Advice on patio

7 years ago

We are in the process of renovating the interior of our house and will soon have lovely bifold doors which look out onto a tired, dull and weedy patio area. I don't know where to start as we don't have much budget as all going into the current build but I can't face sitting in the finished house looking out at this! I hate the pebbles, mismatched paving, weeds, ugly brick wall and wrought iron railings. Any easy and relatively inexpensive suggestions on what to do would be greatly welcome!!

Featured Answer

PRO

Eliza Gray Gardens

7 years ago

Hello there

It sounds like you :

-want to cover the railings and wall

-need to unify the paving material

How about rendering the wall and painting it white to give a more modern feel? Then replacing the railings with either estate type railings, toughened glass, or some hedging.

Here's one I made earlier!

Bradford on Avon · More Info

Regarding the patio, take care! It already looks quite high, and you need any outside paving to be at least 150mm below the damp proof course, so adding one type of gravel or paving on top would not work. You may need to dig out some of the existing patio to a lower level, and then use one type of more attractive gravel, such as South Cerney, to unify the area.

Good luck -

Eliza

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (12)

Olga Mackness
7 years ago
This is very interesting project because area beyond patio looks very well landscaped. Have you thought of having patio partially turfed ?
Vanessa Ralph
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks, but we already have more than enough turf! We could really do with a space that was more of an extension of the inside dining area. A place to put a table or have some relaxed seating.
Related Discussions
Our new patio
Q
Comments (21)
Not sure what your budget is, but how about a Pergola? It would look absolutely beautiful, doesn't cost a bomb to install and you could add some fast growing vines, be they flower or grape, or a mixture of both, whip the slabs up, lay a plastic membrane and then whack a couple of tons of peashingle down. To finish it off, I would remove the wall in front of the patio and replace it with some large planters containing box hedging, rosemary, or lavender. A little touch of the continent, right on your backdoor step and you won't even need to go through passport control!
...See More
Sliding patio doors
Q
Comments (2)
So you want advice on patio drainage and keeping it clean rather than advice on sliding doors? What material are you using for the Patio?
...See More
patio doors advice
Q
Comments (13)
Hi Hannah, First you have to get good plumber to remove the existing radiator and replace it with a tall panel radiator having similar heat rating. This can be located to the left of the room. Next get a builder to remove the existing double glazed Upvc windoe and cut out the wall below sill level on either side. Ask a window supplier to come and measure the new clear opening : overall height and width and manufacture a new French doors with over glazing panel to suit new opening or to supply and install a 2 No. panels Bi-folding doors to full height. Should you wish to have the Patio at the same level as the finish floor level of the Living Room, please make sure you incorporate a continuous threshold drain. Refer to Aquabocci drainage product.] If you want to have wider opening to what is existing, you will need to get the advice of a structural Engineer and the design and calculation of that beam will need to be submitted to your Local Building Control Department for their approval. So it's up to you which route you want to take. Regards Alain B
...See More
Advice please for paving colour for patio in front of small summerhous
Q
Comments (7)
I think grey too! Last month we had a small patio put around our shed too. I really struggled to find slabs that I liked. In the end we went with these - they are actually concrete (which I wanted because the patio sits level with my grass and I didn’t want lawn feed to stain). My landscaper said they were fab to lay, and they match my real stone main patio really well. https://www.castacrete.co.uk/Decorative-Concrete-Paving/Courtyard-Paving-Collection/Old-Grey
...See More
Vanessa Ralph
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks Eliza! I love the look of the wall, and it seems relatively inexpensive to do with render and paint. Is that imprinted concrete or paving slabs? I've heard imprinted concrete is a good option for large areas?
PRO
Eliza Gray Gardens
7 years ago
The slabs in Bradford on Avon are Indian Sandstone, laid on hardcore etc to avoid them sinking - so you may need to dig down depending on where your DPC is so that you don't get a damp house!
