Defining a Patio
Let’s start with a definition of just what is a patio? The website, dictionary.com defines a patio this way: “An area, usually paved, adjoining a house and used as an area for outdoor lounging, dining, etc.” Now, many people have well manicured lawns that are a joy to sit on, lay down on, relax on. But then, there’s something to be said about having a table, some chairs, a chaise lounge, perhaps a grill all on a hard surface — a patio hardscape, away from moisture, bugs and, quite simply, just more comfortable for outdoor living.
What’s Your Patio Motive?
Have you asked yourself, “Why do I want a patio?” If you haven’t, let’s throw out a few motives for wanting, as our definition states, “An area, usually paved, adjoining a house and used as an area for outdoor lounging, dining, etc.”
The pandemic was a huge motivator for us because we were new to Roanoke, Virginia and hadn’t had a chance to explore this beautiful place we had retired to before being sequestered at home due to the COVID-19 virus (About Us). We needed an outdoor space to recreate and relax since we were stuck at home for who knew how long. (As we all know now it was several years!)
Other Motivators?
- I’m not a big fan of yard maintenance (read: lawn mowing) so I wanted to cover as much of the backyard with hardscape or low maintenance plantings as possible.
- We like to entertain. I do the cooking. So I wanted a large hardscape area to seat a good number of friends in conversation areas that would be comfortable to eat “patio food” like Sausage Wonton Cups while enjoying adult beverages like Julie’s Cosmopolitan Cocktail.
- We also wanted a clean, dry, private area to “wile away” an afternoon in the shade or sun, again, with an adult beverage. Just plain old chill’n.
So, what’s your motive for building a patio? Better make a list before you start so you have objectives to review as you make design and construction decisions.
Patio Decisions — What Kind?
Patio Size
Size is one of the early decisions you should consider. Think of every use you may have for your outdoor space. Determine every reason why your patio should be the size you are considering. And then make it larger. The company who built our patio told me that most of their clients, after the patio was completed, said they wished they’d made it bigger. And they were right! Our patio has a 12 foot walkway out to the patio which is 12 feet wide by 36 feet long. Now I wish I had added another 12 feet in length. After it was built I started thinking about other uses for the space but it wasn’t practical or economically feasible at that point to make it bigger. Lesson learned.
Patio Hardscape Materials
There are several kinds of material you can use to create your patio hardscape. Let’s do a quick review of several and then I’ll describe what we selected and why.
Wood Deck
Pro: Wood decks can be very aesthetically pleasing especially if your outdoor space includes trees or a wooded area. Your deck nicely melds into your outdoor environment.
Con: Wood decks can be expensive to build (or have built) and they require more maintenance than I was willing to invest to protect the wood from the weather.
Gravel
Pro: Very inexpensive and easy to build.
Con: My parents had a gravel patio when I was growing up. Not only was it messy but it was very uncomfortable trying to get table and chairs level and stable. Plus, the ground barrier degraded and weeds started popping up in the patio area (which I had to pull!).
Poured Concrete
Pro: Durable and long lasting.
Con: Not as aesthetically pleasing unless you have it stamped and/or acid-etched.
Brick
Pro: Very aesthetically pleasing with a classic, old-world feel.
Con: Probably will have to be professionally built adding to overall patio development cost. May be an uneven surface over time decreasing the comfort of your outdoor space.
Pavers
Pro: Top of the line in terms of durability, craftsmanship and totally aesthetically pleasing.
Con: Very pricey. I bid my project to a paver provider and their price amounted to 2/3rds of my total backyard budget.
Patio Location
Our street/home is situated on a hill. A BIG hill. One side of our backyard is decidedly higher than the other (downhill) side. So we chose to put our patio on the most level part of your yard. Fortunately it was well positioned to walk out our back door, off the carport and onto a 12 foot sidewalk leading out to the patio.
Originally we were going to butt our patio hardscape up against the driveway in our carport. Logistics prevented that and it was a blessing (more on that in a minute). We moved the patio 12 feet out from the house with a paved sidewalk. What it did was create a feeling of a completely separate living space rather than a continuation of our house. In a small but significant way, going out to the patio was to leave the house and any stresses, issues — whatever — behind for the time we were relaxing on our patio. Food for thought.
