CONCRETE RESURFACING VS PAVERS
Both give you a patterned surface. The difference is what happens over the following ten years — pavers are hundreds of individual units sitting on a bed, and decorative resurfacing is one continuous sealed surface bonded to the slab you already own.
If you already have a concrete slab, this is not a close contest on cost. If you are starting from bare ground, it is a genuine choice.
Written by the crew who do the work · 20+ years on Brisbane slabs · QBCC/BSA 1109935
Last updated 29 July 2026
The comparison
PAVERS AND OVERLAYS, SIDE BY SIDE
Assuming you already have a sound concrete slab — which most Brisbane homes built since the 1970s do — the comparison looks like this.
| Decorative resurfacing | Pavers | |
|---|---|---|
| Over an existing slab | Bonds straight onto it | Needs a bedding layer, raising the level |
| Joints | Cut or stencilled, sealed over | Hundreds of real joints holding sand |
| Weeds and ants | Nowhere to take hold | The most common long-term complaint |
| Movement | Moves as one with the slab | Individual units settle and lip |
| Level at doorways | Adds only millimetres | Adds 50mm or more — a step or a re-cut |
| Pattern freedom | Any pattern, any colour, any shape | Limited to the units on the shelf |
| Repairs | Patch and re-coat the affected area | Lift and re-lay affected units |
| Cleaning | Hose or low-pressure wash | Re-sanding joints, weed control |
The detail people miss
WHY PAVERS OVER A SLAB CAUSE LEVEL PROBLEMS
A paver plus its bedding adds 50mm or more to the height of the surface. Over an existing driveway or patio, that has to go somewhere — usually into a new step at the door threshold, a re-cut garage entry, or a drainage grate that no longer sits flush.
An overlay adds a few millimetres. Thresholds, grates and the garage door all stay where they were, which is why resurfacing is so much less invasive on an existing area.
The finish
WHAT AN OVERLAY CAN DO THAT PAVERS CANNOT
Because the pattern is cut or stencilled rather than laid, an overlay can follow any shape — curved paths, radial fans, a motif at the front door, banding that runs with the line of the house. Colour is mixed rather than picked off a pallet, so it can be matched to brickwork or roof tiles.
Being fair
WHEN PAVERS ARE THE BETTER ANSWER
If there is no slab at all and you want a small courtyard done cheaply on a weekend, pavers are hard to beat. They also suit areas where you genuinely expect to lift the surface again — over a service trench, for instance.
And if you want real natural stone with the depth and variation that comes with it, that is stone, not an overlay. We will tell you that rather than pretend otherwise.
Straight answers
COMMON QUESTIONS
Still not sure? Ring us and describe the slab — you will get a person, not a message bank.
ASK US — 0404 859 045
Is concrete resurfacing cheaper than pavers?
Over an existing concrete slab, yes — usually significantly, because there is no bedding layer, no unit cost and far less labour. On bare ground the gap narrows, since a slab has to be poured first.
Do resurfaced driveways get weeds like pavers do?
No. The joint lines in an overlay are cut or stencilled into a continuous sealed surface, so there is no sand-filled gap for weeds or ants to establish in.
Will resurfacing raise the level at my door or garage?
Only by a few millimetres. Pavers plus bedding add 50mm or more, which usually forces a step at the threshold or a re-cut at the garage.
Can you resurface over existing pavers?
Not reliably. Pavers move independently and every joint is a crack waiting to telegraph through. The honest fix is to lift them and pour a slab, then resurface that.
Which lasts longer, pavers or decorative concrete?
Pavers last a long time as units but the surface as a whole degrades — settling, lipping, weeds and re-sanding. A sealed overlay on a sound slab holds its appearance for 15 to 20 years with a re-seal every 3 to 5.
THINKING PAVERS? GET BOTH PRICED.
We will measure the area, look at what is already there and give you a written price for resurfacing — so you can compare it against your paving quote properly.