Concrete vs Cement Pavers

In reality, there is no such thing as a cement paver, only concrete pavers. To the layman, it may seem as if it’s the same, so for those of you who are confused, here is a simple explanation.

A concrete paver basically has a recipe consisting of several ingredients, all of which are locally sourced materials. The mixture consists of water, sand, aggregate (stone), and cement. The quality of each of these is vitally important in the manufacturing process. A good concrete paver is reliant on good quality cement. At C.E.L. Paving, we use PPC cement, the leading supplier of cement in Southern Africa.

What is cement?

Cement is a powder that is made mainly from compounds of aluminum, calcium, silicon, and iron heated together and then ground to form a fine powder. The cement powder is then added to small stones, clean water and high-quality sand to form concrete. The concrete mix is then poured in to moulds and then vibrated. If a different colour is required, the manufacturer adds a quality oxide in order to be able to offer a range of colours.

Concrete paver v Brick paver

We have just said that concrete has cement as an ingredient. With brick paving, there is no mix and the manufacturing process is different. A brick is a small rectangular block typically made of fired or sun-dried clay.

There is no cement in bricks, only clay.

If you are considering paying for paving in your driveway or around your pool, maybe consider the advantages of each of the different paving options before deciding which to order.