Pavers vs Concrete Driveway in Florida: Cost, Upkeep and What Lasts

Last updated September 2026. Prices checked September 26, 2026.

A concrete driveway costs less to put in. Every cost guide we checked prices pavers higher per square foot than its own concrete figure, and one puts pavers at about twice the price. Pavers are easier to fix one piece at a time. Concrete skips the weeding and the joint sand.

Fair warning: we pour concrete, so we aren't neutral. We're a concrete contractor only, and we don't install, repair or remove pavers. That's why every number below names its source and date. It's also why there's a section on when pavers are the better pick.

Pick concrete if price matters most, the driveway is big, or you'd rather not weed joints and top up sand.

Pick pavers if the look is the point, the budget covers roughly double, and you like fixing one piece at a time.

Looking for someone to pour a concrete driveway? See our concrete driveway page.

Is it cheaper to use pavers or concrete for a driveway?

Concrete is cheaper. In each cost guide below, a paver driveway costs more per square foot than the same guide's concrete driveway. Homewyse's September 2026 rates put pavers at about twice the price of concrete.

We compared each guide only with itself, so no one's paver price sits next to someone else's concrete price.

Homewyse's rates work out to 1.9 to 2.1 times as much for pavers (our arithmetic). Angi says pavers "can cost up to double the price per square foot as concrete, depending on the size and material."

What about Florida? For concrete, Angi's Orlando guide gives $5–$21 per square foot, with most projects at $2,738–$14,703 (May 2026). Orlando is about 70 miles from Melbourne, FL, so read that as Central Florida. None of these guides publishes a Central Florida or Brevard paver price, so the paver figures above are national.

These are published market estimates. They are not our prices. Actual project pricing requires a free estimate.

The gap shrinks when concrete gets decorative. HomeGuide says, "Staining or decorative stamping brings concrete costs closer to some driveway paver costs." More on stamped concrete below.

How much does a 20x20 paver driveway cost?

A 20x20 driveway is 400 square feet. No cost guide lists that size for pavers, so here's our arithmetic. At Angi's national rate of $10–$30 per square foot, it's about $4,000–$12,000. At Homewyse's basic rate for September 2026, it's about $7,492–$9,988.

Here's the same driveway in concrete, from the same two guides:

Those totals are our arithmetic from each guide's per-square-foot rates. They aren't published figures, and they aren't our prices. Actual project pricing requires a free estimate.

For a Central Florida concrete number, our driveway cost guide works a 20x20 out at about $2,000–$8,400, using Angi's Orlando range. It also covers what tearing out an old driveway adds.

Swapping an old concrete driveway for pavers? HomeGuide puts that at $12–$35 per square foot, including demolition (Jan 2026). On a 20x20, that's about $4,800–$14,000 (our arithmetic).

What does each one take to keep up in Florida?

Both need some care. They need different kinds.

Pavers. Angi lists "sweeping, occasional power washing, sealing, refilling joint sand, and controlling weeds."

• Sealing. Angi says every three to five years, at $1–$3 per square foot. On a 20x20, that's $400–$1,200 each time (our arithmetic). HomeGuide puts a pro sealing at $1.50–$3.25 per square foot, including pressure washing and new joint sand.
• Joint sand. Keep it topped up. If you don't, HomeGuide says, "pavers will start moving from side to side."
• A pro visit. Angi puts routine maintenance by a pro at $300 to $800 a visit.

Concrete. HomeGuide's advice is short: "Patch cracks right away to prevent more costly repairs." It also lists yearly power washing.

HomeGuide argues the other side for the long run. It says "concrete's higher maintenance and repair costs may make it more expensive over the long term." It doesn't put a number on that, and neither does anyone else we checked. So the up-front gap is the only cost difference with a figure attached.

Sealing advice doesn't agree, even within one publisher. Angi's paver guide says pavers need sealing every three to five years. Its pavers vs concrete guide says both need resealing every one to three years. For a concrete driveway, ask us whether sealing is worth it for yours.

What are the downsides of using pavers?

Pavers cost more up front, weeds grow in the joints, and the joint sand has to be topped up or the pavers start to shift. Loose or sunken pavers need resetting, too.

• Price. About double concrete at Homewyse's rates, as the table above shows.
• Weeds. Angi says pavers are "more prone to weed growth between them, even when you fill the joints between them."
• Joint sand. It has to be topped up, or the pavers shift (HomeGuide).
• Repairs. Angi puts swapping out a few pavers at $200 to $500. Resetting sections or fixing drainage runs $1,000 to $2,500.
• Flaking. HomeGuide says concrete pavers "sometimes spall" (flake or break up) because they hold moisture.
• Install time. HomeGuide lists 3 to 5 days for pavers and 1 to 3 days for concrete.

