Patios, Paths, and Steps

1. Overview
2. Materials
   a. Poured Concrete
   b. Brick and Concrete Pavers
   c. Natural Slate, Stone, and Crushed Gravel
3. Steps

I. Overview

Think of patios as additional rooms extending your relaxing, dining, and entertaining spaces to the outdoors. A patio can be placed to take advantage of a warm sunny spot, afternoon shade, a secluded hideaway, or a special view. Surrounded by lush plantings or screens, a patio with outdoor furniture, large pots of flowering plants, a BBQ, and perhaps a hot tub or waterfall creates the perfect at-home mini-vacation spot. Then think of paths as the hallways connecting your different outdoor spaces.

Patios are constructed on the ground as opposed to decks which are raised off the ground to avoid soil contact with wood. Patios tend to last longer and have less maintenance than wood decks. Many patio materials need some edge support to prevent outside pieces from drifting. Edging can be seen as an added architectural border to your path/patio. Or the edging can be installed so that it does not show, and provides only structural support.

A patio adds another room with fresh air for modest cost.

II. Materials

There are a number of materials in use for patios and paths: poured concrete, brick pavers, concrete pavers, slate, stone, and crushed gravel.

a. Poured Concrete

Poured concrete patios are usually less expensive than paver or stone patios.

There are many surface finishes for concrete patios and paths:

- a smooth trowel finish (best for roller skates)
- a broom finish (best for traction)
- an exposed aggregate finish (where the surface is washed to show the pebbles in the concrete).

Concrete can have bricks inlaid into the concrete to add color and architectural interest.

b. Brick and Concrete Pavers

"Brick on sand" patios are being replaced by concrete pavers that come in many shapes, sizes and colors. By combining the shapes and colors, we have a wide range of unique rockery design possibilities for the Seattle area.

Frequently pavers are installed on a base of compacted crushed gravel and a layer of sand. They often need an edging material to hold them in place.

c. Natural Slate, Stone, and Crushed Gravel

Natural stone (slates, Pennsylvania Bluestone, granite cobblestone, etc, etc) makes wonderful patios and paths. Thick, irregular shaped pieces can be set in soil with tiny groundcovers planted in the cracks between, or on sand and gravel. Or thin pieces can be mortared on top of a concrete pad to create a solid patio.

Cut stone can be set in the same manner as pavers for a solid patio of real stone.

Many sizes, textures, and colors of crushed gravels are used for paths, parking, and utility areas.

III. Steps

Tired of sliding down that slope? For some ideas on step designs see photos below.