Why Pavers Are the Best Option for Minnesota Driveways
Driveway materials come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes—and most importantly, materials. With so many options available, it can be challenging to narrow down your ideal solution. These hurdles are especially true for more extreme climates like we have here in Minnesota.
Certain materials may look better on paper. They’re more affordable, easier to install, and quite frankly, they are what you know. One of those materials is concrete. However, this doesn’t mean it is without its flaws. Compared to pavers, concrete doesn’t hold up in the blistering Midwest cold. But there are certainly some pros and cons to consider when weighing the two driveway materials.
Your driveway is more than just a road to your home. It’s the first impression. While it may not seem like the most important decision, your driveway material will stay with your home for a long, long time (if installed correctly).
So, how do you decide what material is best? We’re going to look at the ups and downs of both concrete and pavers. It’s a good segue into the many benefits of pavers for our Minnesota climate.
Concrete
Probably the most appealing part about concrete is that it’s affordable. Depending on what climate you’re dealing with, maintenance may not be too difficult. Here in Minnesota, it can be difficult to keep in tip-top shape. De-icing is also a drag because you can’t use salt. If you do, you risk cracking and chipping. It’s also reasonably easy to install.
Concrete suffers because of the harsh Minnesota winters. As we mentioned, de-icing can be a nightmare, which means it can be slippery and even a bit dangerous. Other downsides include:
Pavers
Pavers are an investment in your home. Not only are you leading guests onto your property with a pavement that they’ll remember, but you’re also increasing the resale value of your home. Pavers also withstand the severe Minnesota winters far better than concrete (no cracking), and repairs are a breeze. You won’t have to dig out sections of your driveway, just individual pavers—which makes maintenance much more manageable. You’re not left with one standard look either, there’s a wide variety of paver styles and looks for you to choose.
Pavers are a bit more expensive. However, as we mentioned, this is an investment that could come back in full if you decide to sell your home. Some other potential cons associated with pavers are:
We hope that our pros and cons list was helpful. We know that making the right choice about your driveway material can give you a serious headache. You want your driveway to last, and you don’t want to perform constant repairs and upkeep either. That’s why we compiled a list of the seven most popular reasons why a Minnesotan would prefer pavers for their driveway.
Curb Appeal
Let’s face it: pavers are more attractive than their competition. Concrete and asphalt are bland and overused driveway materials. If you want your property to stand out and have some character, pavers are a fantastic way to do it. If we presented you with a plain old concrete driveway and a beautiful stone paver driveway, which would you prefer? You would be lying to yourself if you didn’t choose the pavers.
More Styles
Pavers provide way more freedom when it comes down to style and design options. Your driveway has the potential to wow your guests. It’s a great way to welcome people to your home with a beautiful design. Pavers come in many different shapes and sizes as well, allowing you some autonomy with your look. Unlike concrete or asphalt, you’re not limited in your color selection either. With pavers, there’s an almost endless array of colorways. You have the freedom to add more than one for a unique aesthetic and design.
Won’t Crack
If installed by a trusted paving professional, pavers won’t crack. It’s what makes spending the extra money worth it. Not only are you saving yourself the time and money it takes to make repairs, but also peace of mind. Constantly worrying about your driveway making it through winter unharmed can be strenuous. We mentioned the effects de-icers like salt could have on concrete, but the temperature itself can cause concrete to expand and contract, which can also lead to cracking.
Simple Repairs
If you do notice wear and tear on your paver driveway, you don’t have to worry about a massive repair process. Unlike concrete, where damage causes you to remove and replace an entire slab, pavers are a much easier fix. You only need to replace the paver(s) in question and not an entire section.
Safer
One of the more scary aspects of living in Minnesota is the trip from your garage door to your mailbox in the wintertime. We’ve all either been the victim of a dramatic slip or seen one. They’re no fun. Not only do pavers have a harder time freezing over, but they’re also far less slippery when wet. If you want to save your tailbone the trouble, pavers are an excellent option for your driveway.
Pavers are your perfect solution here in Minnesota. From their incredible look and value to their ability to stand up to the Minnesotan elements, this driveway material is an obvious choice for homeowners.
