Curbing
Granite Curb vs Concrete Curb: When Stone Wins
Cojo
May 7, 2026
6 min read
Granite curb is the right choice for high-end retail districts, historic restoration projects, and properties with a 50+ year ownership horizon where the 100-plus-year service life justifies the $40 to $80 per linear foot installed cost. Concrete curb is the right choice for nearly every other commercial application because $10 to $20 per linear foot for a 20 to 30 year service life delivers better lifecycle economics on any normal commercial timeline. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA Granite Curb Specifications, FP-14) treats granite curb as a structural roadway element in jurisdictions where it is specified, while ACI 318 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete governs the concrete alternative.
This article gives you the lifecycle math, the four scenarios where granite genuinely wins, and the reasons most commercial Oregon sites should pick concrete.
| Decision Driver | Granite Curb | Concrete Curb |
|---|---|---|
| Service life | 100 to 150 years | 20 to 30 years |
| Cost per LF (installed) | $40 to $80 | $10 to $20 |
| Lifecycle cost over 50 years | $40 to $80 (single install) | $20 to $40 (two installs) |
| Lifecycle cost over 100 years | $40 to $80 (single install) | $30 to $60 (three installs) |
| Aesthetic profile | Premium | Functional |
| Freeze-thaw resistance | Excellent | Good (with air entrainment) |
| Salt and de-icer resistance | Excellent | Good (with sealer) |
| Repair compatibility | Replace damaged sections | Patch or replace sections |
| Source / freight | Quarry sourced (NH, VT, Quebec) | Local concrete plant |
Granite curb pricing in Oregon includes 2,500 to 3,000 mile freight from northeastern US or eastern Canadian quarries (no commercial granite curb quarry operates west of the Mississippi). That freight component runs $8 to $15 per linear foot on top of the base $30 to $65 stone cost. This is why granite curb is rare in the Pacific Northwest and common in New England.
Granite curb is a quarried natural stone curb cut to standard dimensions (typically 6 inches face by 18 inches depth by 48 to 84 inches length per piece). The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM C615 Standard Specification for Granite Dimension Stone) governs the material spec: minimum compressive strength of 19,000 PSI, water absorption under 0.4 percent, and minimum density of 160 pounds per cubic foot. Compared to 4,000 PSI concrete, granite is roughly 4.75 times stronger in compression and 60 percent denser.
The dominant US sources are New Hampshire (Swenson Granite, Fletcher Granite), Vermont (Rock of Ages), and Quebec. Pieces are precision-sawn at the quarry, typically with one bush-hammered top and a sawn or split face. Field installation involves setting each piece on a leveled mortar bed and grouting the joints.
Concrete curb is a poured-in-place or slipformed cement-bound product at 3,000 to 4,000 PSI per ACI 318. Service life is 20 to 30 years on commercial parking lots, extending to 35 to 40 years with annual sealing. For full installation detail see our concrete curb buyer's guide.
The granite-vs-concrete decision is a long-horizon question. Over short ownership periods, concrete wins overwhelmingly. Over 50+ year horizons, granite starts to compete.
Industry Baseline Range, 1,000 LF perimeter
| Time Horizon | Granite Total | Concrete Total | Net Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 years | $40,000 to $80,000 | $10,000 to $20,000 | Concrete wins by $30K to $60K |
| 25 years | $40,000 to $80,000 | $10,000 to $20,000 | Concrete wins by $30K to $60K |
| 50 years | $40,000 to $80,000 | $20,000 to $40,000 | Concrete wins by $20K to $40K |
| 100 years | $40,000 to $80,000 | $30,000 to $60,000 | Granite wins by $10K to $20K |
The crossover point is roughly year 75 to 90 depending on freight pricing. Most commercial property is held on shorter horizons.
Choose granite curb when:
Choose concrete curb (the answer for nearly every commercial Oregon site) when:
On a 280,000 square foot Eugene retail center we curbed in 2025, the property manager initially priced granite curb against concrete curb for the storefront perimeter (480 LF). The granite quote came back at $48 per LF installed; the concrete quote at $14 per LF installed. The owner chose concrete with a 7-year sealcoat schedule. Total 30-year projected cost: $14,000 vs $23,000 for granite. The concrete option freed up $9,000 of budget that went into upgraded LED parking-lot lighting.
For per-foot detail see granite curb cost per foot and best curb for commercial parking lot. Our integrated asphalt paving services handle both materials.
Granite curb is the right answer for a small set of premium commercial sites in Oregon. Concrete curb is the right answer for the rest. We've installed both on Oregon commercial properties — granite on a Portland historic-district mixed-use project, concrete on hundreds of parking lots — and we walk every site before quoting.
Get a custom quote for your project, or see how install method affects pricing in our concrete curb buyer's guide.
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