BUILDING A GARDEN PATIO

Building a garden patio with brick or stone pavers is probably the best way to accomplish any patio project. Laying the correct patio can be a relaxing and idylic retreat for those lazy summer days, but that's why it is important that you make the right choice. That means you have to make sure it is ideally positioned in your garden.

You should not erect/build your patio in an area where it will be isolated, but consider to build it in an area with the best views. This means that the positioning is especially important, I would place my patio in a positioned where I get the sun and a degree of privacy! But this is personal preference and is upto you and your lifestyle.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL CONCRETE PATIO OR BRICK?

To build a garden patio can be very satisfying and look really good. The work is fairly straightforward if you are relatively decent with your hands. The first and foremost points to remember are good planning and preparation, without the two you will find the project harder than you expected and your results will be sub-standard.

Remember to look at the positioning of the sun, not a massive point but none the less a factor worth considering! Check out your landscape, have you got any trees obstructing the light?

YOUR CHOICE

The patio can be many shapes and designs, but if you're not confident, then it is probably best to have a square patio, although a circular one is also possible, but you would have to start cutting bricks. Circular patios can be purchased from most do-it-yourself stores and at reasonable prices.

Don't forget that you will need at least two inches on the edges to place brick edging. Clear the area you have chosen by digging it out to a depth of about 8/9 inches. Make a frame up the same size as your project and place it around the edges. Don't forget you will need to put a slight slope onto your patio to enable rainwater to run freely off. Make sure you run the slope off in the opposite direction of the house and below any damp courses!

After this you should now do a run with your bricks just to make sure everything is lined up and going to fit.

PRACTICAL GUIDE

Pour Lime Stone or any hardcore aggregate into the area to a depth of about 5/6 inches. When the area is covered with this you need to tamper it down ideally with a whacker plate. Alternatively, get a plank of wood about 8" wide by 3" thick and as long as needed and simply place it across the hardcore and hit it down with a lump hammer.

Once this procedure is completed you now need to place a weed blanket over the area to protect your patio from weeds growing up through the surface. Now you can pour your sand and it must be a minimum of 2/3 inches deep. You now need a screed to level the sand , check for a good level up against your framework.

START LAYING BRICKS

At this stage you can begin to lay your brick. Make sure you have a line to keep you on the straight and narrow. Keep checking for level as you go along laying your bricks. Always start at a corner and work your way along, you will need a rubber mallet at this point to gently tapp the bricks into place whilst using a spirit level for trueness.

Assuming you will be using standard 4 x 8 bricks at 2 inches thick, you can continue with the weave pattern this pattern looks good and is very effective because it interlocks the bricks very well and makes for a stronger job! Once your bricks are laid you need to put sand on top and sweep this into the cracks and crevices.

SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE VIEW

If you are using paving slabs then the principles are basically the same. But remember to continuously check for the right level, using pavers will probably be quicker but visually just as effective. Any cutting you need to do can be done with either a grinder, hammer and chisel or a brick splitter, I recommend purchasing a simple brick/paving slab splitter.

By: Dane Plant
http://buymyworld.com

Your garden patio is the one place that can offer you, at the same time, the feeling of home and the joy of being surrounded by the clean, pure environment and beautiful nature. Garden patio is that place that can have multiple roles, the place that can, at the same time, gather the entire family or provide a quiet moment of relaxation for you.

A Space for Relaxation and Quality Times in Your Garden Patio.
Nowadays, people tend to have busy, even overwhelming lives with a multitude of daily activities, both professional and personal activities that can be quite tiring. In this context, people like you need a place where they can relax and enjoy the quietness and peace that nature can provide – and the perfect place is the garden and patio. But in order to fully benefit from actual relaxation sessions in your garden patio, you need to furnish it and to decorate it in an optimum manner, trying to create a welcoming outdoor patio space.

Efficient Tips on How to Create a Private and Welcoming Space.
How can you create a place of relaxation, a place of calmness? First of all, you need to find a corner of your garden patio that can provide the privacy and intimacy you need. A shaded corner is the best choice, a corner surrounded by trees or flowers – you can also find such a place in case you have an orchard. In case your garden patio has a water source, try to create your private area near the water, since it is a known fact that the sound of water has a calming, relaxing effect. You can also consider building a fountain or a patio design and landscape that includes a fountain, in order to fully benefit from your relaxation sessions in your outdoor patio.

As a next step, you need to opt for a patio floor or deck. When choosing the materials in order to create that desirable ambient, you should mainly focus on the natural materials, such as massive wood or stone pavers. All types of natural, non-fabricated materials induce a positive energy that can help you find peace and calm in your garden patio.

The same rule applies when choosing the patio furniture pieces, regardless is talking about patio sets, patio tables or patio chairs: the materials should be as natural as possible, in their original natural colors. In order to create a welcoming private space, you should choose a patio table as a central piece – a low, round table with massive wooden legs is ideal in order to create the outdoor patio space you want. You can also choose multiple small coffee tables that you can place near your lounge chair or near a swing chair. But in order to enhance this entire decor, you need colored patio cushions, cushions that you can place on the patio chairs or even on the patio deck.

In order to create an even more welcoming environment, you can add various flower pots with green plants or vases with spring, wild flowers and place them on the small tables or on the patio deck. Candles and torches are other useful accessories that can induce a state of calmness and peace and that can help you relax in this beautiful outdoor decor. Enjoy!

By: Sam Butler
Sam Butler follows his passion in seeking new ways of adding to our life enjoyment. He finds a patio, an irresistible place in his new garden... Exciting Patios!

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