Relative cost (deck vs pavers vs concrete)
I have a older deck, pushing 18 years that will be in the need of replacement soon. It is only 2' above the ground at the highest point. It is approx. 15'x30'. I really hate staining wood and thinking about going with a patio in lieu of the deck. How much more/less would a stamped concrete patio run compared to a standard wood deck?? how about pavers?? I think for the concrete and pavers.. the big cost would be the wall around the perimeter... i'd probably leave that out for now.. add it later since i'd be at ground level.. it wouldn't be required.. Thanks for the feedback.. Scott Hi, This is a really tough question! Are the support posts and beams for your deck in good condition? If yes, the least expensive and the least labor would be to remove and replace the deck boards with a better quality wood (like Ipe) or a composite or vinyl product. Pavers would be less expensive than the wood deck, if you didn't have to do a lot of site work first, plus the time and labor involved in removal of the deck. Do you live in a frost zone, where heave is liable to occur? Would you be doing this yourself? Heavy work. Stamped concrete is beautiful. It will undoubtedly be the most expensive. Making repairs to cracks may be difficult. Because it's a relatively new industry for residential, it's important to find a good installer with experience. So, I probably didn't help you decide a darn thing, did I? Regarding a wood deck, take a very hard look at the joists, beams, support posts and installation into the ground. With a 2' high deck, the decks boards may be better than the 18 year old supporting structure. It would be a shame to put new, long-life, deck boards over a support sytem that will not last as long. I don't know if a privacy fence is required for a poured or paver patio - it is your call related to the site if your patio is actually 2' lower than a deck. Patios allow more creative landscaping. Stamped concrete must be done by a professional, especially if you want to keep the maintenance down. The size also dictates that. A paver patio can be a DIY yourself if you are willing to contribute your labor. A DIY paver patio is the most economical and is not subject to the soil/cracking problems of a slab and can be done at your pace over a period of time. If done by a conractor, it is in the same ballpark as a paver patio. Dick I used to have a deck and now have a paver patio. The expense of the pavers, IMO, is more than that of a deck, but not having to power wash and seal the deck 2 times a season is priceless. However, paver patios are not maintenance free. Every season I resand with techo-block sand (has a polymer that holds better in the joints than regular sand). I've done this for the past 2 seasons and i feel like it's much easier than power washing and sealing my deck. Logically, it's not much less maintenance time, but for some reason, it's less stressful....you don't need to be as carful. Also, you don't have to worry about finding 2 days of moisture free weather Good luck to you! shw104, A deck that's 18 years old?? There is NO WAY to even think about keeping the existing framing!! You'll spend several thousand $$ install composite deck boards on it that have a 20 or 25 year warranty, and then watch the framing fail within 5 years!! Concrete and pavers are going to cost a LOT LESS than a wood or composite deck. Concretemasonry will certainly correct me if I'm wrong, but even with the added expense of stamping, a textured finish or whatever, a concrete slab will run you about $10 to $14 / sq.ft., tops. Decks start a bit over $20!! Pavers are cheaper, but there's a lot of work involved in getting the base right. It's your backyard and you're gonna be looking at it for a LONG time. What do you want back there???
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