When Pavers Get Personal

When considering what type of material to use to construct your outdoor patio, there are many factors to consider. Wood was once the most popular option, but it requires refinishing and a lot of maintenance to keep it looking good. Concrete cracks in tough Long Island winters and both are difficult to use creatively at any reasonable cost. Pavers, however, provide an excellent solution. Pavers are faster to install, can withstand more use and abuse and are easier and less expensive to remove or repair.

“Using concrete pavers is basically a no-maintenance alternative to most other types of patios that are available,” says Matthew LaGrassa, owner and operator of LaGrassa Masonry in Centereach.

“With pavers, you have to hose them off every once in awhile and that’s about it. They keep their beauty forever.” In fact, they’re so rugged that La-Grassa gives a 15-year to lifetime warranty on his installations.

The paver option is especially attractive in northern regions that suffer from long, cold, wet winters. These harsh conditions beat up even the best protection you can apply to a wood deck, and the freeze-thaw cycle wreaks costly havoc on concrete. Pavers, on the other hand, are nearly impervious.Some manufacturers are even promoting salt-resistant pavers, a smart option for outdoor surfaces that you want to keep snow- and ice-free during the cold months.

Still, they need to be installed correctly. “A lot of contractors will put the product either on sand or on recycled concrete aggregate, which is what’s used on all our roads,” LaGrassa says. “But how often are we replacing our roads? Every two or three years? What’s underneath the pavers, being used as a base, is of utmost importance. Patios,walkways and retaining walls should all be constructed on a base of straight concrete. That can make all the difference.”

Despite all the great construction and maintenance advantages, what LaGrassa likes best about using pavers is that they allow for nearly unlimited creative choices. “You can basically get every size, shape or color imaginable,”he says. “I do a lot of custom design work. Pavers enable me to create unique and distinctive designs for my clients. Basically,whatever you can conceive, we can create.”

Connect with LaGrassa Masonry Corp www.lagrassamasonry.com

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