Patios

We'll give you a brief run down on the types of patios, designs and considerations when planning an install.

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Types of Patios

There are five basic materials for patios:

Concrete - a concrete patio is probably the quickest and easiest type of patio to lay. It can mould and conform to almost any surface shape and is highly durable. Finishes can be smooth, stamped, brushed or scored. 

Brick - a brick based patio benefits from being both sturdy and neat in presentation. Patterns include herringbone, running bond and jack-on-jack. 

Flagstone - using natural stone allows you to achieve different colours and finishes. Identifiable by their irregular shapes, flagstones have a slightly roughed surface and provide good grip in the wet. Types include sandstone, limestone, bluestone and quartzite.

Tiles - it's best to use unglazed ceramic tiles for a patio floor, as glazed tiles can be slippery when wet. There are three types; porcelain (fired at high temperature these are tough), terracotta (rustic in look but porous), and quarry (textured).  

Cut stone - similar to flagstone but cut in to more regular shapes. With its more geometric form it can be laid in even rows. Materials include granite, marble, slate, travertine, limestone, blue stone, and sandstone.

Design ideas

A good design can really transform your outdoor living space. Not just from a visual'/aesthetic point of view but also by adding practical benefits. Here are just a few ideas.

Patterned design

Circular patterns

Bold colours

Go Natural

Build in garden areas

Building the patio

There are several online guides, but this page from B&Q is useful. If you would prefer to use a professional tradesmen, simply select Garden work on the homepage and then Paving to see pre-approved tradesmen ready to do the work.

Note from the editor:

We recently had a patio fitted at our own home (pic below). We used Indian natural sandstone, the area laid was 6x4 metres. It costed a total of £3500 for materials and labour using a local garden landscaper business. We're very pleased with the result, and feel it was money well spent, and we're looking forward to long evenings sitting outside and using what was before an unused area of our garden.

Priceatrade™ - love your home