Do you find yourself daydreaming about dining under the stars? Make the patio of your dreams a reality
A place to relax, entertain friends, cook outside, and take a respite from the daily grind, many homeowners think of their patio as nearly magical. A meal served in an outdoor kitchen somehow tastes better than anything that comes from its indoor counterpart since it is surrounded by brilliant colours.
The first step in constructing the perfect outdoor space for you and your family is choosing the patio materials, which form the physical framework of this outdoor living room. Your decision could have a significant impact on the appeal, durability, and usefulness of your preferred house addition
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Getting started
Before choosing a certain style, take into account the patio’s final layout. You typically have a good idea of its overall location and size, so grab a chair, carry it outside, and set it up where you want it. Then sit down and picture each and every items.
Your patio should enhance not just the look of your house but also the surrounding landscape. Some of the better patio designs, provided you have a large area to work with, incorporate two or more pavement materials. Using a variety of materials, you may create inlaid borders that visually separate an outdoor kitchen from a sitting area.
Consider the final design of the patio before making a decision. You probably have a good notion of the general size and location, so take a chair outside and place it where you want it. Then, as you sit, try to visualise each item.
Your patio should not only go well with your house and landscaping, but it should also improve your quality of life. If you have a lot of room to work with, think about combining different paving materials; some of the best patio ideas use two or more. By combining different materials, you can use inlaid borders that can visually divide a space for relaxing from the outdoor kitchen.
When you have the perfect design in mind, think about the materials that would best realise it in terms of both aesthetics and functional considerations, such as cost and maintenance needs.
Concrete:
Poured concrete, which is structurally robust, affordable, and capable of being stamped or coloured to resemble more expensive paving materials, is the patio material of choice for many homes. It works best in mild to warm climates without a problem with frost heave.
Planning advice: A typical concrete patio is four inches thick, but if you’re planning to build something substantial, like a built-in fireplace, ask the builder to strengthen that spot beforehand.
Bricks:
Bricks, which come in a variety of colours, build a cosy and lovely patio. This traditional patio design often costs more than one made of concrete, both for the materials themselves and for labour, which is important to take into account because each brick must be put, levelled, and grouted by hand.
If you decide to spend the money, you can choose any pattern you like to decorate the area, from a classic running bond to something with more texture like a boxed basket-weave or herringbone.
Pavers:
Pavers, which are typically built of cement, cinder, or stone, are at the top of the DIY patio wish list due to their low cost and relatively simple installation — you’ll be out there cooking in no time.
An adequate substrate comprised of at least three inches of sand and a strong boundary, such as a concrete curb, are required if you wish to build your own patio.
Stone:
Stone’s extremely coveted appearance carries a heftier price tag, especially if it isn’t found locally, but it is unrivalled for natural attractiveness. While neatly cut slabs of bluestone, travertine, granite, or travertine can be used to make a formal patio suitable for any backyard, flat, asymmetrically formed stones provide a more serene, meandering appearance.
Tile:
Ceramic, glass, porcelain, terra cotta, and natural stone are just a few of the materials used to create tile, which also comes in a range of other materials. Tile creates beautiful mosaic patio designs that are pleasantly cool to the touch in warm climates. The thinness of tile necessitates the installation of a concrete slab.
Sand, pea gravel & crushed stone:
Crushed stone, pea gravel, or sand are possible alternatives to solid patios if you don’t like them. Even sand-filled Zen gardens can serve as patio spaces because crushed stone and gravel both come in a range of colours and textures at affordable costs.
However, you must construct a strong barrier to stop the loose debris from moving past the defined boundaries.