A patio is the floor of an outdoor room, and the stone you choose sets the mood of the whole space. In the flagstone vs pavers choice, both stones are classic and look high end when a good crew builds them. At Village Precision Pros, we lay both for homes in Hot Springs Village and across Central Arkansas. The right one depends on the house and the look you want.
What flagstone is
Minick Materials, a stone supplier, says flagstone is a natural rock split into slabs with irregular edges and varying thicknesses. Each slab comes out of the ground with its own shape and color.
That variety lends a flagstone patio a rustic look. We have laid brown flagstone at a pool edge and a flagstone patio with stone planters and an outdoor kitchen.
What pavers are
Pavers are units cut or made to an even size. They go down in a pattern over a compacted base, and the result looks uniform and structured. We install granite and porcelain pavers along with brick, and we also set tumbled gold travertine and cobblestone.
Brick and cobblestone bring a timeless, traditional look. We have laid a brick paver walk across a lawn and a cobblestone circle drive at a stone manor. Our post on paver patio installation covers the pavers we install in more detail.
How each one looks around your home
Flagstone has free and flowing lines, with a wide range of color from slab to slab. It also pairs well with boulders and stone steps.
Pavers have straight edges and a repeating pattern. A travertine pool deck in a French pattern looks formal and calm beside the water. You can see that deck on our page of patios and pavers.
How each one is built
Both surfaces need a good base under them. We set travertine and bluestone over a proper base, and we build the surface to drain the moment it rains. Our crews put the same care into the sub-base and the slope under a paver patio.
Flagstone can be set in mortar or laid in sand or gravel, and it can be laid with gaps for a more natural feel. Pavers go down to a line, and the pattern has to stay true from one end of the patio to the other. If one paver ever cracks, that single unit can come out and a new one can go in.
Which one fits your space
Some spaces lean one way. A lake lot or a wooded yard often suits flagstone, because its natural shapes blend into the land. A formal house or a courtyard often suits pavers, because their even lines match the architecture.
Pool decks and front walks can go either way. We have laid a bluestone pool deck with urns, and the stone looks natural at the water. A front walk can be Oklahoma flagstone in an ashlar pattern or brick laid to the door. You can see both walks on our page of steps and walkways.
Questions about flagstone vs pavers
Which one costs more?
The cost depends on the stone you choose and the size of the space. We set every price on site, and the estimate is free.
Is flagstone outdated?
No. Flagstone is one of the oldest paving stones, and it still looks classic on new patios and pool decks. We have laid flagstone steps at a log-home porch and a flagstone porch in a random pattern.
Can you mix flagstone and pavers?
A mix can work in the right spot. A flagstone drive apron in large slabs can finish the end of a drive, and a garden courtyard can pair random-rectangle paving with grass joints. We plan any mix with you during the visit.
Which one needs less care?
Minick Materials says pavers resist stains. The same supplier says flagstone may need sealing to prevent staining, depending on its style and color. We talk through the care for your stone before the first piece goes down.
Plan your patio with our crew
Village Precision Pros is a licensed and insured crew of ten in Hot Springs Village, and we have completed more than 2,000 projects across Central Arkansas. Our decks and patios service covers the whole build, and our flagstone patios and walkways page covers the stone side of that work. We handle POA approval and permits as part of the job.
The first on-site visit and the estimate are free. We will look at your yard and talk through flagstone and pavers with you. Our post on flagstone patio ideas has more designs to look at before the visit. Call us at (501) 340-0711, Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 4:30, or send us a message to book your visit.