Choosing the right material for your patios, walkways, driveways, or other outdoor surfaces in Calgary can have a lasting impact on your property’s look and performance. At Assiniboine Lawns & Landscapes, we specialize in designing and installing both paving stones and concrete finishes that handle Calgary’s unique climate conditions. With harsh winters, freeze-thaw cycles, and warm summers, surfaces need to resist cracking, shifting, and fading over time. You want materials that combine durability, style, and practicality.
Paving stones offer flexibility in patterns, colours, and repairs, while concrete finishes provide uniform surfaces and smooth textures suitable for various applications. By exploring the benefits and drawbacks of each option, we help you identify which material suits your property, lifestyle, and aesthetic preferences. Whether you’re planning a new driveway, a backyard patio, or connecting pathways, this guide provides clear insights to guide your project from concept to completion.
Introduction to Outdoor Surfaces in Calgary
Calgary’s climate demands outdoor surfaces that can withstand dramatic shifts in temperature. Winters bring extreme cold, while summers deliver intense heat, creating constant expansion and contraction in paving materials. This cycle puts pressure on patios, walkways, driveways, and other hardscape areas, often resulting in cracks, uneven surfaces, and premature wear when unsuitable materials are chosen.
Snow removal and salt applications further test the resilience of outdoor surfaces. Generally, interlocking paving stones can last 25 to 30 years in freeze-thaw climates, while concrete surfaces typically last 15 to 25 years before major repairs are needed. Surface coatings and proper foundation preparation can extend durability, but material choice remains a key factor in long-term performance.
Selecting paving stones or concrete finishes that match your property’s use and style will give you a surface that performs well and looks attractive year-round. Patios & walkways benefit from textured or patterned surfaces for traction and design appeal, while driveways need materials that handle vehicle weight without deforming or cracking.
What Are Paving Stones?
Paving stones are individual blocks designed for outdoor surfaces. They can be made from manufactured concrete or quarried natural stone, each offering different characteristics. Manufactured paving stones provide uniform shapes and consistent colours, which makes them ideal for creating precise patterns and borders. Natural stone, on the other hand, carries distinctive textures and colour variations that add a unique character to any outdoor space.
You can use paving stones in several areas, including patios, walkways, driveways, garden paths, and even pool surrounds. Interlocking patterns help the stones stay stable, distributing weight evenly and allowing for slight ground movement without causing cracks.
Advantages of Paving Stones
Paving stones handle Calgary’s climate effectively. They tolerate extreme temperatures, resist cracking, and maintain their structural integrity despite repeated freeze-thaw cycles. You can customize layouts with multiple patterns, colours, and sizes to match the style of your home.
For instance, a backyard patio can feature a herringbone or basket weave pattern with contrasting borders, giving it a distinctive visual appeal. A driveway can combine large and small stones to handle vehicle weight while maintaining a textured, elegant look. In addition to aesthetics, paving stones allow homeowners to replace individual blocks if one becomes damaged. This reduces repair time and cost compared to traditional concrete slabs.
Maintenance and Longevity
Paving stones require minimal maintenance and last for decades. Applying polymer sand between the joints helps reduce water penetration, limits weed growth, and discourages ant infestations. Regular cleaning and occasional resealing keep the surface looking fresh.
If a stone shifts or cracks, you can remove and replace it without affecting the surrounding area. This flexibility makes paving stones a practical choice for high-traffic patios & walkways, or driveways. Professional installation with proper base preparation increases the surface’s lifespan, helping the material maintain both its functionality and visual appeal for decades.
Types of Concrete Finishes
Concrete finishes provide multiple options for outdoor surfaces. Common finishes include stamped, brushed, smooth, and exposed aggregate, all suitable for patios, walkways, and driveways.
Stamped concrete replicates the appearance of natural stone or brick, giving your surfaces a high-end look without the higher cost of natural materials. Exposed aggregate surfaces add texture that improves traction, making them safer during wet or icy conditions. Smooth or brushed finishes create clean, uniform surfaces that handle heavy foot traffic efficiently.
Advantages of Concrete
Concrete is cost-effective and simple to install. You can cover large areas in a single day, and the finishes provide a uniform and visually appealing look. Concrete surfaces also allow you to add colour, stains, or patterns that complement your landscaping choices.
For example, a Calgary driveway can be poured in a single day and stained to blend with exterior decor. Likewise, patios & walkways benefit from consistent finishes that require minimal shaping, reducing installation time and labour costs. Concrete installation projects often cost less than natural stone paving for equivalent surface areas, which makes it a practical choice for budget-conscious homeowners.
Potential Drawbacks
Concrete can crack under Calgary’s freeze-thaw conditions. Because concrete is a solid slab, it cannot adjust to small ground shifts, which makes it more susceptible to fractures. Repairs are often more complicated and may involve patching or resurfacing large areas.
Regular sealing is necessary to reduce water penetration and surface wear. Without sealing, water can enter tiny cracks, freeze, and expand, creating more damage over time. On average, the lifespan of a concrete surface ranges between 15 and 25 years, depending on traffic load, installation quality, and maintenance practices. In comparison, interlocking paving stones often last 25-30 years and can be repaired by replacing individual stones rather than the entire surface.
Comparing Paving Stones and Concrete for Calgary’s Climate
Choosing between paving stones and concrete finishes can feel overwhelming. Calgary’s unique climate adds another layer of consideration for any outdoor project.
