Slab-on-grade concrete and interlocking pavers are among the most common materials used for pool patios. This article compares three important aspects that you should consider as you decide which of the two is better for your pool area.
Installation
The installation of pavers typically involves laying them side-by-side across the patio area surrounding the pool. Installing slab-on-grade concrete will require you to mix the aggregate before pouring it over the pool patio. Laying pavers requires less skill than pouring fresh concrete over the patio.
However, installing pavers one by one is more of a cumbersome activity and is likely to take longer. If you decide to hire patio builders, it will likely cost you more to install pavers than slab-on-grade concrete because it's a more labour-intensive process. A higher cost of installation and an often higher cost of raw materials means that interlocking pavers around the pool will make you dig deeper into your pockets, which could be an issue if you're on a strict budget.
It's worth pointing out that you'll have immediate access to the pool once the installation of pavers is complete. With slab-on-grade concrete, access to the pool area will be restricted for several days as the freshly-poured concrete continues to cure.
Safety
The question of safety will seldom fail to arise in a discussion about materials for a pool patio. This is because the patio is often always wet whenever there are people jumping in and out of the pool. The constant threat of slip-and-fall accidents cannot be overlooked.
When compared to slab-on-grade concrete, interlocking pavers are considered a safer alternative. This is because slab-on-grade concrete has a more continuous surface that's bound to make the patio area more slippery when wet. Interlocking pavers have numerous joints between the pavers. The presence of these joints improves your grip on the ground as you walk on the patio with wet feet, thereby reducing the likelihood of slip-and-fall accidents.
Maintenance
Concrete patios are built to last. However, the cost of on-going maintenance for the concrete patio could easily be higher than its cost of installation. Interlocking pavers should be cheaper to maintain than slab-on-grade concrete. For example, repairing cracks on slab-on-grade concrete might require you to demolish a large portion of the patio and before re-installing the concrete slab. If interlocking pavers cracks, you'll only need to replace the affected pavers without destroying much of your patio.
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