So you know you want to create that perfect outdoor living space in your backyard, but you haven’t decided whether or not it will be a patio or it will be a deck. They’re both great options, but a patio is probably the best way to go. This is especially true for the do it yourself crowd.
Unless you have lots of carpentry experience and have mastered the art of measures and miters, working with wood or composite decking materials can be quite a challenge. Of course it always looks easy, but it’s also easy to make mistakes when cutting all the wood. These mistakes can add up and be quite costly due to wasted time and material.
On the other hand, if you choose a relatively simple pattern, laying a stone, brick, or paver patio can be much simpler for the average do-it-yourselfer. Obviously, the more square the pattern, the fewer cuts are necessary. This makes for a fairly straightforward installation process that can be done over a weekend or two if working with the proper base.
With a deck, you must first set your concrete footings and then build up from there. For a patio, you do have to excavate in order to level the ground, but concrete mixing shouldn’t be necessary. Just dig down several inches, add the proper gravel base then compact with a vibrating compactor you can rent for the weekend. Next, top with builder’s sand and compact again. Once everything is completely level and compacted, you’re ready to start laying your patio floor.
Of course, either a deck or a patio will end up with some accumulation of dirt and mildew. However, a patio can take a good power washing or scrubbing better than a wooden deck. With repeated cleanings, the finish of the deck will quickly disintegrate, which leads to increased maintenance.
Speaking of maintenance, wood decking will need sealing or staining at least every other year or so. Even then, the wood will eventually be damaged from water and sun to the point of needing replacement after several years. A stone or brick patio, though, could easily last a hundred years if properly installed.
All things considered, patios are still continuing to increase in popularity these days, but there are still times when a deck is the perfect option. For example, building a stone patio off a second story or elevated location would pose a severe difficulty, but a deck might work there just perfectly.
Whatever your choice, make sure to do the research and plan properly and you’ll end up with outdoor living space that is perfect for you and will also increase the value of your home. Just remember, measure twice and cut once!
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