: Look at the details!
- Ensure that drainage is addressed during a hardscape project. (Make sure downspout are buried in areas where new hardscape is going so you don’t have them draining on top of your new surface.)
Key Takeaways
- Concrete is affordable and simple but prone to cracking over time.
- Stamped concrete offers decorative appeal but requires regular sealing to maintain its look.
- Crushed aggregate base with pavers or stone is cost-effective and repairable but may settle and separate over time.
- Concrete base with pavers provides structural stability but traps moisture, increasing the risk of heaving.
- Legacy Method European trass bedding offers the ultimate combination of durability, aesthetics, and permeability, making it the gold standard for long-lasting patios.
- Concrete pavers are versatile and durable but require sealing and regular joint maintenance.
- Porcelain pavers combine elegance with performance, offering a lasting, low-maintenance solution for upscale patios.
- Natural stone delivers timeless beauty but at a premium cost.
- Brick with mortar joints provides a traditional, durable option but requires consistent maintenance.