PRO
Signature Landscapes
7 years ago
Hi. If budget is tight rendering is not an option, why not just paint the wall and railings, be bold with your colour choice, that will make a massive difference and as Eliza says take the wall from the 70's to contemporary. Please don't put stones/ gravel or similar onto any existing solid surface, they wont stay put and they will act like roller bearings. There isn't a cheap and certainly not a free solution. I think Eliza's other comment about remove the slabs and cover with shingle is the best solution. Ideally remove slabs level with sharp sand, cover with geotextile membrane and then add shingle. Sharp sand and pea shingle for drainage from a builders merchant are the cheapest solution at about £45/tonne bag. Fancy landscape stone is virtually the same but massively more expensive. you are limited on colour. Break up the expanse of gravel with olives, bays, lavender and rosemary in pots and you have an instant Italian feel, look and aroma. 1 tonne bags of shingle @ 50mm will cover around 15 sq m. For any sort of paving laid on a proper base you are looking at £100 sq m.
PRO
Signature Landscapes
7 years ago
Just looked in again in more detail at your pictures. Steps cause a problem so does the concrete strip. In hindsight, I would repoint the slabs with resin pointing, and paint everything. Walls with a masonry paint, ironwork with an outdoor hammerite type product and investigate a good quality exterior garage type floor paint for all concrete surfaces. Relatively quick, relatively cheap, not sure how long the concrete paint would last, at least a couple of years I would guess. Any removal and replacement of masonry is going to get expensive when you have prioritised money inside.
Carolina
7 years ago
I wonder if you can remove the concrete slab (not sure how that works with the access points?) and reuse the existing pavers to create a large patio outside and a path where needed, and use plants/shrubs/ornamental grasses for example, to fill the rest of the space? That will soften the look and hide the wall (which you can still paint).
A B
7 years ago
That is a huge lump of concrete!! I think I'd be tempted to redo the patio properly before the bifolds go in. I'd worry about them getting damaged if the concrete needs digging up! It would also improve your view from day 1. Could you cut back on something from your work inside instead? Decorating or a bathroom or something?
Olga Mackness
7 years ago
When I was talking about part-turfing the patio I had in mind vision of small areas in interaction with decking area right in front of the house - where the door will be opening - and areas of paving stones. The patio is long and narrow - so to have it broken into patches would be quite interesting and not very expensive at all. Doors are at the same level as the concreted slab (almost) so decking that area to allow for the table, chairs and some more comfortable sitting will create continuation of the sitting area inside of the house. on each side of the decking turf could be laid in the style of lawn - but only small patched and then paving stones, and possible flower bed by the wall (white in the picture) that wall could be painted in the mural style -but not too bright - painted shrubs and branches of the trees as if continuation of the garden. And I would replace the fence - the one next to the white wall.
Jay Walmsley
7 years ago
I'd use a Qwickbuild framing structure that will allow the fitting of new tiles. The structure can be assembled directly on top of the current patio area from any height from 40mm-200mm. You'd need no adhesives, grout, etc... and the surface would be perfectly even. It would save you ripping out the current surface and the general upheaval of laying a new patio in it's place.

If you'd like any further information on Qwickbuild I could forward it via email

Good Luck!
PRO
D Plumridge | Driveway & Patio Construction
7 years ago
Hi Vanessa! Call Darren on 0208 643 3007 to discuss your dilemma, we'd be happy to help!

Thanks,

D Plumridge

Advice on patio

Eliza Gray Gardens

Comments (12)

Olga Mackness

Vanessa Ralph
Original Author

Related Discussions

Vanessa Ralph
Original Author

Eliza Gray Gardens

Signature Landscapes

Signature Landscapes

Carolina

A B

Olga Mackness

Jay Walmsley

D Plumridge | Driveway & Patio Construction

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Advice on patio

Comments (12)

Vanessa RalphOriginal Author

Related Discussions

Vanessa RalphOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Vanessa Ralph
Original Author

Vanessa Ralph
Original Author