Terraces and patios have been very popular spaces for the outside of the home. Whether it is in the form of rooftop alcoves or Parisian courtyards, only sunrooms and porches have the potential to compete against such paved retreats. Or, at least, that’s what a recent reader survey has told us. Here are some patio surface types that exist today:
1. Patio Stones
Patio stones are sometimes also known as slabs or flags and are flat concrete blocks either in rectangular or square shapes. A lot of home builders, as well as homeowners, choose this popular type of patio surface because they are cheap and very easy to install. Although in the past, this type of patio surface was only available in grey, a wide color range is now available.
Pick colors that mesh well with your house or garden, or construct a floor patterned with dual colors. This type of patio surface looks best when matched with contrasting material, such as bricks, landscape rocks, cedar, rot-resistant wood, or aluminum. Patio stones can also be found in various surface textures, such as those that come with aggregates that are exposed. Their consistent kind of thickness is what makes them easy to install, but they are typically more expensive than normal stones.
2. Flagstone
Flagstone is a natural material which is only available when local resources have them. Flagstone is normally cut in regular lengths and widths, but how thick the piece is depends on the cutting and the stone. The change in thickness seems to make this kind of material harder to install, though. Natural flagstone pieces tend to cost more than patio stones that are manufactured.
A lot of the time, flagstone is considered artistic paving since these broken stone pieces are usually set in very random yet attractive patterns. However, flagstone is quite difficult to set the right way since a patio’s mortar joints tend to be weak and these pieces of stone need to be set tight together. Professional installers should be able to break the stones by hitting pieces of pipe or rebar that have been placed on the proper break line.
3. Bricks
One very popular type of material for building for terraces and patios are bricks. Brick colors are either in yellow or red (though there are more variations available nowadays). Choosing bricks for your outside space is really a very personal choice, though weather conditions may also play a part. If your house is situated somewhere cold, it is important to get bricks made for severe weather so they won’t crack no matter how cold or how heavy the snow falls. These are more expensive compared to hot or moderate weather bricks.
No matter which kind surface you opt for, it is important to invest a significant amount of time deciding on a design which fits in with the rest of your property.
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