Patio Materials

There are a number of materials suitable for constructing a patio but the most practical are timber decking or solid concrete, stone slabs or bricks.

If you need a particularly hard-wearing surface then stone is ideal and it looks good too however decking is becoming more and more popular as it lower in cost and can be built over an uneven or sloping surface. (You must first of all prepare and level the ground for a stone or brick patio area).

With decking do be careful if you are in an area subject to a lot of rainfall. The decking is treated so that it does not rot but it can get slippery underfoot if you allow green algae to grow.

Your choice of materials will be dictated to some extent by the style of your house - decking may look out of place in a period house. An old stone patio would look great with an older house.

If you choose decking get your deck designed by an experienced designer and you will be amazed at the kind of shapes and arrangements which are possible.

A Great Patio

A great patio is an essential element (if not the most important element) of a welcoming garden.

It's OK not to pay much emphasis to your patio if you just want a garden to stare at from the house and to create a view from the windows but most of us want to use our gardens and we want to sit in them and enjoy them.

So it's important to create a focal point with your patio and make it the most attractive spot in the garden so you, your family and friends want to sit there.

And what makes a great patio?

1. You need a hard surface which is even, pleasant to walk on and to look at situated in the right place in the garden
   
2. You need quality garden furniture - enough chairs for the everyone who usually gather around your patio and maybe an outdoor dining table if you plan on eating outside
3. You need patio cushions to make the hard surfaces of the patio furniture comfortable to sit on
   
4. You need plants surrounding your patio to add color (and possibly fragrance)

Of course you can add a lot more elements to make a great patio but these are the essentials. We'll look at each of them in this blog.