Pavers and Patios: Ranking the Best Texas Paver Materials

Pavers and patios go hand-in-hand for many Texas homeowners. But specific local considerations make paver material selection crucial to the longevity and value of your patio.

Since 2009, we’ve hand-crafted over 20,000 premium outdoor living spaces in Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth. Our outdoor living designers and expert contractors used their expertise to outline the pros and cons of 4 popular paver materials.

Concrete, natural flagstone, brick and porcelain pavers each offer significant advantages in patio design. But which ones stand up best to Texas heat, humidity and shifting soil? And which hardscaping materials provide the right blend of style and durability for your outdoor lifestyle?

• Concrete pavers and flagstone pavers are top options. Their durability, design flexibility, aesthetic appeal and heat resistance make them premium solutions.
• Brick and porcelain offer good value — with some drawbacks. Each provides a specific aesthetic appeal. Brick has limited versatility, which porcelain offers lower resistance to heat.
• A strong foundation ensures the success of pavers and patios. A solid base layer, smart drainage solutions, expert jointing and sealing are pivotal to long-term success.

A Closer Look at Your Top Patio Paver Material Options

These are the 4 most requested premium paver materials for Texas patio construction and installation projects:

1. Concrete
2. Texas flagstone
3. Brick
4. Porcelain

Let’s examine the key features, advantages and drawbacks of using each of these paving stone materials on your backyard patio.

Concrete Pavers: Versatile, Heat Resistant and Durable

Homeowners choose concrete pavers for their design flexibility, customizable appearance and general cost effectiveness.

Modified concrete pavers provide added strength to your patio flooring. With proper base layer installation, they help stabilize the shifting clay soil present in most Texas backyards.

Concrete pavers perform well in San Antonio, where they offer enhanced UV protection and strong heat resistance. They’re less ideal on uncovered patios, where direct sunlight causes fading issues.

Advantages of a concrete paver patio:

• Versatility: Wide range of shapes, sizes, colors, and textures.
• Relative Cost: Generally less expensive than natural stone.
• Durability: Can withstand heavy foot traffic and direct pressure.
• Heat Resistance: Stays cool underfoot in high temperatures.
• UV Protection: Can be manufactured with pigments and sealers that resist UV fading, which is crucial in Texas's sunny climate.

Drawbacks of a concrete paver patio:

• Potential Fading: Colors may fade over time, especially in intense sunlight.
• Susceptibility to Staining: Can stain from spills and exposure to certain substances.
• Complex Installation: Texas clay soil requires careful base preparation to prevent shifting and cracking of concrete pavers. Proper compaction is a must.

Natural Stone Pavers: Beautiful, Durable and Easily Sourced

Texas flagstone — like limestone and sandstone — blends naturally with the local geography for a stunning, seamless design aesthetic. Flagstone patio pavers are easily sourced from local quarries, which can offset their higher price point.

Natural stone pavers are heat resistant, offering cool surfaces for walking barefoot. Flagstone patios last decades with the proper care and maintenance routine.

Stone pavers are naturally porous. High humidity — especially in Gulf Coast areas like Houston — cause moisture concerns that foster algae, mold and mildew growth. Regular cleaning is necessary to prevent damage.

Advantages of a natural stone paver patio:

• Natural Beauty: Unique variations in color, texture, and shape.
• Durability: Highly resistant to weathering and wear.
• Longevity: Can last for decades with proper care.
• Heat Resistance: Texas flagstone remains cool in summer heat.
• Local Sourcing: Limestone and sandstone are easily sourced from Texas quarries.

Drawbacks of a natural stone paver patio:

• Higher Cost: More expensive than concrete or brick pavers.
• Complex Installation: Requires skilled labor for proper placement and leveling.
• Moisture Concerns: Texas humidity can encourage algae and mold growth on some natural stones, requiring periodic cleaning and sealing.

Brick Pavers: Strong and Heat Resistant, With Some Limitations

Brick pavers offer a traditional, rustic aesthetic to your patio design. They do offer limited color and customization options, so be sure that brick matches your home’s style and architecture.

Durability and strength are hallmarks of brick hardscaping. It can withstand constant foot traffic and the heavy weight of patio furniture. Brick pavers also provide natural resistance to heat.

The major drawback of brick paver patios is the grout work. Improper installation leads to uneven grout and shifting bricks. Regular grout maintenance and cleaning is required to prevent moisture damage, mold growth and spreading weeds.

Advantages of a brick paver patio:

• Classic Appeal: Timeless and traditional aesthetic.
• Durability: Resistant to weathering and wear.
• Strength: Can withstand heavy foot traffic and the weight of outdoor furniture..
• Heat Resistance: Brick's dense structure can handle temperature fluctuations common in Texas.

Drawbacks of a brick paver patio:

• Limited Color and Style Options: Fewer design choices compared to concrete pavers.
• Salt Damage and Staining: White salt deposits can appear on the surface.
• Grout Maintenance: Grout shifts, retains moisture and fosters mold and weed growth without regular maintenance.
• Prone to Shifting: Texas's clay soil can cause brick pavers to shift or settle unevenly if the base is not properly prepared.

