Editors of Cool Springs Press - Black & Decker Complete Guide to Patios: A DIY Guide to Building Patios, Walkways & Outdoor Steps

A DIY Guide to Building Patios, Walkways & Outdoor Steps

The Complete Guide to Patios

O utdoor living just seems to get more popular every year. Enjoying the sunlight, feeling a cool breeze, relaxing with a cold beverage, or hanging around the barbecue with our friends and family are just a few of the reasons we are constantly drawn outdoors. But being outdoors does not mean that we have to make any sacrifices to comfort and convenience. An outdoor living environment can offer practically all of the amenities youll find indoors, and more. And in many homes today, the patio is the hub of our backyard lifestyles.

The patio is fundamentally a defined surface that supports foot traffic and furniture and keeps weeds and mud away. It can be made of many different materials, which is one of the reasons a patio is a more versatile outdoor living option than a wood deck (nothing against decks, of course).

Perhaps the greatest thing about patios, though, is that they are fairly easy to design and install yourself. You dont need a lot of expensive tools and the techniques are far less complicated than wood joinery. Typically, however, a good amount of labor is involved, so if you have difficulty digging or moving slightly heavy objects around, youll want some assistance. But at the same time, there are many patio building products available today that are easy to handle and are quite forgiving.

Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Patios is mostly about designing and building the most popular kinds of residential patios. But in it youll also find some related information on other horizontal structures for the yard, including walkways and landscape steps. If a patio is a stage from which you can enjoy the outdoors, walkways and paths are the ties that bring it all together, linking the house, patio, garden, lawn, driveway, and any other points in between. Pathways unify various landscape elements, they define spaces, direct traffic, and make it easy to travel from one place to the next.

In this book youll also find many inspiring and helpful photos of completed projects, some very practical guidance for designing and choosing materials, and helpful step-by-step projects for improving the patio space by creating wall or roof structures that shield you from rain, hot sunlight, wind, insects, and even cold weather.

In just the past few years, enhanced interest in environmentally friendly building practices has lead to a host of new patio materials. Some are made from recycled plastic, rubber, or glass. Others are green because they are designed to be lightweight so they combat freight costs and, by extension, save fuel and reduce pollution. Still another way in which a patio can be earth-friendly is by incorporating a permeable sub-basethat is, one that allows rainwater to soak through and stay in your yard instead of washing off the surface and into the gutters and wastewater system. Products and techniques that highlight each of these reasons to be earth-friendly with your patio are highlighted in an all-new, special section called Earth-friendly Patios that you ll find starting on .

Chances are pretty good that at some point youve enjoyed spending time on a patio. Perhaps your home has a patio already. Once youve gone through the steps of designing and creating just the patio to meet your needs, you will truly understand how much enjoyment these humble structures have to give.

T o install a new patio or walkway, first get started by working through the basic steps of planning your project. The section in this chapter on design themes can help you think conceptually about the character and emotional quality of your new outdoor room. Consider, also, all of the ways you hope to use the new space and decide how the layout and other design elements will best accommodate those activities.

Next comes the choice of paving material. Whether its classic clay brick, naturally rough-hewn flagstone, simple and sleek concrete, or any of the other great options youll learn about here, the surface material you choose will be the defining feature of your patio or path.

In addition to the appearance and performance qualities of the different paving options, make sure to think about the logistics of installation. Flip ahead to the step-by-step projects in this book and review the materials to get an idea of the work involved and to gauge which applications best suit your design, budget, and time frame. Other practical matters to considerincluding zoning restrictions and natural conditions on your property, such as drainage and seasonal weatherare addressed in this chapter as well.

When its time to pull it all together, youll find it helpful to draft a site plan. The patio and walkway plans on pages offer inspiration and tips for thinking globally about your patio or walkway in the context of your outdoor home.

In This Chapter:

Design Themes for Patios

I f you were planning new living spaces for your indoor home, you would probably start by listing the main uses of each roomcooking meals, throwing parties, relaxing with the family, sitting down for a chat with the neighbors, etc. Keeping these desired uses in mind, you then decide how each space should look and feel. What is the essential character, or theme, of the space? Should it be formal and intimate, or should it have an open feel, with casual furnishings setting the tone for each activity? The same thought process applies to designing a new patio (which is, in essence, an outdoor living space). The following discussion of patio design themes can help get you started.

Entertaining & Dining

If a patio is perfect for one thing, its alfresco meals. Whether enjoying a meal with the family or throwing a casual weekend barbeque or late-night hors doeuvre party, food just tastes better outdoors. A patio intended for everyday meals should be casual and convenient. Having a table and chairs set up at all times lets you decide at the last minute to eat outside without much fuss. Choose lighting that is bright enough for eating comfortably but can easily be lowered for after-dinner conversation. Locating the patio just off your indoor kitchen makes the space convenient enough to be used as a second dining room. On the other hand, an outdoor kitchen brings the cooking right into the space, so the cook is never stuck inside during those precious summer evenings.