What To Put On Top Of Concrete Patio

Enjoy A Lush Tropical Feel

Tropical plants say “summer,” and you can make use of them on and around your patio even in the North . Tropical flowers such as dahlia bulbs;color up the patio splendidly. But do not forget the tropicals that function as foliage plants, such as elephant ears: They may not provide magnificent flowers, but their large leaves furnish a terrific background for the showier specimens on your patio throughout the summer. A versatile tropical plant popular now on patios is the famous;papyrus plant: Use it in a water feature or simply grow it in a container.

Concrete Patio Vs Pavers

While concrete pavers cost around $5 to $10 per square foot, it is a very manually intensive task resulting in more than 50% of the project cost coming from the labor costs. While both concrete and pavers need a good sub base, without correct impaction procedures, pavers can drift apart.

While costing more initially, your concrete pavers are likely to last between 25 to 50 years. Just like a concrete slab, it does pose the risk of cracking, but replacement is a lot cheaper than repairing a concrete patio because you only need to replace the cracked individual pavers.

Paint Or Stain Your Concrete Patio

If you just want to add a little flavor to your outdoor space, adding some color to your patio might be just the thing. There are plenty of options here, from a simple coat to diagrams and scoring. Here are just a few ideas.

Score Lines to Add Depth

• Use a diamond-tipped blade on a circular saw with a depth about 1/8 to carve straight lines into the concrete.
• Once you add the color, youll be able to create alternating color patterns, abstract blocking, or just give the illusion of paving stones.

Tape Off Sections for A Tapestry Effect

If you dont love the idea of cutting grooves into your old concrete patio, you can still get those cool color sections by taping off sections. You can simply use painters tape and apply your color sections one block at a time. Taping instead of scoring adds considerable flexibility for designing shapes you may not even have to stick to straight lines!

Paint or Stain?

The difference between paint and stain essentially comes down to where the color goes. Paint sits on top of the concrete and provides a layer of color. Paint will allow you the greatest flexibility for vibrant color. If youre an artist, you can even create a mural directly onto your patio.

Don’t Miss: Average Cost Of Concrete Patio

Build Concrete Patio In A Weekend

Willing to build a patio with a concrete walkway that will match your landscape patterns? Then just go with this concrete patio that will complete in a weekend. For this project, you need existing dirt, landscaping fabric, pavers, bags of polymeric sand, gray sand, and base rock. Tool list here medium

Recommended Reading: How To Identify Vintage Wrought Iron Patio Furniture

Drying Concrete: Curing The Diy Patio

Patio slabs need to be moist cured to keep their surfaces from drying too quickly- especially in our high desert heat of Twin Falls, ID. If the surface dries too soon, it will be weak and may later become powdery or crumble away. Cure your concrete by keeping it wet. Cover the slab with burlap, sand, straw, or other material and wet it . Wet it down as needed until curing is finished.

Another option is to use plastic sheeting or a commercial curing compound. Water evaporating from the slab will be trapped, eliminating the need for wetting.

Whatever method you choose, curing should last a minimum of three days-longer in cold weather- but it’s best to let the slab cure for a week, just to be on the safe side. Don’t walk on it for at least 3-4 days, nor drive a vehicle until 10 days have passed.

Now it’s time to enjoy your new DIY cement patio!

Need More Help? Check back to our site as we will be adding the best “how-to’s” on concrete, and articles for do it your-selfers.

Read Also: Repair Cracks Concrete Patio

How To Cover A Concrete Patio With Spray Paint

Finally, First Home Love Life;updated her front entry with a stepping stone mold and spray paint! Easy alternative to stamping concrete!

We hope you loved these DIY patio cover up ideas! Check out our post 9 DIY Cool & Creative Patio Flooring Ideas for more great ideas, projects and tutorials! You also may love our post on Patio Privacy Screens!

Previous Post

Keeping It Simple: More Ways To Improve A Patio

If you’re a beginning DIYer, don’t let all the details on our deck scare you away. Your project can be a whole lot easier if you choose a simple decking design.;The simpler you can make your deck plan, the faster and cheaper it will be to build.

Whether your patio is in bad shape or just bland, there are many ways to revive it. But before you weigh the options shown below, there’s one thing to consider

The crack factor: Cracks in your patio drastically limit your options. That’s because cracks tend to move. Some grow wider over time, while others shrink and widen as the soil freezes and thaws. Some become uneven as one side of the crack sinks. Any movement happens so slowly that it’s hard to detect. But if you knowor even thinkthat you have moving cracks, you have to choose a patio upgrade that can float over moving cracks without becoming damaged.

