We pour concrete and we set pavers, so we don't need either one to win. On the Treasure Coast the decision usually comes down to two questions: how much does the lot flood or wash out, and how much do you want to spend. Here's the comparison, with 2026 numbers.
Cost
Broom-finished concrete: $8–$12 per square foot. Stamped concrete: $14–$22. Pavers: $14–$22 installed on a compacted base with edge restraint and polymeric sand; travertine or premium pavers $18–$28. On a 600-square-foot driveway that's roughly $6,000 for concrete, $10,000 for stamped, $11,000 for pavers.
Sinking and washout
This is the one that matters here. Port St. Lucie's sand washes out under slabs where the sprinklers run, where the downspout dumps, and where the swale backs up. A concrete slab that loses its base sinks and cracks; the fix is foam lifting ($800–$2,500) or replacement. A paver surface that loses its base sinks too — but you lift the pavers, re-compact, and reset them for a few hundred dollars. On a lot that floods, pavers' repairability is a real advantage. On a well-drained lot with a properly compacted base, concrete doesn't sink.
Heat
Dark pavers and dark stamped concrete both get too hot to walk on barefoot in August. Light concrete, cool-deck acrylic and light-colored pavers are all fine. Color matters more than material.
Weeds, ants and maintenance
Pavers have joints; joints get weeds and ants and need polymeric sand re-applied every few years and a pressure wash and seal. Concrete has control joints every 8–10 feet and otherwise no gaps; it needs a seal every 3–5 years if it's stamped, and nothing if it's broom-finished.
Hurricanes
Neither blows away. Pavers can shift in surge and flooding, which is again where their resettability helps; concrete in a flood zone can be undermined by scour. Both are fine for wind.
Looks and resale
Pavers read as premium in the HOA neighborhoods and many associations prefer them. Stamped concrete gets 80 percent of the look for less. Broom concrete is the sensible default that nobody will complain about. Resale value tracks the neighborhood: pavers add value in Tradition and PGA Village; on a GDC street a clean concrete driveway is exactly what buyers expect.
The decision
- Concrete for driveways and pads on well-drained lots, for anything with a boat or RV on it, and when budget matters.
- Pavers for driveways that flood or wash out, and for pool decks and patios where the look is the point and the HOA prefers them.
- Stamped concrete for pool decks and patios where you want the stone look, a solid surface, and a lower price than pavers.
Common questions
Are pavers better than concrete in Florida?
Better at being repaired — you lift and reset them when the sand washes out. Concrete is cheaper, has no joints for weeds or ants, and lasts just as long on a properly compacted base. Which is 'better' depends on whether your lot floods.
Which is cheaper, concrete or pavers?
Concrete, by 40 to 60 percent: $8–$12 per square foot broom-finished versus $14–$22 for pavers. Stamped concrete lands between them.
Which lasts longer?
About the same — 25 to 40 years — if the base is right. The base is the whole game on sand; a bad base fails either material in five.
Can I put pavers over my existing concrete?
Yes, on a sound slab: thin pavers on a sand or mortar bed, edge-restrained. It raises the surface about two inches, which can create a step at the door or the pool coping.
Do pavers need a permit like concrete?
The same rules apply to a paver driveway as a concrete one in Port St. Lucie — building permit for a new or replaced driveway and a ROW permit for the apron.
Related: Driveways · Stamped concrete · Driveway cost guide · Pool deck resurfacing guide