The logistics issue was that we had contracted for a white vinyl six foot high fence which was delayed in installation because of material issues due to the pandemic. Had we stuck to our idea of butting the patio up to the driveway, in essence making one long stretch of concrete, we would have had to delay pouring concrete until the fence with a gate was installed so they could pour concrete around the gate posts. The fence ended up getting installed about two months after our concrete patio was poured. We were able to get the concrete when we did by moving the patio out farther from the house and connecting the driveway to the patio with a paved walkway — easy for the fence installer to set posts on either side of the sidewalk to install our gate.
So what’s the point? Clearly think through ALL of the elements of your outdoor space, decide on what gets built first, second, and so on, and discuss your proposed process with all of your vendors BEFORE beginning your project. It will save you headache and heartache down the road.
So What Patio Hardscape Material Did We Choose?
We had a concrete pad poured. Here’s why:
- We wanted these elements in our outdoor space within the project budget — a maintenance-free privacy fence, a BIG patio hardscape, and a garden shed. We weighted each element and the desired materials against each element’s cost and then started making compromises based on our number one priority, then number two and so on. Concrete fit the budget, was low maintenance, and fit into a quasi-industrial look we had in mind for our space. Plus, for the cost, we didn’t have to compromise on the size we wanted — at that time (remember, I said once you decide on a size, make it larger). Budget plays a huge role in your decision making so check out this blog post, A Patio Budgeting Guide when you’re finished reading this one.
- We ordered our patio at the height of the pandemic when everyone else was making home improvements because they were stuck at home too. So we had to wait a few months to work our way up in the vendor’s cue. But when it was our turn, the production went fast and we were able to start enjoying our patio sooner than if we had selected one of the other hardscape options.
- Winters can be mild in Roanoke with cool air and warm sun during the winter months. We wanted a year-round patio so concrete was a great choice for several reasons: A) it was easy to clear off the snow when that did occur, B) the sun warmed the concrete making it very comfortable to enjoy, say, lunch on the patio with the heat of the January sun radiating off of the concrete surface, and C) when we fired up our fire pit (A Fire Pit is Year-round Fun!) we had a clean, dry space to set up winter snacks like Homemade Pizza and hot adult beverages like Julie’s Hot Toddy to enjoy around the fire.
We wanted to enjoy the value of the money we invested in our patio a full twelve months of the year. For our needs and desires, concrete was the best choice.
Before You Play on it, Seal it!
One caveat I’ll mention about concrete is that it is a porous material that easily absorbs water. In freeze-thaw climates, the expansion of frozen water can crack concrete. Thus, by preventing water from penetrating into the concrete you also help prevent cracks. Therefore, please seal your concrete patio! There are several types of sealers — too many to mention here. Do your research and be ready to seal your concrete before you move onto it. I learned that lesson — only half of my patio is sealed to-date because it got too late last year to finish the job before winter set in. Now I’m waiting for a week of dry, not-too-hot weather to complete my sealing.
Who’s Going to Build Your Patio?
Some of you reading this are accomplished DIYers. I applaud you. I have said in previous blog posts (A Grilling Table is My Outdoor Kitchen) that I am good at straight cutting and screwing together 2x4s. That’s about it. So I knew I was going to outsource our concrete work.
In my local research there were several concrete vendors listed. I looked online at addresses and what their facility looked like. I also contacted companies in my locale who sell volume concrete seeking any referrals they might suggest, but to no avail — no one responded to my voice mail requests. Most importantly, I read reviews on as many websites as I could find — vendor websites, Google, the BBB website — wherever I could find a review by current or former customers of my potential concrete vendor choices in Roanoke. I’ll be honest and say most reviews were not complimentary. Shoddy workmanship or uncompleted work were the two biggest complaints. But I have a reputation for being dogmatic in my research and I eventually found a vendor with very positive reviews — people who had used their services, were happy, and willing to speak about their experience with this vendor. So here’s a personal referral based on our experience: if you’re in Roanoke or anywhere in southwest Virginia, contact Concrete Rescue. They are a great provider — reasonably priced, faithful to their commitments, highly seasoned in flat concrete work, resourceful, and friendly. The crew was a joy to have around my home during construction. Because I was here to view their work, I have every confidence in the long-term durability of our patio after having seen how they built it. And our patio looks great and works great for our needs.
Please Make a Comment: Patio Hardscape
I hope this blog has helped you in your decision making process about a patio hardscape for your outdoor living space. Please make a comment below if you enjoyed this blog and found it beneficial or tell us if there is other information we need to include to add value to this blog. Or . . . tell us what you’ve done to build your patio.
And always remember: Life happens on the patio!
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