Pavers have real upsides, too. HomeGuide says you can use them right away, and a broken one comes out and gets replaced. Angi says pavers "handle ground shifting better than concrete and resist cracking."

Read the national guides closely, though. Several paver advantages they list are about freeze-thaw cycles, road salt and de-icing chemicals. Those aren't Brevard problems.

What are the downsides of concrete?

We'd only be telling half the story without this part.

• It cracks. A driveway is one slab, so it "doesn't have much give when the ground underneath shifts or settles" (Angi). Control joints are the cuts that make it crack along a straight line instead of across the middle.
• Repairs show. Angi says damaged concrete "is more difficult to repair than damaged pavers." A patch rarely matches the old surface.
• You wait to drive on it. Industry guidance says to wait about seven days before you drive and park on new concrete (Concrete Network).
• Decorative costs more. Color and stamping add to the price, and Angi says they often bring it up to that of pavers.

A crack doesn't always mean a new driveway. A sunken slab can often be lifted. A cracked one can sometimes be repaired or resurfaced for less. We'll tell you which one yours needs.

How long do concrete pavers last in Florida?

HomeGuide puts a paver driveway at 25 to 75 years (Jan 2026). It says that depends on "the quality of installation work, the types of pavers, the maintenance steps taken, and the local weather." None of the guides we checked gives a Florida-only figure.

A 50-year spread says the install matters as much as the material. Freeze-thaw isn't a factor here. The base underneath and the joints on top are.

What lasts longer, pavers or concrete?

On paper, pavers. But the concrete number depends on which HomeGuide page you read. Its driveway pavers guide says a concrete driveway "lasts 20 to 30 years on average." Its pavers vs concrete guide says 30 to 50+ years. Both put pavers at 25 to 75 years.

Those ranges overlap. In Brevard's sandy soil, what's underneath decides how long either one lasts. For concrete, that's the compacted base, the thickness, the steel, the joints and the slope. Our concrete driveway page explains each one. Before you hire anyone, ask how they'll handle the base.

Stamped concrete: the middle option

Stamped concrete gives you a pattern and color like stone or brick, poured as one slab. It costs more than plain concrete. Angi's Orlando guide puts it at about $9–$30 per square foot, with most projects at $2,375–$6,833 (Jul 2026). Actual project pricing requires a free estimate.

Whether stamped comes in under pavers depends on the pattern and the paver. It has downsides of its own, and our stamped concrete page lays them out.

When are pavers the better pick?

We'll say it plainly. Pavers make sense when:

• the look is the point, and the budget covers about twice the price;
• your HOA calls for them;
• you'd rather lift and reset a few pieces than repair a slab.

Concrete makes more sense when:

• price matters most, especially on a big driveway (Angi says concrete "covers large areas like driveways more efficiently");
• you don't want to weed joints or top up sand.

Getting a paver quote? Put a concrete number next to it, for the same size and the same tear-out, and get both in writing. Our guide to choosing a concrete contractor in Brevard covers what to compare. Pricing other concrete work? See our concrete cost overview.

Pavers vs concrete FAQ

Is a concrete driveway worth it?

If up-front price matters most, the numbers favor concrete. It costs less to put in according to every guide we checked, and there are no sand joints to weed. If the look matters more than the price, pavers can be worth the extra.

Are these your prices?

No. They're published market estimates, and we name the source and date for each one. Actual project pricing requires a free estimate.

Can pavers go over an old concrete driveway?

Sometimes. HomeGuide says brick pavers can be installed over existing concrete or asphalt "if it's in good shape." Ask whoever quotes the pavers.

Do I need a permit for a new driveway?

It depends on where you live. West Melbourne lists "Driveways / Pavers/Patio Concrete Slabs" as a permit project type (Building Department Forms, checked September 26, 2026). Our permit guide covers the rest of Brevard. We don't do paver work. If your job needs a permit, we handle getting it.

Do you charge for an estimate?

No. Estimates are free. You'll get a written quote, itemized if you'd like.

Put a concrete number next to your paver quote

Call or text 321-321-9704, Monday–Friday, 7am–7pm. Tell us the driveway size, whether an old one has to come out, and your city. We'll set up a free estimate, and you'll get a written quote, itemized if you'd like.

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Prices last checked September 26, 2026. They're published market estimates, not our prices.