Patio Floor Options

Once the small patio here at the house is fully enclosed with a privacy fence and attractive gates, the next step must be to make the floor of the patio. Floor is a funny word for it. I often think of the concrete one walks on as the patio itself... while all the rest of the surroundings are accessories. And of course, the patio doesn't necessarily have to be made of concrete, either. Many beautiful patios are made of pavers, stone and even tile.

The idea of outdoor tile is worrisome here in the Pacific Northwest where the climate has a lot of rainy moments. The idea of slick, wet tile feels unsafe and worrisome. Concrete pavers may work if used in conjunction with the existing concrete. Although it is rough and uneven, it will add character to the patio, which being small, can use ever bit of character that can be eked out or the space. There will need to be serious moss removal on the current concrete, no matter which type of finish goes down on the ground.

Stone, likewise, seems a possible option if used just around the edges where there is no concrete existing. The big concerns with stone are a.) the expense, and b.) the weight. Slabs of flat stone weigh enough that extra manpower would be required. The nature of this particular small patio project is that it remain a one person job.

The most rational option looks like it may be using concrete stamps to create interesting patterns in freshly mixed and poured concrete. With proper preparation, a thin layer of cement could be laid down over the top of the rough stuff in place now. That would eliminate the need to break out several yards worth of cement and haul it off to be discarded. The remaining enclosed area should only be one to two feet wide around two sides of the patio. After weed removal, shovel digging and a base layer of gravel, a layer of thicker concrete would go down in those areas, too. Properly executed, the top layer of concrete could be blended for one smooth surface. Then concrete stamps will be pressed into the wet cement to make a faux stone finish.

[Photo: Peter Hellebrand, sxc.hu]