Friday, March 22, 2024
HomeBuildHow To Make A Backyard Patio

How To Make A Backyard Patio

Create Outdoor Privacy With Curtains

How to Build a Patio – An easy Do it Yourself Project

This DIY tutorial features outdoor curtains that act as privacy screens. This is a pretty cheap design concept that will set you back only about $100 to execute correctly. Of course, you may be able to find cheaper curtains where you live.

This is a really elegant idea that the owners came up with to gain privacy from the house that sits high above. The curtains also add an interesting decor facet to the patio.

How Do You Make A Winter Patio Garden

There are all kinds of plants that you can use for a seasonal patio display, from scented climbers to plants with frosted foliage and winter color. But, ‘before you get started considering the plants, consider what they will be displayed in, where they will be displayed, and how you will display them,’ advises Squire’s Garden Centres.

‘For instance, containers are a great way of growing many of these plants to provide winter interest and you have the added advantage of being able to move them around,’ they continue. ‘If it’s climbers you’d like, make sure you have a trellis to support their upward growth.’ Remember that trellises can also double up as handy screens to create zones in your space.


Also, think about whether your planting area needs some care of its own, adds Squire’s. For example, it might need a bit of de-weeding, a clear-up of leaves, a fresh layer of topsoil and perhaps some new mulch. You can learn all about composting and mulching in our guides.

White heather is a lovely choice for a winter pot

Lay Bricks Along Layout Lines

Lay a row of bricks along the baseline, aligning the end of the first brick with the perpendicular layout line. Butt them tightly together. Lay another row, aligning the end of the first brick with the second line. Continue laying bricks until one section is complete. Then work out from this section to complete the patio.

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Create A Pebble Mosaic

With myriad options for stone colors and sizesnot to mention endless variations in layoutthe design of a pebble mosaic for your yard or garden is limited only by your imagination. If this outdoor project is on your to-do list this summer but you’re looking for inspiration, here are a few fun examples of pebble patterns to get you started. We hope the hardest part of the project is picking your favorite.


Use Wine Bottles To Build A Privacy Wall

How to Make Your Patio More Private

Just because you are adding a wall for more privacy doesnt mean it has to be boring. Look at these varying colored bottles twinkle in the sunlight.

This is a more artistic way to efficiently construct a privacy wall that only adds more intrigue into the space. Better yet, you can use your own bottles so start saving them now! Building this maybe cheap but is not easy. You would need to figure out how to drill holes in the glass bottles, and drill a lot of them. So check out this funky DIY Bottle Wall tutorial for any help.

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Erect A Living Bamboo Screen For Privacy

But there are other options for furnishing your patio with privacy besides a conventional hedge — consisting of yew bushes or privet shrubs, for example. Another type of “living wall” for privacy consists of a looser collection of plants that you allow to grow freely–rather than trimming them into a tight “hedge.” In the slide shown above, the homeowners have chosen bamboo plants to serve this function.

Potrero Hill Yard With A View

Seed Studio redesigned the backyard of this Potrero Hill home near San Francisco so it would feel intimate while accommodating large gatherings. Offering views of nearby Bernal Hill, this outdoor living room features a seat-high deck surrounding a Corten steel wood-burning fire pit. Succulents and bamboo plants grow well in rocky soil.


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Use Pallets To Create A Privacy Living Wall

Much like the trellis, this smaller pallet living wall idea features plenty of floral plants to help add some flair into the mix. This would be the ideal setup for an especially small backyard sitting area that needs a little extra privacy.

Better yet, this project can easily be scaled up or down in order to accommodate a larger or smaller backyard space that needs a privacy wall. The flowers are a super cute added touch.

Best Outdoor Water Slides For Adults

How to Pour a Concrete backyard Patio Slab [Beginner Guide]

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Also, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Are you looking for the best outdoor water slides for adults? If so, then look no further! We have compiled a list of some of the top-rated water slides in different categories.


Whether you are looking for an inflatable slide or one that is made out of durable plastic, we have them all listed below.

Not only do we go over how to make sure your purchase was worth it and what size will be best suited for your needs, but we also give reviews from other customers who purchased these products and loved them!

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Pay Attention To All The Details

Once youre done digging out the area and preparing the base for your patio, its time to actually add the pavers and make everything come together. Although this sounds pretty simple, its important to pay attention to all the details and to do everything right from the first try so you dont have to redo any of the work. If youre using concrete interlocking pavers, this youtube tutorial might give you some extra tips and pointers on how to install them.