If you’re interested in designing the ideal driveway for you, feel free to contact us! We would love to help! Request a quote today.
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When Pergolas Don’t Last, There’s Always a Reason After nearly two decades of building outdoor spaces across Medina, I’ve seen what happens when pergolas aren’t designed for Minnesota’s conditions. You can spot them a mile away—posts that lean, beams that twist, and concrete pads that have heaved out of level after just a couple of winters. It’s not because homeowners cut corners intentionally. It’s usually because whoever built it didn’t account for what our climate really does to structures that aren’t anchored right. Medina’s heavy clay soil doesn’t drain well. It holds moisture, freezes solid, and then expands like a hydraulic press pushing on everything above it. When pergolas are set on surface-level post bases, that pressure has nowhere to go but up—and the whole thing moves. Even small shifts can cause joints to separate, wood to crack, and hardware to loosen. That’s how a $15,000 structure starts looking tired after a few years instead of standing straight for decades. The truth is, pergolas here aren’t just about shade or looks. They’re about structure, drainage, and how every piece ties into the patio beneath it. A pergola that stands tall through Minnesota winters is built on the same principles as a good foundation—it’s only as strong as what’s underneath it. If you live in Medina and want to enjoy your backyard without worrying about your investment warping or sagging, start with design that respects the environment it’s built in. That means thinking beyond lumber and stain colors. It means understanding soil movement, water management, and the importance of integrating your pergola with the patio below it.
Solutions for Properties in Minnetonka You can always tell a Minnetonka yard that’s fighting its slope. Water doesn’t lie, it finds the weak spots every time. I’ve walked plenty of properties where a backyard starts beautiful in June, but by September, the patio is heaving, the grass near the pool looks like a marsh, and the homeowner is wondering how it got so bad so fast. The truth is, when you’re dealing with rolling terrain and heavy clay soils like we have around Minnetonka, you can’t just move dirt and hope gravity behaves. You need a plan that manages water from the surface all the way down through the subsoil. This is what I’ll walk you through here. You’ll see what actually causes drainage issues on sloped properties, how poor planning leads to cracked patios and shifting pool decks, and the smart drainage systems that can stop those problems for good. Whether you live near Lake Minnetonka or up in the higher ridges closer to Deephaven or Woodland, understanding how your yard sheds water is the difference between a property that lasts and one that’s constantly under repair. The Real Challenge of Sloped Minnetonka Yards Minnetonka is known for its hills, lakefront properties, and mature trees, but all that beauty comes with a set of challenges below the surface. Most of the soil here is dense clay. It holds water like a sponge and drains slowly, which means after every heavy rain, that water looks for a way downhill. If it doesn’t have a proper outlet, it ends up collecting right where you don’t want it, like along your patio, at the base of a retaining wall, or near your pool deck. I see this every season: homeowners trying to solve slope problems with a quick regrade, a layer of rock, or a simple surface drain. Those things might help for a while, but they don’t address what’s really happening underground. Clay soil doesn’t just get wet—it becomes saturated, expanding and contracting with every freeze-thaw cycle. When that happens under a patio or wall, it doesn’t matter how well-built the surface looks. The ground will move, and that movement cracks stone, shifts pavers, and slowly tears apart everything on top. The other challenge with sloped lots is how water interacts with gravity. It accelerates downhill, gaining momentum as it goes. When it hits a flat area like a patio, the water loses speed but not volume, pooling instead of flowing. That’s why I tell clients that “flat spots” on a sloped property are both an opportunity and a responsibility. They’re the best spaces to create usable outdoor areas, but they have to be engineered to handle water movement. I’ve worked on plenty of Minnetonka yards where the backyard has a beautiful view but terrible grading. You can have a perfect slope on paper, but if it directs water toward your house or creates a bowl effect between structures, you’ll end up with soggy soil and standing puddles that never dry. The goal is to move water off and away while keeping the surface level enough for comfort and usability. It’s a fine balance, but when it’s done right, it completely transforms how a property functions.