Stone look or faux stone porcelain pavers offer an aesthetically pleasing and cost-effective alternative to natural stone, with exceptional visual appeal, greater durability and more versatility. These man-made pavers cleverly replicate the intricate details and aesthetics of natural stone but avoid the downsides of natural stone, making them a popular choice for outdoor stone flooring on roof top decks as well as more conventional landscaping and hardscaping projects.
What are stone look pavers?
Stone look or faux stone pavers are man-made paving materials designed to mimic the appearance of natural stone. The most common and realistic looking faux stone pavers are without a doubt, porcelain pavers. Thanks to modern digital printing techniques, porcelain pavers are able to replicate the most detailed visual features of natural stone pavers, right down to complex vein structures, streaks and tonal variation. They can even display the natural sparkle of mica, simulate the multi layering of slate, the subtle tones of marble and the complex grains of granite.
And while some concrete pavers also attempt to reproduce the look of stone pavers and large format stone tiles, in reality this is only partially successful in a very limited range of stone types like sandstone and limestone.
How do stone look pavers compare to natural stone?
While natural stone undoubtedly offers unique aesthetics, stone look porcelain pavers provide similar visual appeal, but with the added benefits like uniformity, lighter weight, and easier installation. Even viewed from a short distance, it can be difficult to correctly pick the visual difference between stone pavers and porcelain stone effect pavers, the surface texture and feel generally being the only way to spot the difference.
As for concrete pavers vs stone pavers, there’s really no comparison, although heavy and bulky concrete pavers certainly have their use for retaining walls and heavy-duty applications.
What are the main benefits of stone look porcelain pavers?
- Lower cost: Depending on the stone type, porcelain stone look pavers will generally be lower cost than natural stone.
- Greater strength: Imperfections in natural stone mean that stone pavers are typically not as strong as porcelain pavers of the same thickness
- Lighter wseight: For heavy traffic applications, large format stone tiles have to be cut significantly thicker, adding to their cost, and transportation costs.
- Extremely low porosity: The porosity of natural stone can also be an issue in some locations where frost damage may occur. Porcelain pavers noted for being amongst the most weather resistant pavers available.
- Scratch resistant: Porcelain is significantly harder and less scratch resistant than some stones such as travertine, sandstone and slate.
- More versatile: Porcelain stone effect pavers can be used to build roof decks and balcony floors supported solely by adjustable height pedestals. Typically, natural stone is not strong enough to be supported by pedestals for rooftop outdoor stone flooring unless it is cut into thick slabs, which adds to the expense and significantly increases the weight load on a rooftop.
Choosing Stone Look Porcelain Pavers
Factors to Consider
Since the most popular style of porcelain pavers is a simulated stone look, there’s an exceptionally wide range of pavers to choose from. The Archatrak range of porcelain pavers for example includes over 90 different colors. In fact, since porcelain stone effect pavers are produced in large factories, it’s possible to obtain styles and colors of obscure types of stone for outdoor stone flooring that might otherwise only be available in the country or region of origin, or stone that would not normally be suitable for exterior use or is too soft or delicate for pedestrian traffic.
Because the style and color choice is so broad, factors to consider when choosing a particular color or style of natural stone appearance pavers for your project are primarily:
- aesthetics in relation to the installation environment
- the extent of variation between pavers (given that porcelain pavers may be supplied in 10 or more different ‘faces’ for a specific color)
- heat absorption (lighter colors will be cooler underfoot)
- potential dirt retention with light colored pavers
Popular Styles and Designs
Porcelain stone effect pavers are available in all the broad categories of natural stone including:
- Sandstone
- Limestone
- Slate
- Bluestone
- Travertine
- Granite
- Marble
- Quartzite
- Schist
- Conglomerate
Some of the colors/styles available are shown below. See our Explore all colors web page to see a wider selection.
Typically, porcelain stone pavers are 2cm (¾”) thick, but for heavy duty commercial applications, both 3cm pavers and 5cm pavers are also available. The most common size is 24” x 24” but the full range of options extends from 8” x 8” cobblestones up to large format stone tiles as large as 48” x 96” as well as hexagonal pavers.
FAQs
Can stone look porcelain pavers be used for driveways?
Yes, natural stone appearance pavers like porcelain are engineered to withstand vehicular loads, making them suitable for driveways, although its essential that the substrate they are laid on is properly prepared. Normally 2cm porcelain pavers would be laid in mortar over a prepared concrete bed but 3cm and 5cm pavers may be laid over sand/gravel beds depending on the weight and frequency of vehicular traffic anticipated.
Smaller 8” x 8” and 8” x 12” porcelain cobblestone tiles with hammered edges are particularly useful for driveways where their precise size and thickness makes them much easier to lay than cut stone.
4” x 4” x 2 ½” thick cobblestone blocks are also available where again their precision size makes them so much easier and quicker to lay than natural stone blocks. For maximum stability, surface uniformity and pedestrian safety, these blocks are normally laid in a mortar bed over a concrete base.
Do I need to seal faux stone pavers?
Porcelain stone look pavers are essential non-porous so not only does water not penetrate the surface, but equally importantly they won’t suffer staining from grease, oil,
coffee, wine etc. and unlike natural travertine they are not damaged by acids. So sealing is not necessary.
How do I maintain stone look porcelain pavers?
Regular cleaning with mild soap and water is all that’s normally required to maintain the appearance of faux stone pavers as well as promptly addressing stains. In locations where mold and mildew is prevalent, it may be necessary to power wash the surface to remove all traces of growth.
Can I install stone look porcelain pavers myself?
DIY stone paver installation is certainly possible with porcelain pavers, just as it is with natural stone. Porcelain pavers will be lighter, making them easier to handle but the installation methods are much the same. However, for roof top applications where the pavers are installed over adjustable height pedestals, installation is probably best left to professionals.
Are stone look porcelain pavers more slippery than natural stone?
Slip-resistant stone pavers will normally have a textured surface that provides extra grip but with other finishes the surface can be very smooth and much less slip resistant. Slip resistance of stone pavers also depend on the stone type, with course grained stone like some sandstone offering excellent slip resistance.
Where can I buy stone look porcelain pavers?
You can order pavers directly from Archatrak for shipment to any destination in the USA or Canada through our Contact page. The full range of styles and colors available can be seen from our Explore all colors page. On this page you can also order up to four small samples at no cost.
Summary
Stone look porcelain pavers are a fantastic solution for those seeking the beauty of outdoor stone flooring with the added benefits of durability, stain resistance, ease of maintenance, and cost-effectiveness. Whether you’re designing a patio, rooftop deck, commercial plaza, driveway, or garden path, the wide range of styles and designs available can blend seamlessly into any outdoor space. With their excellent technical characteristics and universal aesthetic appeal, porcelain faux stone pavers are a sound investment in enhancing the appeal and value of any property, commercial or residential.