Concrete vs Block Paving

Block paving looks great in the showroom. But ask anyone who's had it for 10 years and you'll hear the same three words: sinking, weeds, moss. Here's the honest comparison with concrete, upfront cost, lifetime cost, and what actually happens over 20 years.

The Headline Numbers

Where Block Paving Wins

• Aesthetic variety, hundreds of colour, size, and pattern combinations
• Spot-repair, lift one damaged block, replace it, move on
• Permeable options, meets SuDS / planning permeability requirements without extra drainage
• Kerb appeal on resale, some buyers specifically look for paving

Where Concrete Wins

1. It doesn't sink

Block paving sits on sand over a sub-base. Over time, cars compact ruts into the wheel-paths and blocks tilt. A single concrete slab spreads the load evenly, no ruts, no tilt.

2. It doesn't grow weeds

The weed seeds that germinate between paving joints simply have nowhere to root on a continuous concrete surface. Zero weed killer, zero re-pointing.

3. It's faster to lay

A 25m² concrete driveway is one day's work: dig, prep, pour, finish. The equivalent block paving is 3-5 days of laying, cutting, compacting, and filling joints.

4. It handles heavier loads

C32/40 concrete with A142 mesh handles regular HGV or RV use. Block paving rated for heavy vehicles is expensive and still channels loads into the sub-base.

5. The finish is your choice

The 20-Year Reality Check

Pick any 20-year-old block paving driveway in your area and walk it. You'll almost certainly see:

• Ruts where cars park, differential sinking
• Weeds growing in joints despite annual weeding
• Moss in the shade under the hedge
• One or two cracked blocks waiting for replacement
• Faded surface colour that won't come back even with pressure-washing

Now walk a 20-year-old concrete driveway. You'll see a driveway. Possibly with some surface weathering. Still doing its job. That's the point.

When Block Paving Makes Sense

Block paving is a good choice when:

• Planning permission requires a permeable surface (though permeable concrete is also an option)
• Your aesthetic vision is very specific and the concrete finish won't match
• You want easy spot-repair because you live in an area with frequent service-trench digging
• Your drive is small (under 15m²) where the lifetime cost difference is minimal

When Concrete Is the Obvious Choice

• Long driveways or large areas, the economics strongly favour concrete
• Heavy vehicle use, RVs, campervans, regular trade vehicles
• Rural or farm access, concrete stands up to tractors and trailers
• Low-maintenance homeowners, you don't want to revisit this in 10 years
• Base layer for resin-bound surfacing, resin needs a concrete slab underneath

The Hybrid Approach

You don't have to choose one or the other. A popular pattern across the Midlands:

• Block paving at the front of the house where aesthetic matters most (~10m²)
• Concrete for the main driveway run and turning area (~25m²)
• A stamped or coloured concrete finish can even blend the two visually

Lifetime cost works out close to pure block paving, but most of the maintenance burden is gone.