How to Select the Right Color for Patio Pavers

A common project for many homeowners is putting in a new brick or stone paver patio. The work is long and piecemeal, but the rewards are great once the work is done. Pavers create a very luxurious yet earthly appearance. These patio designs are also a great way to have bridge the house to the landscaping. Whether one decides to install a paver patio on their own or hire a professional, there is one big question or problem many will encounter; color selection.

Paver Ingredients

Pavers are typically made of water, cement, and sand, and a color additive. These colors are usually sold in earth tones that are gray, sand, and brown. Often nurseries and home centers also include additional tones including red, terra cotta, dark brown and even black. Regardless of choice of color, try and be sure to get all your pavers in one delivery all from the same batch. Like many other products, these tiles may not always be color consistent when going back to the supplier a week later. In other words, the gray pavers purchased one day may not match the gray paver purchased the next day.

Accent the Home

Selection of paver colors and tones is no easy feat. When choosing paver tile colors, many people want to instinctively match the side of the house. That concept is appropriate for selecting retaining or landscape wall pavers, but floor color selection should be a different tone. There should be separation of color when the base of the home wall meets the paver surface. Matching a tone close to roof tones is always ideal except when the color is black. Many homes in the northern states have black shingled roofs, but that does not mean one should go out and purchase dark patio stones. A great example of matching roof to patio tones would be a southwest terra cotta tone or using an earthy sand stone color when the shingles are tan colored. Then, one must consider choosing a tone that does not match walls or roof, but accents the landscaping.

Accent the Landscaping and Pool

Patio stone and pavers are great way to make the natural landscaping stand out. The commonly used red bricks or red paver patio almost always looks great up against the grass and garden borders. The finished appearance will lend itself well for a nice patio table, chairs and large urns of potted flowers. The sand and light tones (gray and white) will work as long as the siding of the house does not match exactly.

Those yards that consist of lush green grass and woody landscaping such as bushes and trees may be will be ideal for patio paver earth tones sand, brown, and gray. Keep options open for other yard accents such as ponds or pools. Those that have swimming pools close to the paver will want to avoid using dark tones that get really hot in the summer sun.