Every patio conversation we have in Des Moines starts the same way: paver, natural stone, or brick? All three make a good patio. They differ in how they look, what they cost to fix, and how they handle an Iowa winter. Here’s how we walk customers through it.
Paver patios: the workhorse
Pavers are what we build most, and there’s a reason. They’re individual units, so a damaged one gets replaced without touching the rest of the patio. They come in enough shapes, colors, and patterns that two paver patios rarely look alike. And because the surface is jointed instead of one continuous slab, a properly built paver patio moves with Iowa’s freeze-thaw cycles instead of cracking against them. The catch: “properly built” is doing the heavy lifting in that sentence. The base and the jointing sand decide whether a paver patio lasts twenty years or five.
Natural stone: one of a kind
Slate, flagstone, and limestone patios are the premium option, and they earn it. Every stone is unique, the look is timeless, and stone shrugs off weather. We build them when the yard and the house call for it. Expect more in material cost and a design process that’s more like fitting a puzzle than laying a grid. If you like the natural look but want options, non-dimensional stone gives you the character without full-custom pricing.
Brick: the classic
Brick suits traditional homes and rustic designs. The color range is narrower than pavers but the look is unmistakable, and brick is durable enough to last decades. It’s made from natural clay, which some of our customers care about. We reach for it less often than pavers, but when it’s right, nothing else looks right.
How we help you decide
We look at three things with you: the style of your house, how the space gets used, and the budget. Then we’re straight about trade-offs. A paver patio maximizes flexibility and repairability. Stone maximizes character. Brick maximizes tradition. All three, built on the right base, handle Iowa just fine. Built on the wrong base, none of them do.
When you’ve picked a direction, start planning your patio with us, and if you want shade over it, we can add a pergola over it too. Curious what’s under the surface? Here’s what you need to know about paver patio construction.