It’s Your Call: Genius Or Cracked

Here is an interesting look for a patio. The designer has left a grass strip around each of the pavers. The resulting “crack” sets off the pavers nicely. Here’s the trade-off, though: This patio is hardly low-maintenance. Why give yourself more mowing work than you already have to do? But it’s your call.


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Make A Circular Fire Pit

Outdoor fires are so hot right now. Seriously. Mankind has called the hearth home for the centuries, it’s true, but these days people are going ultra-retro and getting their heat from stone-walled pits set into the earth. And, why not? On cool summer nights, you can melt marshmallows and nibble s’mores while you lounge in an Adirondack chair, feet propped up on the rock ledge. So if you really want to light up right, do it in style. Use our step-by-step guide and take a few days to build your very own ring of fire.

Follow along with TOH landscaper Roger Cook as he builds a circular fire pit and surrounding patio.

Dress It Up With Twinkling Lights

How to build your own backyard deck

String lights around trees and garden structures for a magical glow, like in this set-up from Dobbies

‘Outdoor lighting is a quick and easy addition to cozy up your space,’ says interior and garden stylist Selina Lake. ‘Festoon lights will add a lovely illuminating twinkle,’ she adds try stringing them around a pergola, porch, or along a fence. Outdoor string lights are another gorgeous option and can be used to decorate trees.


‘Tea lights and candles scattered on outdoor dining tables add a romantic feel for early evening outdoor dining,’ Selina continues. She also suggests using pendant lights to light up garden buildings try combining vintage glass shades with filament bulbs.

And, if you want to go a step further with your winter patio ideas, invest in some beautiful light-up woven creatures. From deers to rabbits, they’ll add a delightful dose of character that both adults and children will adore.

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How To Prune Hydrangea Bushes

At the risk of compromising our job security, were willing to let you in on a little secret: You can build your own patio. If two guys from Massachusetts can learn, you can, too. Sure, it took us 30 years to perfect our craft, but were willing to share our expert techniques so that you can have instant success.

Any gardener with realistic expectations on size and material can create a solid space on which to sit and view his or her garden. The average home owner working with one or two other people should be able to install a 12-foot-square patio with stone-like pavers in one weekend. Maybe itll take you a little longer, but one thing is sure: Youll take pride in a job done right.


Hand tamper, or plate compactor

Two 1-inch-diameter metal fence pipes

Trowel

Plastic or metal edging andmetal spikes, or premixed concrete

Polymeric sand

Have It Made In The Shade With A Pergola

If you will be spending a lot of time on the patio during the summertime, it is of critical importance that you furnish yourself with some shade. Erecting a pergola structure over your patio is one way to accomplish this. Cover the pergola with something so that it can cast shade. Some pergolas have retractable awnings. But nature-lovers sometimes prefer to grow vines up their pergolas and let their foliage supply the roofing that will cast much-needed shade. Wisteria vines are commonly used for this purpose.

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Working With A Larger Space

The bigger the patio is, the more time-consuming and costly the project gets. Theres a detailed description of all the steps and requirements which you can find on younghouselove. It teaches you how to create your own DIY paver patio from scratch and it reveals some of the less-known things related to such a big project. Sure, its all pretty easy when you simplify everything but that leaves you with plenty of details to figure out on the way.

Turn Your Plans Into A Patio

How to build a backyard paver patio yourself!

Now that you’ve planned your perfect backyard patio, it’s time to put your plans in place. Reach out to concrete companies, paver layers, and other contractors to build your patio. If you want to give it a try on your own, a basic patio isn’t very hard to install, especially if you’re only extending an existing concrete patio with pavers.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

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Make Your Patio Your Own

Nothing makes someone feel more at home on a new patio than being surrounded by the things that bring them joy. Get in touch with your inner decorator and consider adding some personal finishing touches.

Options: The skys the limit. Popular flourishes include garden statues, sundials, bird baths, decorative plants, wind chimes, and weather-resistant sculptures.

Effort: Here the effort lies mostly in shopping around and picking out things that make you happy. Designing your outdoor living space should be half the fun.

Cost: Ordinary backyard patio statues cost anywhere from $30 to $200. If you really need that moving double helix horizontal wind sculpture, you can drop up to $700.

Guide To Backyard Planning

It’s spring, the weather is warming up, and it’s time to start enjoying the outdoors . You’re ready to invite friends over and cook out under the stars. There’s just one problem. You still don’t have an outdoor patio.

Well, it’s time to fix that. It’s time to start planning your patio design. There’s a lot to consider, so I’ve put together this planning 101 guide to help you with your backyard patio ideas.

