Buying pavers Cape Town suppliers stock means choosing between shape, thickness, material and finish. Get the thickness wrong and the surface ruts. Get the shape wrong and you pay for cutting you did not need.
This guide covers the unit types, what they cost supply-only, and what the same paving costs installed once the base work is added.
The paver types Cape Town yards actually carry
- Bevel or bond pavers: the standard rectangular block, 200 x 100mm, chamfered edge. The default for driveways and paths
- Interlocking pavers: shaped so units key into each other and share wheel loads. Best under vehicles
- Cobbles: small, often tumbled units laid in tight or fan patterns for a heritage look
- Clay brick pavers: fired clay, colour permanent, warm traditional appearance
- Slabs and large-format pavers: 450 x 450mm and up, fewer joints, modern lines, pedestrian use
- Grass and permeable blocks: open cells that let water through and grass grow, used on verges and overflow parking
Thickness, and why it is not optional
- 50mm: patios, walkways, pool surrounds and other foot traffic
- 60mm: residential driveways and light vehicle use
- 70mm to 80mm: heavy vehicles, delivery access, commercial parking
A 50mm paver under a car on a shallow base is the most common cause of a rutted driveway. Thickness is cheap insurance compared with relaying the whole surface.
Sizes and how many pavers you need
Coverage depends entirely on unit size, and the difference is bigger than most people expect.
- 200 x 100mm: about 50 pavers per square metre
- 230 x 115mm: about 38 pavers per square metre
- 160 x 80mm: about 78 pavers per square metre
- 450 x 450mm slabs: about 5 per square metre
Always add roughly 10 percent for cuts and breakage. On a herringbone pattern, which cuts at every edge, allow closer to 10 to 15 percent.
Pattern changes your quantity and your labour
- Stretcher bond: simplest and quickest, least waste, fine for paths
- Herringbone at 45 or 90 degrees: strongest under vehicles, most cutting
- Basketweave: decorative, moderate waste, best in square areas
- Fan or circle patterns: beautiful with cobbles, highest labour cost
Supply-only prices versus installed rates
Supply-only pricing is what confuses homeowners. The brick is a minority of the total spend.
- Bevel bond paver 50mm, grey: around R5,800 per 1,000 bricks
- Bevel bond paver 50mm, charcoal: around R6,000 per 1,000 bricks
- Concrete paving slab 450 x 450 x 50mm: roughly R119 grey, R125 charcoal each
At 50 bricks per square metre, R5,800 per thousand is about R290 per square metre in bricks alone before anything else. Installed, the same paving runs R380 to R550 per square metre because excavation, sub-base, bedding and laying all get added.
Installed rates by material
- Cement bevel pavers, 50mm: R380 to R550 per m2
- Interlocking pavers, 60 to 80mm: R420 to R680 per m2
- Simulated cobble: R500 to R880 per m2
- Clay brick pavers: R550 to R800 per m2
- Natural stone and flagstone: R850 to R1,500 per m2
Buying pavers Cape Town homeowners should get right
The unit is only worth what the base under it allows. Three things are worth deciding before you order.
- Confirm the use. Vehicles need 60mm minimum, foot traffic can take 50mm
- Calculate the area properly and add the wastage percentage for your pattern
- Order the whole job at once so every paver comes from the same production run
Splitting an order across two deliveries weeks apart is how you end up with a visible colour band across a driveway. The full buying process is covered in our paving suppliers Cape Town guide.
Coastal and Cape-specific considerations
- Salt air near the Atlantic Seaboard is hard on poorly cured concrete units
- Winter rain demands proper falls and free-draining joints
- Sun exposure softens oxide colours in concrete over years; clay does not fade
- Wind-blown sand in the far south fills joints, which is helpful rather than a problem
Which paver for which job
- Family driveway: 60mm interlocking, herringbone pattern
- Patio or braai area: 50mm bevel, clay or simulated cobble
- Garden path: 50mm bevel or stepping slabs
- Heritage frontage: tumbled cobbles
- Pool surround: textured 50mm units with proper falls away from the pool
For cost planning on a drive, our driveway paving cost guide has full worked examples, and the cobble paving Cape Town comparison covers the cobble versus brick decision in depth.
We supply and install across the metro. See our paving services or tell us the area and use and we will spec the right unit. Assessment is free with no call-out fee.
Frequently asked questions
How much do pavers cost in Cape Town?
Supply-only, bevel bond 50mm pavers run around R5,800 per 1,000 bricks in grey and R6,000 in charcoal, which is roughly R290 per square metre at 50 bricks per m2. Installed, including excavation, sub-base and laying, cement pavers cost R380 to R550 per square metre and clay R550 to R800. Paver strength classes and laying guidance come from the Concrete Manufacturers Association.
How many pavers are in a square metre?
It depends on the unit size. Standard 200 x 100mm pavers give about 50 per square metre, 230 x 115mm give about 38, and smaller 160 x 80mm units need about 78. Slabs of 450 x 450mm cover about 5 per square metre. Add roughly 10 percent for cuts and breakage.
What thickness paver do I need for a driveway?
60mm as a minimum for a residential driveway, and 70mm to 80mm where delivery vehicles or heavier traffic are involved. 50mm units are for patios, walkways and pool surrounds only. Using a 50mm paver under a car is the most common cause of rutting and sinking.
What is the difference between interlocking and bevel pavers?
Bevel or bond pavers are plain rectangles with a chamfered edge, laid in bond or herringbone patterns. Interlocking pavers are shaped so each unit keys into its neighbours, which spreads wheel loads across a wider area. That makes interlocking the better choice under vehicles at a modest price premium.
Do concrete pavers fade in the sun?
Concrete pavers use oxide pigments, and those soften gradually under strong sun over years. Clay pavers do not fade because the colour is fired through the clay body rather than added as a pigment. If a permanently uniform colour matters to you, clay is the safer long-term buy.