With summer comes the joy of outdoor life. The sun is out, lemonade stands are in plenty, the kids are home for the long haul and there is the beautiful outdoors to enjoy. Why not add a patio? You have space and you certainly have the time; plus little helpers to send on errands.
You could get someone to do it for you, of course, but if you could learn how to do it yourself, would that not be fun? So, get your notebook and pen ready and delve into the world of Patio Additions Brisbane and many other patio addition sites and take notes!
What you need
Adding a patio is not a very pricey venture. You can easily DIY if you follow the following guidelines:
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Location
Where do you want the patio? You will need to consider the following:
- Accessibility to the house
- Decide whether you want a shady or sunny patio
- Landscaping: Whether the patio will fit in or will look like a zit on the face
Maybe you want your patio close to the main entrance or near sliding doors or even the backdoor. A shady area out in the yard or the garden could also be a good location to have your patio. It could quickly become the favourite spot for the whole family.
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The shape of the patio
Once you have chosen the shape, plot out the shape of the patio. Then take measurements so you know the number of materials you will need so that you do not oversell or undersell. Waste must be avoided. Also, you do not want to run back to the store because you ran out of material.
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Materials
You have a variety to choose from including stone and pavers. You also have a wide variety of colors to choose from, but remember there is a landscape to consider. You want to avoid the ‘zit’ on the face. If it does not blend in with the rest of the landscape, change it.
Don’t mess up your summer budget by going for the pricier materials. Workout a nice budget that will fit all the materials you need, for instance, paver or stone, gravel, sand, concrete, and mortar.
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Get to Work!
- Dig the plot for the patio out and place a wooden frame around the edges. These should measure 2×4boards around the hedges.
- Cover the area with mesh. This keeps the weeds in check.
- Later, put in a bed of gravel and smooth it.
- Smooth a small area, working from the unsmoothed side of the plot. Lay some pavers, then repeat the action in another small area. Repeat this until the patio is complete.
- Once the pavers are laid, pour sand over the patio and sweep into the cracks that are between the pavers.
- Finally, wedge the pavers and brace the edges up with salt-treated timber or with cement. You can lay a layer of soil over the cement to lock the pavers into place.
Getting information from a website like Patio Additions Brisbane or other related sites can give you step-by-step guidelines on how to build your own patio which is not only fun, but also increases the value of your home if you ever want to sell.