Durability and Weather Resistance
Paving stones outperform concrete finishes in extreme weather. The interlocking design of paving stones allows them to shift slightly with ground movement, preventing cracks that often appear in concrete after repeated freezing and thawing.
For driveways, patios & walkways, this means fewer repairs and less disruption. Concrete often requires reinforcement with steel or frequent maintenance to maintain structural integrity, which can add to long-term costs and inconvenience.
Design Flexibility
Paving stones allow more customization than concrete finishes. You can create patterns, mix colours, and use borders to give a unique character to patios & walkways or driveways. Concrete is generally poured as one uniform surface, which limits design possibilities.
A curved patio or patterned walkway can become a focal point of your landscaping using paving stones, while concrete is better for broad, flat areas where uniformity is preferred. This flexibility lets you tailor surfaces to match your property style and functional needs.
Maintenance and Repairs
Paving stones are easier to repair than concrete finishes. If one stone becomes damaged or stained, you can replace it individually without disturbing the surrounding area. Concrete repairs, on the other hand, often involve resurfacing or replacing entire sections, which can be more expensive and time-consuming.
Both materials benefit from sealing. Paving stones sealed with polymer sand resist weeds and prevent insect intrusion. Concrete finishes also require sealing, but water infiltration can still occur over time, leading to surface wear or cracking.
Cost Considerations
Concrete finishes have lower initial costs, but paving stones offer better long-term value. Installing paving stones may cost more upfront compared to a standard concrete driveway, but the reduction in maintenance and repair expenses over 20–30 years balances the investment.
For patios, walkways, and driveways, quality materials combined with professional installation provide a durable surface that lasts and maintains its appearance. Homeowners working with Assiniboine Lawns & Landscapes benefit from expert craftsmanship and materials selected for Calgary’s climate, delivering results that are both functional and visually appealing.
Choosing the Right Material for Your Project
Selecting the right material for your outdoor surfaces shapes both the look and functionality of your property. Foot traffic, vehicle weight, and Calgary’s climate all influence which surfaces perform best over time.
Patios and Walkways
Paving stones are recommended for foot traffic areas. They provide traction, visual interest, and long-lasting performance. Their modular design allows you to create patterns, borders, and textures that complement your landscaping. You can design a patio that flows naturally into garden beds or pathways, giving your outdoor spaces a connected and inviting feel.
Concrete can work for simple patios & walkways, but offers limited design variety. A smooth or brushed concrete surface delivers a clean, uniform look, but it doesn’t offer the same customization as paving stones.
For example, a backyard patio with natural stone paving can include a curved walkway connecting flower beds or seating areas, creating functional and visually appealing outdoor spaces that adapt to the shape of your property.
Driveways and Heavy-Use Areas
Paving stones are ideal for driveways with heavy vehicle traffic. Interlocking pavers distribute weight evenly, reducing the risk of sinking or cracking under repeated load. In Calgary, driveways built with concrete pavers often last 30 years with minimal maintenance, compared to 15–20 years for a standard concrete slab exposed to snow removal and vehicle traffic.
Concrete can serve large, flat areas but may require reinforcement and frequent maintenance. Even with steel rebar and fibre reinforcement, concrete slabs can develop hairline cracks over time due to temperature swings.
For example, a residential driveway using interlocking pavers remains stable through heavy snow clearing and daily vehicle use. Concrete driveways in the same conditions often require patching or sealing to maintain surface quality.
Assiniboine Lawns & Landscapes specializes in helping homeowners select the right material for patios, walkways, and driveways. Our team combines design experience with construction expertise to match materials to your property’s layout and Calgary’s climate, giving you surfaces that last and look exceptional.
Why Calgary Homeowners Trust Assiniboine Lawns & Landscapes
Calgary’s weather can be tough on outdoor surfaces, and choosing the right team to install paving stones, patios, walkways, or driveways makes a difference in how your property looks and performs over time. You want results that last and add real value to your home.
At Assiniboine Lawns & Landscapes, based in Calgary, Alberta, we deliver professional paving stone and concrete projects. Our team begins every project with careful foundation preparation, using high-quality materials to withstand Calgary’s freeze-thaw cycles and heavy snow loads. We apply precise installation techniques that reduce surface movement, cracking, and uneven settling.
Projects we complete include:
- Patios & walkways with patterned paving stones and borders, designed to combine beauty and functionality while handling heavy foot traffic.
- Durable driveways using interlocking stones, capable of supporting vehicles of all sizes without developing cracks and lasting for years with minimal maintenance.
- Walkways connecting entrances to outdoor spaces, creating seamless access while enhancing landscaping aesthetics.
All projects carry a 2-year warranty and follow full licensing and safety standards. Homeowners can trust that each installation is handled by trained professionals who have completed thousands of hardscaping projects in Calgary, many of which continue to perform without repair after decades of use.
Contact Assiniboine Lawns & Landscapes for a Free Estimate
During the consultation, our team will discuss options for paving stones, concrete finishes, patios, walkways, and driveways, including material choices, layout designs, and installation timelines that suit Calgary’s climate.
Call Assiniboine Lawns & Landscapes at (403) 301-3300 or email service@assiniboine.com to schedule your free estimate. Let us help you transform your outdoor spaces into functional, long-lasting areas that enhance your property’s value and style.