Read Also: How To Get Dog Hair Off Patio Cushions

Will A Sealer Make Concrete Patios Slippery

Film-forming, high-gloss sealers can really intensify the color of a concrete patio, but they may also make the surface more slippery, especially when wet. Thats usually not a concern with exposed aggregate or textured concrete patio surfaces, but smooth, untextured concrete may require the use of anti-skid additives to improve the traction. Most of these additives are simply mixed into the sealer at the time of application and are transparent, so they wont alter the color or appearance . Another option is to switch to a penetrating sealer that wont form a surface film.

Beautiful Concrete Patio Ideas And Designs

• Email

The Spruce / Almar Creative

Of all the materials available to build patios, concrete is the most traditional yet versatile choice. It’s smooth, clean, can be cast and formed into curvilinear or geometric shapes, and, with the addition of tints, can become anything other than the classic light gray.

Other benefits: it offers permanence, durability, and is fairly inexpensiveeven more so if you do it yourselfprovided you know what you’re doing and are more than capable of accomplishing;the task. For beginning do-it-yourselfers, it’s not easy work, nor is it a one-person job. If you aren’t sure you can tackle a concrete patio project on your own, hire a contractor.

You can’t go wrong with pouring a simple concrete slab, but if you want to add textures or a pattern, certain techniques can be applied during the curing process. One of the easiest ways to add texture is to apply a stiff broom over the drying concrete, once in each direction, which will give the surface some “tooth” and keep it from becoming slippery when wet.

Read Also: How To Keep Chipmunks Off Patio Furniture

Part 4 Of 4: Adding The Top Layer

Overlaying Is Not Appropriate For Driveways

As a general rule, overlay is not usable for driveways. The underlying slab doesn’t allow for any give and as a result, pavers are more likely to rock or crack.

Overlaying concrete pavers is an excellent way to up your homes curb appeal and functionality. Pavers are durable, look great, and can add value to your home. Make sure to consider these tips before starting your project. Or speak with a hardscaping contractor to determine if an overlay is a possible solution.

If you’d like to learn more about overlaying pavers to improve the look of your Sonoma County home, give the experts at Bayside Pavers a call at 1-866-287-2837. We can help you design the perfect solution to meet your unique needs.Â;Our knowledgeable team members are ready to help you create the outdoor living space you’ve been dreaming about!

You May Like: How To Install Ceiling Fan On Insulated Aluminum Patio

Striking The Diy Concrete Patio

Move a strikeoff across the form to level the concrete. On large jobs, do this batch-by-batch, rather than after all the cement is placed. Move the board slowly along the form, using a side-to-side, sawing motion; be sure to make two passes. Even on narrow forms, two people will make the work faster and more efficient. If necessary, a third person can shovel extra concrete into any corners to save time.

Smoothing concrete patio surface

If you’re working on a very small walkway leading to your patio, you can skip this step.) After striking off, use a darby or bull float-depending on the size of your project-for the initial finishing, to smooth down high spots and fill small hollows left after striking off.

Use the darby on small DIY concrete projects. Move it in overlapping arcs, then repeat with overlapping straight, side-to-side strokes. Keep the tool flat, don’t let it dig in. For larger jobs, use a bull float . Push it away from you with its leading edge raised slightly. Pull it back nearly flat; overlap your passes.

Edging concrete

Giving your Do It Yourself concrete slab or sidewalk a curved edge will help it resist chipping and prevent stub-toes or tripping accidents. To edge the cement, begin by running a mason’s trowel between the concrete and the outer edges of the slab form . Follow with an edger . Run it back and forth to smooth and compact the concrete. Unless the tool has a toboggan end, raise the leading edge slightly as you move it.

Diy Large Concrete Pavers Patio

Diy patios on a budget and then day two they poured the last 5 slabs backyard patio.Extra large pavers cement slabs with 1 inch black backyard landscaping patio design.Hold each piece together for a few minutes to give the adhesive a.How to build a homemade huge paver stones and gravel patio diy project whether it s for drivewa poured concrete.

However, it does require some elbow grease and a sensible pair of safety glasses.I recently revealed our diy front porch we created out of pavers and pea gravel, you can see how our simple diy porch tuaparned out here.If not, you may immediately bypass this segment and continue to the next.If you need to make a cut in a concrete paver, the old fashioned way of doing it requires the fewest tools.

