February 2022 - Q Green Techon PVT. LTD.

Comparison of Embossed Concrete Vs. Paver Blocks for Footpaths

The outer area of your home or your garden leaves impressions with guests, neighbors, and those who pass by your home. Pavers Blocks and embossed concrete can increase the look of this area and make it stand out. Whether you want to improve your garden or totally redesign the look of your pathway or driveway, Pavers are a wonderful option.

The pavers are easy to install and the concrete also seems simple enough, the decision as to which one to choose is not easy. Here we explained some key differences and criteria between the paver blocks and embossed concrete.

Usage of Stamped Concrete and Paver Blocks

Embossed Concrete is a relatively new product and it is not popular.

Whereas Paver blocks are a highly popular product, and that is proven in performance through wide usage over decades.

Availability

Embossed Concrete is Not widely available. On the other hand, paver blocks are widely available with a large established body of producers.

Quality Standards

Embossed Concrete had no local quality standards at all.

While on the contrary paver blocks are certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards, since 2006.

Aesthetics

Embossed Concrete is available in many designs and colors.

Whereas paver blocks are also available in many colors, finishes, and laying patterns.

Area of Application

Embossed Concrete is a limited application for low traffic areas such as swimming pool decks, pathways, private driveways, etc. It is not suitable for high wear and tears public footpaths.

On the other side, paver blocks are suitable for a large variety of applications, from low traffic pathways to public footpaths, parking lots, and heavy-duty usages such as Smart Cities, ports, and container terminals as well.

Manufacturing Process

Casting and curing at the site lead embossed concrete to poor quality control, that is why uncertainty in quality.

On the other hand, paver blocks are machine-made, robust, finished products, fully cured in a factory, leading it to superior and consistent quality products.

Site Laying

Embossed Concrete requires skilled workmanship whereas paver blocks site laying is done widely, and it requires semi-skilled labor.

Site Curing

Inappropriate curing after laying at the site leads embossed concrete to defects that cannot be rectified.

While on the contrary in paver blocks, footpaths are open for use immediately after laying without holding up for curing and any product or defects can be easily rectified immediately after laying.

Quality Testing

Difficult to check the quality of stamped concrete after it is cast at the site.

whereas paver blocks can be tested easily at any time even after laying, which most advantage of it.

Abrasion

The top color layer thickness in stamped concrete is 2mm which wears off in high-traffic applications, such as public footpaths.

While top color layer thickness in paver blocks is 6-10mm giving a much longer life for high traffic applications.

Underground Utilities

Stamped concrete cannot be accessed after laying without replacing the surface.

While paver blocks can easily access for maintenance, the same blocks are re-used afterward.

Durability

Stamped concrete is prone to cracks that cannot repair without replacing the surface.

Paver blocks give high durability and if blocks crack, it can replace individually at any time.

Rain Effect

Embossed concrete has no groundwater percolation which leads to water runoff into drains.

On the other hand, paver blocks’ percolation to base and subbase through joints can increase substantially using Permeable Paving.

Monsoon Laying

Embossed concrete cannot carry out during monsoon surface damage even if it rains within 8-10 hours of stamping.

While paver blocks can lay even during the monsoon as well as any season.

Cost of Embossed Concrete and Paver Blocks

Embossed concrete’s cost is higher for a given area whereas paver block’s cost is lower for a given area.

Conclusions

From the above differences and criteria, it is clear that paver block has better strength as compared to embossed or Stamped concrete. It can be easily specified that paver blocks can use in the park, driveway, pathway, and yards of the domestic as well as a commercial building because the strength is sufficient for the smooth utility of the user.

Comparison of Roads Made of Paver Blocks, R.C.C. & Bitumen

Concrete road paving is quickly reaching higher popularity than Bitumen and R.C.C, and the reasons are so many.

Read on to discover how Paver blocks roads are more popular than the other two.

Today, we are going to compare Paver, RCC, and Bitumen Road, let’s see which one is stronger, durable, and environmentally friendly?

Features of Paver Blocks, R.C.C. & Bitumen

1. Life Expectancy

When we talk about roads life expectancy, Paver Blocks and R.C.C roads are good enough in this section, around 20 years life-span of both Paver Blocks and R.C.C roads.

Whereas Bitumen roads life expectancy is less, around 5 to 10 years.

2. Initial Cost

In the section of initial cost; Paver, R.C.C., and Bitumen differ from each other.

R.C.C. road’s initial cost is very high and Paver block road’s initial cost is medium whereas Bitumen roads are low cost than the other two.

3. Construction Time

Paver Blocks’ construction time is medium as pavers are laid manually, after construction immediate use is possible.

Reinforced Cement Concrete construction time is very high as after construction, 15 to 20 days require for curing.

Bitumen roads construction time is low. After completing construction, its use is possible within 1 or 2 days.

4. Rainwater Drainage

In paver blocks Permeable pavers allow water to pass through to the base thereby reducing pooling or flooding in heavy rain that is the marvelous advantage of the paver blocks.

In the Reinforced Cement Concretes surface is impermeable and drainage must be achieved by proper surface camber and slope.

Whereas Bitumen (Asphalt) roads surface is impermeable and drainage must be achieved by proper surface camber and slope.

5. Safety

Paver block roads safety is good and skid resistance, it helps reduce braking distance.

R.C.C. safety is prone to slippage and skidding during rain and due to spills.

While Bitumen (Asphalt) roads also have good traction and skid resistance.

6. Surface Cracks

Paver block roads surface is not affected by rainwater or thermal heat of expansion. (Due to small unit size and mass)

The surface of R.C.C. is prone to cracks due to large thermal mass and due to poor base preparation.

While Bitumen roads surface is Heavy rains, extreme temperatures and wear and tear result in cracks and rutting leading to potholes.

7. Repairs

Repairing of paver block roads is easy, fast, and inexpensive as even a single paver block can be removed, and re-laid/ replaced.

The advantage is that repaired area is available for immediate use.

Repair of R.C.C. is difficult, time-consuming, and expensive as the whole concrete slab may have to be replaced and recast.

Repair of Bitumen, Cracks, potholes can be repaired inexpensively and quickly by patchwork.

But the repaired area is often not durable due to poor work quality.

8. Reuse

Pavers Same blocks can remove and reinstate after repairs.

R.C.C. Cannot reuse but at the same time, it can crush recycling.

Same in the Bitumen, it cannot reuse but it can crush for recycling.

9. Quality

Paver blocks produce in large volumes to meet stringent specifications and Indian Standards for strength, water absorption, abrasion resistance, and dimensional tolerances.

R.C.C. is cast at the site and hence dependent on the quality of concrete and compaction at the site.

Since bitumen roads are a supple driveway, their strength relies heavily on the subgrade, subbase, and base materials compress nicely and the correct material.

10. Environmental Issues

Paver blocks roads are totally environment friendly; it has no harmful effects on nature.

R.C.C. Concrete construction has no harmful effects on the environment.

Whereas the process of melting bitumen creates greenhouse gases that contribute to environmental pollution.

11. Color and Shapes

Paver blocks are available in distinct colors and shapes, making them immensely variable.

On the other hand, the R.C.C. and Bitumen roads have no distinct color or shape.