It’s a space that gets an incredible amount of use, but not usually a great deal of attention. Guests come and go on this, packages get delivered via this route, and landscaping often follows its borders.
We’re talking about your front walkway. It just might be time to step away from that straight line of poured concrete and follow a path with a bit more personality. Creating a warm, welcoming entrance to the front of your home not only adds a good deal of curb appeal—it also gives your resale value a boost.
Stroll through the following pages and see which of these options best suits the style of your home.
CONCRETE
If you want to stick with concrete, this is a versatile material that offers plenty of options.
Want to keep it simple? Consider a curvier path and add a bit of non-slip texture with a “broom” finish. Or add a bit of zing with stamping and dying. The result can look like brick, slate, flagstone, wood planks and more.
PRO: Concrete requires less maintenance than stone, tile or brick.
CON: Concrete must include joints to allow for expansion and contraction due to temperature changes.
Price range for installed concrete: Broom finish $12-$15/sq. ft. Stamped $18-$22/sq. ft.
“If you are updating an old front walkway, widening it to four feet and adding curves makes it much more functional and appealing.” —Lisa Herd, Snyder Brick & Block
CONCRETE PAVERS
Pavers are typically stones made of dyed concrete and are available in many shapes, sizes and colors. They are placed on a foundation composed of compacted gravel topped with an inch or so of sand. Edging—sometimes metal, but more commonly plastic—is often used to keep the pavers in place. Lately, a “concrete toe” edge is becoming a new trend.
PRO: Due to its multiple seams, a paver walkway can flex during freeze and thaw cycles without cracking.
CON: Weeds can sprout up between pavers. Use a polymeric sand in the joints to deter weeds.
Price range of materials only: $2.50-$13/sq. ft.
CLAY PAVERS
Always a classic choice, brick pavers introduce a level of old-world charm. Solid clay paving bricks are hard-fired in kilns at high temperatures to fuse the clay particles for maximum strength. This hard-firing creates rich colors that are resistant to ultraviolet light, which often causes artificially colored concrete pavers to fade. Brick pavers can be placed on a more flexible sand base or a concrete base with cement joints.
PRO: A clay paver surface is stain-resistant.
CON: Shapes and sizes are limited. They are typically in the shape of a 4×8 rectangular brick, but do come in a few other sizes.
Price range for materials only: $3.75-$12/sq.ft.
FLAGSTONE
Flagstone is a hard, flat stone usually made of sandstone bound together by minerals like silica, calcite, or iron ore. It is known for its rich texture in a broad range of colors—browns, grays, golds, and blues. It’s a great choice for a more rustic look, and it preserves a green and earthy element in your landscaped area.
PRO: Neutral flagstones blend in and become part of landscapes.
CON: Flagstone installed in sand will keep shifting if the sand is not leveled and stable. That is not the case when it’s set in concrete.
Price range for materials only: $10-$15/sq.ft.
BLUESTONE
A type of flagstone, bluestone is a very popular choice for midwestern homes. Colors are typically in the gray/blue range but can vary widely—from a purplish hue to tones of brown—depending on the geographic source of the stone. Use rectangular stones for a more formal look. Irregular shapes offer a more casual appeal.
PRO: Bluestone’s steely blues and grays are striking whether it’s cloudy, raining, snowing, or sunny.
CON: Bluestone absorbs more sunlight than lighter stones making it especially hot during sunny summer days.
Price range for materials only: $10-$15/sq.ft.
MIDWEST STONES
By choosing a natural stone that is indigenous to our region, you will know it will hold up to the weather conditions in this area. Limestone, which has a uniform texture and color, is quarried from Ohio and Indiana. Sandstone, which offers a variation in color and texture, tends to be quarried from the eastern counties in Ohio.
PRO: These stones usually look more natural than manufactured stones.
CON: Natural stone has color variations, so you might not get an exact match to your sample piece.
Price range for materials only: $9-$18/sq.ft.
STEPPING STONES
For an informal option, you can place stepping stones within gravel. Irregular fieldstone, bluestone or limestone in pieces no smaller than 18” work great. Be sure to use an edge restraint such as steel edging, cobblestone curbing, or other material to prevent the gravel from spreading into the surrounding landscape.
PRO: This is one of the more inexpensive options.
CON: You need to use a geotextile weed barrier below the gravel to prevent plant growth.
Price range for materials only: $10-$15/sq.ft.
“Adding a natural stone walkway is a beautiful way to increase curb appeal using a material that will last the life of the home.”—Jon Smiley, Stone Center
GRANITE, QUARTZITE AND MARBLE
Mined from locations around the globe, these natural stones typically are used as pavers.
Granite is durable, non-slip and scratch resistant. It’s a reliable paving choice for walkways due to its earthy and textured finish. Granite is porous and should be sealed to avoid possible staining and moisture damage.
Created from pure quartz sandstone, Quartzite is an extremely hard stone that makes it ideal for outdoor applications.
Marble, a rigid metamorphic rock, is among the most durable and highest-quality materials used for outdoor applications.
PRO: All these stones are extremely hard and durable.
CON: This category includes the most expensive options.
Price range for materials only: $18-$28/sq.ft.
TRAVERTINE
Travertine is also quarried from around the world with the three most common locations being Italy, Turkey, and Mexico. Italian Travertine is what Rome’s Coliseum is made of. Mexico’s Travertine is more porous and does not hold up to frost. Turkish Travertine is very common and, in most instances, is less expensive than the Italian. It holds up well in a freeze/thaw climate.
PRO: Travertine doesn’t absorb heat like many of the other materials listed.
CON: Qualities of Travertine differ considerably depending on where the stones are quarried.
Price range for materials only: $8-$15/sq.ft.
PORCELAIN TILE
Porcelain is a colorfast and low maintenance option. Select an exterior grade that is weather-resistant and not slippery. Porcelain is a great choice for homeowners who want to mimic the look of marble. These tiles are also fired at higher kiln temperatures, leading to harder, stronger and more scratch-resistant tiles.
PRO: Porcelain is more durable than ceramic tiles due to their increased density.
CON: Porcelain can be brittle and needs to be installed on a completely flat surface to avoid breakage.
Price range for materials only: $7-$14/sq.ft.
“Stain resistant porcelain pavers are a beautiful, low-maintenance option for high traffic outdoor entertaining areas.” Britt Warren, Hamilton Parker
CERAMIC TILE
Ceramic tiles are less dense and more porous than porcelain. Be sure to choose a tile rated for outdoor use with an unglazed finish for a rougher, less slippery surface. Their density, compared to porcelain tiles, makes them less water and stain resistant, particularly if they’re unglazed.
PRO: Ceramic tile is less expensive than porcelain tile with a wider range of colors and styles available.
CON: It’s also more porous, making them more crack-prone and vulnerable to stains.
Price range for materials only: $3 -$12/sq.ft.
For the sake of comparison in this article, price ranges were gathered from a variety of vendors in August of 2022 and do not include installation. When multiple ranges were supplied, Housetrends included the lowest price and the highest price from the group.
These are rough estimates for comparison purposes and will vary depending on suppliers and locations. Also, delivery costs are a variable when it comes to pricing any of these materials.
We invite you to contact any of the following resources for more accurate pricing.
“Before bidding a project, a qualified contractor will address the site access; review complexity of the installation and understand the scale of the project. Usually, the larger the project, the lower the cost per square foot.”—Shane Bordwine, Townescapes
RESOURCES
Hamilton Parker Company
Perfect Paver Co
Reading Rock
Snyder Brick & Block
Stone Center
Townescapes
The Site Group
Article by Karen Bradner
Article originally appeared in September 2022