Patios can be a great way to integrate your landscaping into your home whether you have a beautiful view right outside your home, or you live in a secluded wooded area. A patio can enhance your backyard experience because it acts as a separate living area that relates more to your landscape than your house. Decks, on the other hand, act more as an extension to your home than an outdoor living space.
Personally, I think if you have the land you should build a patio as opposed to a deck. Many people build a deck instead because then they don't have to worry about leveling their land which can be costly. Think about the benefits of a patio: It's detached from your house, so it offers a much more “outdoors” feel. You could include a firepit, a fountain, and more! Patios allow you to enjoy things that wouldn't work on a deck because a deck is attached to the house. There are great reasons to build a deck too, depending on your yard.
There are so many ways that people use their patios. If your family loves a barbecue, maybe an outdoor kitchen would be a positive addition to your home. (Psst… check out my collection of Outdoor Living Ideas on Pinterest!) You can include a hi-tech grill, refrigerator, a mini-bar, comfortable seating and more… Treat it like your own personal vacation hideaway! If you've got a pool in your backyard, make it an outdoor living space by adding natural patio flooring and outdoor furniture.
Designing Your Patio
When you design your patio, it should fit right in with the textures and colors you see on the exterior of your home. Some like it traditional while others prefer a more modern look. Your patio design materials reflect the mood you're going for. Some common patio design materials include:
- Flagstone is known for its jagged, natural pieces, but it can be cut into rectangular pieces as well. Flagstone is appealing to those who are looking for a natural look for their patio and don't mind grass and moss growing up through the cracks.
- Brick patios have widespread appeal and work well with many different home styles. They have a rich red color and can be laid in a variety of creative designs.
- Decorative concrete can be poured into any shape, and can come into a variety of natural colors and textures in large slabs. Here's a very informative video we found on ConcreteNetwork.com that explains some of the design choices you have working with concrete.
- Patio pavers are a great choice for homeowners with a taste for detailed designs. Pavers don't crack because they are flexible and they respond well to rain because they are permeable, letting water filter through instead of run off. They also last for up to 30 years.
Your yard is unique, and your patio layout should be too. Stand out in your yard and imagine what you want your outdoor living space to look like. Draw a picture or find inspirational images online, then run your ideas by a few friends and family members.
Thank you for giving us insight into the possibilities that come with setting up a backyard. Since childhood, I dreamed that it would be cozy in the backyard of my own house and I could just go out with a cup of coffee in the morning and admire the creation of my own hands. Here is my own house bought and now there is an opportunity to do as you want, and in the end, I was just confused. But now I know several options that can be implemented and then enjoy it for a large amount of time.
I just wanted to reach out and thank you for posting the article “How to Build a Patio”. I am currently in the process of building my own patio, and it was really helpful. Your blog has been very informative so far with all of your articles.
I read your article about designing a patio and backyard landscape. Thanks for all the great tips!
I like how you said that patios can be a great way to integrate your landscaping into your home, to enhance the views or features of your backyard and property. I think it’s so important to see added features to your home as an investment, too, because it allows you to increase the value of your home, should you eventually choose to sell, all the while enjoying the beauty of it. My husband and I are considering having a nice patio built in our backyard. After reading this, we’ll have to find a patio service in our area that can help us design and put together a patio that would be the perfect, beautiful, addition to our home.
I’m glad you pointed out that decks will act as an extension to your home, whereas a patio will act as an outdoor living space that relates more to your landscaping than your home itself. My husband and I want to create a space for entertaining in our backyard, but we’ve had trouble deciding between a patio and a deck. I think I’d enjoy a separate outdoor living space more than a home extension, so thanks for sharing and helping me make a decision!
Good luck, and please share photos of your new backyard space …
I am glad that you talked about how flagstone patios are great for people who are looking for a natural aesthetic in their exteriors. My wife really loves anything wood or something that seems organic. We do need a place to catch up with our friends and family over the weekend, so I think investing in this type of patio can be worthwhile for us.
We want to revamp our backyard patio and this was a great article with some wonderful ideas. I think you made a great point about how a patio design should fit int he with other texture and colors found on the exterior of your home so that it matches the rest of your house. I love the look of brick and our house has a lot of brick so this could be a good option for us.
Rachel, I’ve seen brick patios & they’re lovely, just a little more work to install them but with the right foundation underneath, bricks will last for a long time.
I didn’t know flagstone could have square and jagged designs. That’s really flexible. I bet a clean looking white patio door could work well with jagged flagstone.
John, Sounds like you’ve been planning your patio for a while & ready to get started. Good luck creating your dream backyard.
My husband and I love having guests over, and a patio would be the perfect way for us to have dinner and play night games. I like that you say a patio is detached from your house so it offers a more outdoor feel, and I had never thought about adding a fire pit before! Also, I agree that you should make sure that your patio fits with the textures and colors of the exterior of your home to give it a connected feeling. Thank you for these tips, I will share them with my husband.
Your blog is very informative and interesting to read! Thanks for writing it!
I appreciate your tips for putting in a patio. Right now, we only have grass in our yard, and I think a patio would be a big improvement. It sounds like decorative concrete could be a great choice, since it is so customizable! I’ll look into that some more.
Happy to help! Any patio will mean less lawn mowing!!
I would love to add a patio onto my home because I invite guests over all the time. Having an outdoor space for guests to enjoy would be super fun, especially during the summer months when it feels wonderful to be outside at night. Plus, it would be fun to add a grill out there so that I can cook and eat outside, rather than cook and eat indoors all the time.
Kendall, You’ve got some great ideas so I encourage you to start mapping out a plan to turn them into reality. Do this in small steps so you don’t get overwhelmed, as that’s what happens to many people. Good luck and hope you can share your story when done (see our Homeowners Sharing Stories).