Last Updated on October 20, 2026 by Umar Farooq
Pavers vs decomposed granite is a choice between a hard, level floor and a cheap, natural, slightly soft one. Decomposed granite (DG) is crushed granite fines, spread and compacted. It costs far less to put down, but loose DG has to be topped up and edged, and it wanders. Pavers cost more, hold furniture level and need less fuss. Use DG for beds, side yards and paths. Use pavers where people dine, walk barefoot or park.
The prices below come from sellers and installers, so they are planning ranges, not quotes.
Pavers vs decomposed granite on cost
An Arizona contractor, AE Outdoor Living, gives DG as groundcover at $2 to $5 per square foot installed and concrete pavers at $14 to $28 on its standard spec. My Gravel Monkey says installed DG runs about $250 to $600 per 100 square feet, which works out to $2.50 to $6 per square foot (my arithmetic), and that it costs less than half as much as pavers or poured concrete. Two sources, same neighborhood. DG is the cheapest hard-ish surface you can lay.
What the price does not include is the repeat bill. Loose DG gets topped up. My Gravel Monkey says to expect a fresh top layer every 2 to 4 years. A paver patio mostly asks for joint sand and the odd reset. Our cheapest pavers for patio and budget backyard paver ideas pages show where pavers can get closer to DG on price. The details are in our piece on cheap paver alternatives.
What is under each surface
DG is a shallow build. My Gravel Monkey describes excavating 3 to 4 inches, compacting the subgrade, then laying DG in lifts of no more than 1.5 inches, misting and compacting each, and letting it cure for 24 to 48 hours. Landscaping Network adds that landscape edging goes in around the perimeter before the DG, over a weed barrier.
Pavers need a deeper build. ICPI Tech Spec 2 asks for at least 4 inches of compacted base under a patio on well-drained soil, with 1 inch of loose bedding sand on top. AE says 2 to 3 inches of base for patios, which is thinner than ICPI's figure. I would follow ICPI and add 2 to 4 inches more where the ground is wet, weak or freezes.
One trap: do not use DG as the bedding layer. CMHA's guide spec says not to use stone dust or limestone screenings for bedding sand, and requires ASTM C33 concrete sand. AE also says quarter-minus is never used under pavers. DG is a surface here, not a shortcut to a base.
Loose, stabilized or resin-bound: three kinds of DG
Landscaping Network lists three types, and they behave differently enough that "DG" on its own tells you little.
- Loose DG is cheapest, erodes easily and needs frequent refilling. It tracks indoors on shoes, so keep it away from the house door.
- Stabilized DG has a binder mixed in, resists erosion, lasts longer and costs more, but still less than pavers.
- Resin-bound DG is the strongest and most expensive and drains the worst of the three.
The Utah supplier DIY Landscape Supply warns that non-stabilized DG can soften and rut after heavy rain or snowmelt, and recommends stabilized for year-round use. Landscaping Network goes further: in rainy areas, loose DG can erode and turn muddy, which makes it a poor choice. If you live somewhere wet, pick pavers or accept that DG will need rescuing.
Furniture, strollers and bare feet
This is where the choice usually gets made. My Gravel Monkey notes that compacted DG gives firm, stable footing for tables and chairs, which pea gravel does not. That is true of well-compacted, stabilized DG. It is not quite the same as a paver, where a chair leg sits on a flat, jointed face.
AE's advice is blunt: use DG for beds, side yards, utility zones and drainage, and a set surface for anywhere people sit, eat, walk barefoot or park. I agree. For dining, a wobbly leg on a soft patch is an irritation you will notice every summer evening. For the low-use parts of a yard, DG is the practical answer and pavers are a luxury.
For the middle ground, our paver walkway with gravel article covers stepping-stone paths set in gravel or DG, and stepping stones for walkway shows the same idea on a smaller scale.
Heat, drainage and upkeep
DG is permeable, so water soaks in. Landscaping Network says loose and stabilized DG drain well. Paver fields are normally graded to shed water, unless you specify a permeable system, as AE points out. If drainage is the problem you are solving, see our patio drainage guide first.
On heat, I found no solid comparison. AE says it has no verified surface temperature for concrete pavers, travertine or porcelain, and it points to shade as a better cooling tool than material choice. That matches our pavers that don't get hot article: color matters more than material.
Maintenance in one line each: DG gets raked, edged and topped up. Pavers get swept, re-sanded and occasionally reset.
Using both without arguing about it
AE and others suggest combining the two: a paver dining area or path spine, DG for the planting areas and side yards. It cuts the paver square footage and gives you a firm surface where you need one. Edge the DG, separate the two with a firm border, and sweep stray DG off the pavers so it does not end up in the joints. That last part is my own practical advice, not something a source tested.
My own rule of thumb: spend on pavers only for the square feet that will hold a table, a grill or a car.
DG for the edges of the yard, pavers for the part you live on
Pick pavers where you want a level, durable floor for furniture and everyday traffic, and where the ground is wet or sloped. Pick stabilized DG for paths, side yards and beds when you want low cost and a natural look and can live with topping up. Whichever you choose, edge it properly, because loose material without edging is just a pile with ambitions.
FAQ
Is decomposed granite cheaper than pavers?
Yes, by a wide margin up front. AE puts installed DG at $2 to $5 per square foot against $14 to $28 for concrete pavers, though DG needs refilling every few years.
Is decomposed granite good for a patio?
Stabilized DG works for a casual patio with firm footing for furniture. Loose DG moves, tracks indoors and can erode in rain, so it suits low-use areas better.
How deep should decomposed granite be?
My Gravel Monkey recommends a compacted depth of about 3 to 4 inches, laid in lifts of no more than 1.5 inches, each misted and compacted. Check your supplier's instructions for your product.
Can you lay pavers on decomposed granite?
I would not. DG is a surface material, and CMHA's spec says not to use stone dust or limestone screenings for bedding sand. Pavers need a compacted crushed-stone base and ASTM C33 bedding sand.
Does decomposed granite wash away in rain?
Loose DG can erode and rut in heavy rain or snowmelt. Stabilized DG resists it better, and edging helps keep it in place.