Porcelain Pavers: Luxurious and Modern, With Some Surface Issues

Porcelain pavers are the definition of luxury patio living for many Texas homeowners. Their sleek, modern appearance offers plenty of curb appeal. They work great in a patio and pool deck design, offering seamless transitions between outdoor living spaces.

Porcelain is a low-maintenance material with stain, fading and mold resistance. It offers excellent all-season moisture resistance — don’t worry about freezing winter temperatures or high humidity in summertime.

Heat resistance is a concern with porcelain pavers. They can get quite hot on an uncovered patio. Its surface can become slippery when wet or damp.

Advantages of a porcelain paver patio:

• Low Maintenance: Resistant to stains, fading, and mold.
• Durability: Strong and resistant to scratches and impacts.
• Modern Aesthetic: Sleek and contemporary appearance.
• Freeze Resistance: Resistant to freeze thaw cycles.
• Humidity Resistance: Porcelain's resistance to fading and moisture makes it ideal for Texas's intense sun and humidity.

Drawbacks of a porcelain paver patio:

• Higher Initial Cost: More expensive than concrete or brick pavers.
• Complex Installation: Requires specialized tools and techniques.
• Slip Concerns: Can be slippery when wet depending on the texture.
• Low Heat Resistance: The surface of some porcelain pavers can become very hot in direct Texas sunlight.

Specific Texas Challenges for Paver Patios

Texas’ climate and geography present specific needs when installing a new paver patio.

Your pavers must provide stability against the shifting and erosion of clay soil. And the materials you select need to withstand heat, humidity and the moisture that comes with it.

Clay Soil Expansion and Shifting

Your backyard is likely filled with clay soil. High clay concentrations lead to added moisture retention, which creates expansion and swelling during heavy rainfall. You’ve likely noticed puddles and pools in your yard after a big storm.

When clay-based soil dries out, it settles and cracks. This causes unstable patios to shift and buckle over time.

Protect your pavers and patios against soil erosion with a solid foundation and base layer.

Humidity and Temperature Concerns

There’s nothing more annoying than tiptoeing across a hot patio just to enjoy your backyard or swimming pool. 

Your paver material must resist heat and stay cool underfoot — especially when we get 100+ days of 100°F temperatures.

Regional humidity in Houston is a real problem for porous paver stones. Proper sealing is a must to avoid mold, mildew and algae growth.

Installation Essentials: Best Practices for Paver Patio Materials

Expert installation is crucial to the prolonged success of your paver patio. (We should know — we’ve done it over 20,000 times throughout Texas.)

Ask your patio contractor to provide a gameplan for a solid foundation, smart drainage features and quality joints and seals. 

Creating a Solid Foundation and Base

Soil compaction is a key first step to a strong foundation for your Texas patio. A quality contractor uses tools like a plate compactor to compress the subgrade soil after excavation.

Use a high-quality crushed aggregate as the base material for your patio foundation. Limestone and gravel are relatively inexpensive and easy to source.

Your patio contractor should install the foundation in layers (or “lifts”). Each layer should be thoroughly compacted to prevent settling.

Grade your foundation slightly to facilitate drainage in your patio area. Aim for a gentle slope of roughly ¼” per foot leading away from your home. 

Mastering Texas Patio Drainage

Proper grading is the first step in a good drainage system for your patio. A consistent slope away from your home prevents low spots where water can pool and accumulate.

Use catch basins and channel drains to create surface drainage. Channel drains are especially useful near doorways, collecting surface water and leading it to a designated location.

Areas with high clay concentration (like Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth) may consider subsurface drainage solutions. French drains and underground drainage pipes channel groundwater away from your patio’s foundation.

Make sure your gutters and downspouts point away from your new patio.

Expert Jointing Materials

Most Texas patios use one of 3 types of jointing material — polymeric sand, crushed stone or mortar. 

Polymeric sand is flexible and offers high erosion resistance. It gets hard when exposed to moisture, creating a stable joint that protects against weeds and insects. 

Crushed stone is primarily used with natural stone pavers, as it excels with irregular shapes and spaces. Mortar is best used with brick pavers where more traditional jointing is needed. 

Sealant Options for Your Patio Pavers

There are 2 primary sealing product options for paver stones: penetrating and topical sealers. Penetrating sealers generally provide greater long-term protection.

Penetrating sealers do precisely what their name suggests. They penetrate the paver’s surface to protect against moisture and UV damage. They’re ideal for natural stone and concrete.

Topical sealers form a protective film on the surface of paving stones. They offer a glossy finish — but they are more susceptible to wear and tear than penetrating sealers.

Seal your patio every 2-3 years to increase the lifespan and longevity of your pavers. Ask your installer about the specific sealing needs of your paver materials — for example, Carvestone should be sealed every 2 years for optimal performance. 

Pavers and Patios: What Material Fits Your Lifestyle?

Are you a fan of rugged, rustic patio spaces with brick pavers and wrought iron furniture? Do you like the sleek, modern look of porcelain patio flooring?

Or do you covet the versatility and beauty of modified concrete and natural Texas paver stones?

Allied Outdoor Solutions works with each of these premium patio materials on an expert level. We’ve installed tens of thousands of Texas patios — we’ll create an outdoor living area on a solid foundation for long-term success.

Let’s elevate your outdoor living, and build a patio you’ll love for decades.