Paver Alternatives

Grasscrete

• A green alternative to concrete or stone pavers is Grasscrete. This is a manufactured product that consists of about half concrete mixture and about half holes. You can leave Grasscrete with holes or fill it in with grass seed. Decide the usage that each area lined with Grasscrete will receive before deciding whether to seed it. You may want to consult an engineer or landscape architect for advice on whether the material will allow for sufficient water drainage where you're considering using it.

Vinyl Faux Pavers

• Vinyl can approximate almost any texture. You can buy vinyl flagstones with a stone, brick, or concrete spray finish. These lightweight squares are easy to place around the yard. If they are coated with a sustainable and durable finish, they will not fade or stain under normal weathering.

Turfstone

• Open-cell paving blocks are an alternative to flat pavers or Grasscrete. This type of product has large openings through which grass can grow. It requires a deeper installation than Grasscrete does. You would normally choose it to provide greener paving for extra traffic area around the driveway and for non-traffic areas, such as the backyard, the side yard, the pool patio area, and both sides of the main driveway.

Natural Stone

• Natural stone squares are more expensive than stamped concrete, plain concrete, or brick pavers. Choose custom-cut pieces of stone such as bluestone, limestone, or granite to match the stones around the area. Because of their weight, you might want to have these natural stone pavers delivered to your home and installed.