Lay the first line of pavers, using the edge of your house or walkway to guide straight lines.Nowadays, protected patio designs are.Planning to diy large format pavers for your homes surfaces?Position pavers no more than 1/8 inch apart, and tap them into place with a rubber mallet.

Take a chisel and scratch out the line you need to cut.The bigger the pavers the thicker they need to be to prevent cracking.The idea of making a patio seems hard, but i promise you its actually relatively simple to diy yourself.The preformed pavers fit together in several different orientations and can transform bare dirt into an attractive and practical.

Don’t Miss: How To Identify Vintage Wrought Iron Patio Furniture

Factors Influencing The Cost Of A Patio

• Patio sizeTypically the price per square foot goes down as the patio gets bigger. Alternatively, for small patios, some contractors charge a minimum total rather than a per square foot price.
• Property conditionIf you need grading, demolition or other site work, the price will go up. Also, if your property cant be accessed with the necessary equipment, requiring a pump or additional labor, costs will rise.
• Complexity of designAdding texture, color, borders or other design features will add up. A basic shape with straight edges is easier to form, while curves are more complex and more expensive.
• New patio vs existing patioIf you are looking to install a new patio, it will cost an estimated $3 $15 per sq ft, and sometimes more. If you have an existing patio and are looking to refresh the look, or have repairs made to any damage, you may not have to start over. The costs of patio resurfacing are less than that of replacement, ranging between $3 and $10 per square foot.

Tip: Since the cost of your patio can vary with the size of the surface and the detail of your design, it is important to find a contractor that will give you the best result for the best price. You can find a patio contractor by using the Concrete Network directory. View portfolio pictures, contact contractors directly, and even request free estimates.

Is It Cheaper To Build A Deck

Concrete is not the only option for your patio, but it may be the most cost-efficient. Decorative concrete on your patio can mimic the look and feel of many other surfaces such as pavers and wood decking.

Related:

A wood deck can cost $15 to $35 per square foot. This cost is related to labor, the materials chosen , and the amount of detail involved in the design. Although a wood deck can give you an attractive finished product, it can be an expensive option when compared to the features offered with a concrete patio.

Read Also: How To Remove Mildew From Patio Furniture Cushions

Where Can I Buy Patio Pavers In Nj

Braen Supply is the most reliable supplier of patio pavers and other landscaping materials in NJ. We partner with the leading paving stone manufacturers in order to ensure that our customers are able to choose from high-quality materials that will cater to a variety of different needs and desires.

Sometimes installing pavers can be tricky and can become overwhelming, so its best to talk to a contractor or our staff to decide if installing them by yourself is really the best option.;Our professional staff offers a wealth of knowledge about each of the products that we sell and are more than happy to answer questions, address concerns;and offer up valuable advice.

Youll enjoy competitive, low pricing every day. Our pavers can be picked up at your convenience or can be bulk delivered to locations throughout NJ, NY, PA;and CT.

Can Propane Fire Pits Damage Concrete Patios

Ill go ahead and tell you: no, propane fire pits will not typically damage concrete patios. Im not saying it never happens, but generally the flames dont burn hot enough to create any sort of explosion.

This is one safetly benefit of gas burning fire pits. They can only produce so many BTUs, whereas a wood burning fire pit keeps getting hotter with more fuel.

You May Like: How To Stop A Patio Umbrella From Spinning

Select The Right Tree To Grow Near Your Patio

It is a real treat to be able to appreciate a dazzling fall-foliage display from your own patio. Just be careful in your plant selection if you will be growing the tree right near your patio, since, as mentioned earlier, tree roots can damage hard-surface patios. Japanese maple trees;double;as great fall-color trees and relatively safe trees to grow around patios.

There are also shrubs that you can grow for fall color. Being smaller than trees, shrubs also are generally less threatening to hardscape structures.

How To Make A Concrete Patio Look Better Than Ever Before

Concrete patios are pretty durable. They dont rot or break under harsh weather conditions like some other materials. If you dont do something with it, however, it sort of looks like a boring gray slab.

Use these tips on how to make a concrete patio look better to upgrade your backyard and impress all your guests.

Looking for more ways to improve your home? Check out our blog daily for more articles like this one.

• TAGS

You May Like: How To Install A Pergola On A Paver Patio