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Set And Level The Line

To set the final height and pitch of your patio, it is essential to set a proper guide. Its basically a giant plus sign with the cross at the middle of your square patio.

A. Run a taut nylon masonry line between two metal spikes 12 feet apart. Create another taut 12-foot-long line across the midway point of the first line. The line should be at the level you want the finished pavers.

B. Attach your line level to the line running out from the house if your patio is not against a house, attach it to the line that runs in the direction you want water to run off. Using your level, create a pitch that will have approximately a quarter of a bubble pitch away from level. The perpendicular line should be level. Periodically throughout construction, check the line to make sure it hasnt moved.

Install Gravel Patio Edging

Courtyard Garden Design

You can use any kind of edging to separate the gravel from the grass. I chose concrete pavers with rounded ends to make it easier to follow the gentle curves I cut out of the grass. If you’re making a standard rectangular pea gravel patio, you could even use pressure treated lumber that’s rated for ground contact.

To prevent the concrete pavers from shifting over time and coming out of alignment, I installed this plastic paver edging underneath first. The raised side goes along the grass, and makes it easy to create straight and curved lines with the edging blocks.

Use a hammer and masonry chisel to cut the bricks for a custom fit. I created a 90 degree corner by chopping the curved ends off two blocks. Then I worked backwards to reach the walkway and trimmed the last block to fit.

Make sure that the paver edging is level with the grass to prevent tripping and toe-stubbing. Dig out any high spots, and use the extra dirt to raise any low ones. I also put a thin layer of pea gravel underneath for added stability.

As you lay each paver, place a level on top. Mine tended to tilt in towards the patio because there wasn’t anything holding them upright from that side yet. I used a hand trowel to poke pea gravel under the paver on the low side until it was level.

These paver blocks will eventually extend all the way around the yard. For now, they meet up with the edging I installed last year in the side garden bed.

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Ideas For Planters Potted Plants & Diy Decor

As it happens, another great way to spruce up your backyard patio is with potted plants and decor.

In fact, Jennifer at Smart Fun DIY has added beautiful pops of color with her bright colored flowers. On her blog post she shares planting tips and also how to stencil a terra cotta pot.

I think these beautiful gazing balls look amazing in the garden. Click here to see Jennifers Youtube video for all the details.

Another quick way to update a potted plant is with paint. See how we created a Faux Concrete Look on a cheap plastic pot.

Wendy At Lane and High participated in a backyard makeover challenge and updated her space for less the $100.

I love Wendys idea of DIY wall art for her backyard patio. She also created a salvaged wood top for her dining table. Be sure to see all her budget friendly ideas on her blog.

Choose A Fencing Style That Suits Your Tastes Needs

Here is another wooden fence used to provide a patio with privacy. But its style is quite different from the one in the prior slide. The prominent supporting posts here call attention to the sturdiness of the structure. Not sure what fence style suits you the most? Check out these fence pictures for ideas.

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Material Type For Paver Joints

When youre gathering your supplies, youll want to consider the type of material that will fill in the gaps between the concrete pavers.

Here are some of the gap fillers you might want to consider for your project:

  • Moss: This can be transplanted from your yard or purchased like sod from a nursery.
  • Grass: Let grass grow naturally. The drawback here is you may be end up fighting with weeds
  • Fill the paver joints with your choice of pebbles. These can be a natural stone color, or brightly colored.
  • Glass stones: For a really glamorous look, use sanded glass pebbles.
  • Sand: Sand is simple and budget-friendly. I recommend using polymeric sand which will seal and harden the sand so you wont track it.

Quick Links In Post

How To Build A Small Backyard Patio

How to Build a Patio: DIY Paver Patio | The Home Depot
Sharon Bellissimo

Sharon is a human resources manager with a passion for reading and research and hanging out in her own backyard.

Building a small backyard patio with simple patio design ideas is much easier than you think. It doesn’t matter the size of your yard you can still create a corner sitting area that is the perfect place to relax and unwind.

Creating an outdoor space is a very economical and cost-effective way to enjoy a “staycation.” If you are not familiar with the term “staycation,” it basically means taking your vacation at home locally, and that can be as local as your own backyard! Relaxing in your outdoor oasis eliminates the stress of traveling to other locations. There are no planes, trains, or automobiles to drive or catch.

We tend to spend our precious vacation time in transit, and it is also costly. Don’t forget about all the stress of preparation there are no bags to pack when you relax at home and no stress thinking about what you may have forgotten to pack either!

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