Making the Right Choices When Designing Your Patio Area

Making the Right Choices When Designing Your Patio Area

That time of year is fast approaching where we will be able to spend as much time as possible enjoying the warm summer sun on our patios. For many of us spending time relaxing in the garden or on the patio is the highlight of the summer months, watching the sun go down over the trees as we eat our tea on the patio is enough to make anyone forget about the stresses and strains of the working day that we may have just had. A patio is a simple feature of the home that requires very little maintenance if constructed correctly but getting the make up of the patio correct is an all important factor in getting the most out of the area. So what is the best way to construct a patio area and what should we ensure to add to the patio area to ensure that we get the most out of it?

A patio is nothing more than an area at the rear of the house which is either paved in one type of stone or decked with wooden decking planks. Both patio flooring types have their plusses and minuses and depending on the lifestyle that you lead should guide you to what flooring type you should go for.

Stone patio flooring is available in many sizes, shapes and styles from traditional York stone and Indian stone to a more modern coloured concrete paving slab. All stone options are very hard wearing and require very little maintenance other than a little weeding between the slabs occasionally and perhaps a coat of sealant once a year to keep the patio flooring looking its very best.

Wooden decking is a more modern approach to patio flooring and can look very nice and clean when first laid. There are more options open to you when fitting wooden decking as your patio flooring as you can fit sunken lights into the decking and add walk rails to the exterior of the deck to create a balcony effect. Wooden decking does require more maintenance than stone patio flooring as you should apply a coat of wood preserver once a year and ensure that the decking is cleaned with a jet wash to remove and moss or algae that can make the surface very slippery under foot.

When creating your patio flooring area you should consider which direction you would like the focal point to be. If the sun moves over your home during the day and is in the shade in the evening you would be best advised to place as many of the day to day living items such as patio gazebo, patio furniture and patio table in a position where they can receive the sun throughout the day with perhaps a shaded are to keep people out of the midday sun if they so choose.

Adding a splash of colour to your patio area is a goods idea to brighten it up a little. Many people make the mistake of having the patio consisting of nothing more than a decking area or an area of stone patio flooring followed by the garden and walls. This can give the impression of being something of a bolt on and look very clinical and not very inviting. By adding a few plants in pots and flowers you can really add a splash of life and colour to your patio making it easier on the eye and more inviting for people to use.

So there you have it, a few tips on how to design your patio area including which patio flooring is most suited to your patio area. Make the most of your patio this summer as you never know how bad the winter will be and how long it will be before you can sit and relax, enjoying your patio as the sun goes down.