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There are many options when it comes to driveway materials, including concrete, asphalt, gravel, and pavers. The best type of driveway material depends on your personal preference, location, and budget. Concrete is one of the most durable driveway materials, making it a popular option for homes across the country. However, it does cost more than asphalt upfront. Still, asphalt repair costs can quickly add up, making it a less economical option in the long run. 

It’s far more labor-intensive and expensive to demolish a concrete slab before laying down pavers. You’ll need a professional to break up and haul away the concrete, excavate underneath, bring in paver base or crushed gravel, and then level the area with leveling sand before laying the pavers. A new paver patio will cost around $1,000 to $2,000, which is more than laying pavers over a concrete patio, and takes longer to complete.

While the specific timeline for building a driveway can vary based on driveway length and local weather conditions, the average concrete driveway can require several days to lay down all of the different parts of the driveway. The curing process may require you to avoid using your driveway for a week following construction. Heavier vehicles should be kept off of a new concrete driveway for several weeks. Building a gravel driveway may take just one to two days in total.

The layer of polymeric sand under the pavers plus the polymeric sand that gets swept into the joints between your pavers holds them in place in a few ways. For one, the gritty texture of the sand helps lock the pavers together. Polymeric sand also contains bonding agents that get activated by water. Polymeric sand will take between 24 and 48 hours to fully cure, so do not walk on your paver walkway before this time.