Surfaces For Patio Furniture
There are many different ways to make a patio.
Patio surfaces vary from one to another, but each has a fundamental objective, somewhere to position your patio furniture. A grass lawn is by far the easiest as it is for most of the time already established, unless of course you’ve recently acquired a new home, and the builder has omitted any landscaping.
For a lawn, its merely a job of placing furniture appropriately to make a dining area. A very natural way of enjoying your outdoor experience.
Another great choice of surface that offers warmth would be a wooden deck. Decks are suspended off the ground by means of supports incorporated in the design. The height as to which its supported greatly depends on the lie of the land. This type of wooden structure took its name from the wooden decks of ships. Having the deck supported off the ground prevents the wood from rotting. Because you’re supporting the deck across an existing surface, the chances are that you wont have to worry about drainage.
Stone chips, and wooden bark are added to a soiled area after its been leveled. This also gives a natural drainage scenario as the bark & stone are made of various size & shape, thus never allowing an area to be fully impenetrable from the rain, thus allowing the water to flow through to the soil beneath.
The most popular of surfaces are cast concrete, or concrete slabs. And the forming of these surfaces is similar in preparation.
When a location is decided on for a slab, you simply have to remove the soil to create a depth of 6. This can either be done by hand or by way of machinery. When done, you will need to put in a drainage system. You will dig a trench to incorporate the drains that will then exit into your household storm drain. The size of your patio will determine how many drain outlets youll require.
The whole area is now covered with 2 sub base, usually of rubble. This can be any broken stone you have lying around. This is then compacted. And flattened, but you have to incorporate a slight gradient in the leveling process towards your drain in order for the rain to run into. There wouldnt be much point in a perfectly, horizontal area to allow the rain to form puddles.
This area is being prepared to pour a 4 concrete base directly over the rubble. Again depending on the size, really determines whether or not you should incorporate re-enforcing rod, also known as re-bar. This is simply ” steel rod interwoven, and positioned on top before the concrete is poured. For an area of less than 6 its not really necessary.
Whenever you cast a base, or make provisions for a stone base, the principals remain the same. Your perimeter is marked out, and with the use of 6×4 timber, you make a frame that will contain your concrete mix, until it sets. The size of slab will also determine whether or not the need for expansion joints.
If you wanted paving stones instead of concrete, you would cover the rubble with 2 of building sand, and make sure it was compact. Once your sand is flat, you merely have to place the paving stones in the pattern of your choice. Once you have your area covered, make a dry mix of sand & cement and with the aid of a soft brush, gently fill all the joints. The damp air will later cure your mix.
