When renovating your patio for spring, it’s best that you start from the bottom up. Giving your patio the durable and visually appealing flooring it deserves starts with a vision, but you’ll need some the inside details on the many outdoor flooring options before you can make your informed decision.
The Price is Right
Before getting into the nuts and bolts of outdoor flooring, it’s crucial that you set yourself a budget for your patio renovation. Patio flooring material spans a wide range of prices, and installation teams typically charge by the square foot. Taking precise measurements of your patio is essential for accurate budgeting, and for this guide cost estimates will be calculated for an average patio size of 288 square feet (16 ft by 18 ft).
Wood You Rather
If you’re looking to bring some traditional, rustic flair to your patio without having to sacrifice quality, classic wood flooring is the way to go. But with the many varieties of wood at your disposal, it’s important to pick a type that’s appropriate for your climate and that will fare well in all types of weather.
Redwood and Cedar:
The most highly recommended wood varieties for use as patio flooring. Unlike oak or hickory, which are prone to weathering and rot, these varieties are proven to be resistant in the face of inclement weather and extended exposure to UV rays. Both cedar and redwood take to staining well, meaning you can customize your flooring to your desired color with ease.
However, even the toughest of wood types needs to be properly maintained in order to reach its full patio potential. Much like adding outdoor sofa & loveseat covers to your furniture, treating your wooden patio flooring with chemical sealants will give it an extra layer of protection against damage from water, UV rays, and every day wear and tear. Additionally, custom tarps during particularly damaging activities or weather that will put stress on your finishing coat can provide an extra layer of protection.
For you 288 square foot space, redwood can run from $1440 using low grade wood while high grade will cost around $8640. Cedar tends to be more affordable, with an average of $864 to $2016.
Fabulous Flagstone
Elegant, versatile, and long lasting, flagstone is an extremely popular option for those looking to add some understated beauty to their outdoor lifestyle area.
Thanks to its widespread appeal, flagstone is readily available at gardening retailers and is a simple installation job for a hired landscaping team that will run you from $4320 to $6048 for the entire patio.
The natural variety of flagstone means that you can customize your patio flooring to fit whichever design vibe you desire. The most common types of flagstone include:
- Limestone
- Slate
- Sandstone
- Basalt
Flagstone in shades of blue or grey can lend your patio a sleek, modern feel while rustic reds evoke Southwestern imagery. And it doesn’t stop with color: flagstones come in a variety of shapes from streamlined rectangles to organic, irregular paving so you can customize your stones to perfectly match your design vision.
Brick by Brick
Brick has been used for construction and flooring for centuries, and it’s no secret why: its classic aesthetic brings to mind old world beauty and craftsmanship while providing reliable durability. And with many homes being constructed from brick as well, you could even coordinate your patio flooring with your home itself.
There are two methods of laying brick flooring: dry laid and mortar laid.
Dry Laid: This involves laying bricks over a bed of gravel and is the more affordable, flexible option, but does not result in a smoothed surface. Average cost is $1152 to $2304, making it one of the most cost effective methods.
Mortar Laid: Requires a mortar base that will prevent bricks from shifting and is considered to be a more “permanent” method. Price tag is slightly higher than dry laid at $1728 to $3456.
Both methods are suitable for patio flooring and are the perfect choice for anyone looking to give their patio an old-world touch.
Creative Concrete
Letting your inner artist flourish is simple when you utilize concrete flooring in your backyard patio. The versatility of concrete presents plenty of options for creative customization, including (but not limited to):
- Stamping: This innovative process involves (as you might guess) large stampers in a variety of shapes that are laid together to create intricate, vibrant patterns on your concrete flooring. Some stamps can even recreate the look of hardwood and other materials.
- Painting: Out of all patio flooring materials, concrete is perhaps the easiest to paint. Using outdoor paint to add a splash of color to this durable material is so simple that you can even switch it up to match the seasons or coordinate with your custom covers like bench covers.
- Paver shapes: Molds can be used to form concrete into whichever shape you desire, from traditional square to more unique options like hexagons or triangles.
No matter which decorative route you choose for your decorative concrete, be aware that cracking may occur with concrete flooring. The best way to keep this nuisance at bay is adding a sealing and curing solution to your concrete mix.
Concrete patios can widely vary in cost. The most basic concrete laying costs an average of $1440, pavers run from $2016 to $2304, while the artistic flourishes of stamped concrete typically cost around $3456.
Travertine Tile Treat
There are few flooring finishes more sophisticated than tile. While tile is typically found indoors, this beloved flooring style works wonders on patios all year round in rain and shine. Tile comes in an endless variety of materials, but outdoor flooring experts lean towards recommending one particular type of tile for your patio: travertine.
As a form of limestone, travertine is renowned for its extreme durability. While porcelain or ceramic tile is prone to cracks, travertine is capable of withstanding 8000 pounds per square inch- meaning they will be able to handle whatever you decide to place on your patio without any signs of wear. Travertine is also slip resistant, making it an appealing choice for anyone with young children running around.
In terms of budgeting, travertine patio renovations can range anywhere from $2592 on the lower end and $4896 on the upper end of the scale.
Additionally, the aesthetically pleasing look of tile can only amplify your outdoor living area. With endless options for pairing, from custom tarp canopies to DIY chaise lounges to imported sofas and loveseats to pallet furniture all complete with stylish and protective outdoor sofa & loveseat covers, your tile goes with and can be adapted to fit nearly any visual style.
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