Our team can help you choose the right materials for the patio of your dreams.
How would you describe the patio of your dreams? Is it neat and formal? Flanked by gardens? Casual with comfortable seating? Eclectic? Cozy? Rustic?
How will you, your family, and your friends spend your time on the patio?
How does the patio feel under your feet? Is it stable? Do the materials shift with each step? Do you feel a little wobble?
And how much effort do you want to put into cleaning and maintaining it? Do you want to spray it down with a hose and sweep off the leaves, and be done with it? Or are you OK with pulling a weed here and there?
These are just a few of the questions you’ll want to answer before you build a new patio.
Patios are typically made of one or more of six materials: brick, concrete, stone, gravel, pavers, or tile. It’s what you do with your chosen materials that will set the mood and tone of all that time you’ll spend enjoying your outdoor time. That’s where our team of trusted professionals can help. Not only have we built hundreds of patios throughout the region, we are the experts to turn to for information on local building codes, setback requirements, and more.
Brick
Brick is one of the oldest building materials of all, and it’s still a favorite after all these millennia. Fired in a kiln and made of clay and other materials, bricks are long-lasting and provide a classic and neat look that complements many home and landscape designs. In addition to patio flooring, bricks are often used for pathways, edging, walls, and decorative features. They can be sealed to keep them in pristine condition, but some prefer the weathered, mossy look natural, untreated bricks may take on.
Concrete
Concrete is an affordable patio material that is long-lasting and relatively easy to maintain. If poured, your concrete patio should include expansion joints to help it avoid the cracking that can come with repeated freezing and thawing. Concrete slabs or tiles are other options that allow homeowners to escape the negative impacts of the freeze and thaw cycles and that can be mixed with other materials to create a one-of-a-kind patio.
Stamped Concrete
If you’re considering a concrete patio, you might want to take it a step further, adding pattern, texture, and even color to your concrete patio with stamping. You’ll still benefit from the same features that come with concrete, including affordability, longevity, and low maintenance needs, and you’ll have a patio that is more high-end looking than bare concrete. Common patterns mimic stone, paves, and even wood. You’ll still need to take freeze and thaw cycles and the potential resultant cracks into consideration to protect your stamped concrete patio from them.
Flagstone
Flagstone refers to not a single type of stone but a variety of quarried stones that may be used independently or together. Flagstone types include bluestone, limestone, quartzite, and sandstone. Each comes in rough slabs and may be laid in soil or sand or embedded in concrete or mortar to form a patio’s flooring. Flagstone is prone to cracking if not laid in concrete or mortar. The pieces of flagstone are often pieced together like the pieces of a puzzle.
Cut Stone
Cut stone isn’t entirely different from flagstone, although it is cut into more geometric and standardized shapes and sizes. Cut stone is typically used in more formal patio designs and may be referred to as cobblestones, stone blocks, or Belgian blocks. They are most often cut from bluestone, granite, limestone marble, phyllite, sandstone, slate, or travertine. Travertine is a great option for around pools as it is one of the coolest temperature stones which is great for bare feet.
Gravel
Gravel is an affordable patio option and can be the star or a supporting character. It provides excellent drainage and keeps weeds mostly at bay. But it’s not super comfortable to walk on, and it’s prone to shifting and moving, which can result in material erosion. To get around the comfort and erosion issues, gravel is sometimes used in conjunction with other materials, filling in the gaps, for example, between concrete slabs or tiles.
Pavers
Pavers are also assembled in a puzzle-like manner, and interlocking pavers require neither grout or mortar. While first-generation pavers were available in a limited selection of relatively unattractive colors and few styles or shapes, today they are available in a broader range of natural-looking colors, shapes, and textures. Many pavers mimic brick, cobblestone, and cut stone. Pavers are a versatile material that will yield an attractive patio.
Tile
Porcelain, quarry, and terracotta tiles – all unglazed—are an attractive option for patio flooring. Each is recommended for a specific climate or environment; terracotta, for example—which provides a lovely rustic look—happens to be highly porous and will function best in milder climates. Regardless of which tile one chooses for their patio, tiles should be sealed to protect them from moisture, staining, and excessive wear. Tile patios are pleasant to walk on and easy to clean.
The professional builders and designers part our team can help you through every step of selecting materials for and building your new patio. Whether as part of a new build or a renovation or remodel, we would love to talk more about what you’re looking for in your new patio.
For more information, call us or click here to schedule your complimentary, no-obligation consultation.
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