Brick Pavers Aren't Just For Patios: The Budget-Friendly Place To Use Them

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Brick pavers are beautiful. They have that old-timey look that can add instant charm to an outdoor space. But between the materials and labor costs, a full patio makeover with pavers can easily cost thousands. For a more budget-friendly alternative, why not focus on a smaller area instead: your doorstep.

The idea is to cover the threshold of your home (the area in front of your front door) using pavers. Doorsteps are often made of concrete, which isn't quite as charming. Stone is also popular, but it's quite expensive. Instead, brick pavers are a good option to change the look of this area for less.

The benefit of brick pavers, too, is that they're highly durable. Made with clay and shale, brick pavers are nonporous, and are known to withstand heat and cold weather conditions. Further, The Brick Industry Association says that clay brick pavers "will never fade in color." Meaning, your paver doorstep should look the same years from now as it did the day you installed it. 

As for repairs, you can fix one paver at a time. In the long run, this can keep you from needing big expensive repairs down the road, since you won't have to keep putting it off due to the cost. (Learn what the average lifespan is for brick pavers.)

The size of your home's doorstep area will be a key factor in how much this exterior makeover will cost. Brick pavers cost, on average, between $3 and $12 per square foot. While handmade pavers will cost you more, half bricks, which are thinner, could cost slightly less. For example, this brick paver from The Home Depot is 1 ¼ inches in height, and costs 86 cents. For a project like this, half bricks might be preferable, too.

Note that brick pavers are DIY-friendly, and you could possibly complete this project yourself by studying tutorials and having a plan. However, because this project will not be a dry-laid brick one, like laying a brick path, it could prove more difficult if you've never worked with mortar before. In this case, it might be better to hire a professional. If you do, the project's cost with labor will be more in the range of $17 to $32 per square foot; this will also largely depend on where you live.

However, it'll still be budget-friendly as the area in front of your front door is significantly smaller than a full patio. For example, the area of an average stoop is 4 to 5 feet wide and a minimum of 3 feet deep; that would be around 12 to 18 square feet. Compare this to an average patio, which is typically 200 to 300 square feet. (See how brick pavers can give your front porch an elegant old-world vibe.)