For questions generally relating to outdoor ground-level flooring areas such as patios.
18
votes
1answer
817 views
How to add on to a concrete patio?
I would like to add on to my existing concrete patio with more concrete. I will about double the size of the patio.
My question is, should I have the new patio free floating from the existing or ...
6
votes
5answers
10k views
How do I prevent water from collecting against side of house?
Our house has a concrete patio (I'd say about 12' x 10') in the back that is very slightly angled in so that rainfall can cause water to collect where the patio meets the back wall of the house. What ...
6
votes
3answers
4k views
What should the ratio of crushed rock and sand for a paver patio be?
In effort to find a good answer I've been all over the internet looking for an answer to exactly how thick of a layer of crushed rock and how thick of a layer of sand to use for a patio. Or at the ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
Should I supporting a load via anchors in brick or mortar?
I'm attempting to hang window flower boxes (a metal frame with a moss/fabric insert, filled with dirt/flowers/water for a total weight of about 15 lbs) on a brick wall.
An example of a similar metal ...
6
votes
1answer
188 views
Will I have problems from waiting to grout patio tiles?
I laid porcelain tiles on my patio a couple months ago. Life and weather has kept me from grouting the tile.
Is a couple months between laying the tile and grouting too long? What problems are ...
6
votes
1answer
114 views
Selecting a sliding patio door
I live in the Boulder Colorado area where we have hot intense sunny summer days, and below zero freezing winter nights. We are planning to install a sliding patio door in a south facing full sun area. ...
5
votes
2answers
3k views
What kind of paver edging should be used that won't show when completed?
I have a patio in progress. Currently I've got a big square hole with a few inches of gravel in it. The top surface of the gravel is about 2 inches below the ground, so most likely the pavers will ...
5
votes
2answers
120 views
What are the drawbacks of putting down pavers for an alley without a sub-surface?
I have a 5' x 20' alleyway whose only real purpose is to hold the trash bins and maybe a deckbox, so it sees little traffic. The problem is that in order to do it "right" I'll be spending around $600 ...
5
votes
2answers
137 views
Got too aggressive with steel wool on pavers, how can I make this look right?
A friend of mine suggested using steel wool to remove stains from paver stones. This turned out to be a pretty dumb thing to do. Many of the pavers have been obviously smoothed out and the color is ...
5
votes
1answer
1k views
what is the best way to restore teak outdoor furniture?
What is the best way to restore outdoor teak furniture to the original or better looking color? Teak is so beautiful when it has not been weathered. But after a few years in the rain and sun, it ...
4
votes
5answers
1k views
What is a cheap patio solution for a muddy area in my backyard?
I have an area just at the end of my current patio that I have tried to grow grass in for a few years with no luck. The area is heavily shaded, it is between two large maples. Plus I have two large ...
4
votes
1answer
586 views
How to cut Patio Pavers
I would like to lay patio pavers for a patio in a diagonal fashion. I would like to know what kind of tool I should use to cut the pavers in half. They are about 2" thick, and I'd like to not use ...
4
votes
1answer
339 views
How do I repair the bottom lip of a concrete slab?
(My issue is kind of like this question but more of a missing chunk than a thin crack.)
I have a concrete patio in the front of my house that was fixed by a previous owner after a bottom chunk broke ...
3
votes
2answers
3k views
How do I seal seams between bricks on a patio without using sand?
I have a patio that's made of bricks with fine sand filling the gaps. This is turning out to be a maintenance hassle. Every time the kid or dog gets mud or crud on the patio I hose it off and manage ...
3
votes
2answers
275 views
Does polymeric sand make patio repairs impossible?
One of the contractors bidding on my concrete-paver patio said that using polymeric sand between pavers makes repairs impossible. I will need to make small repairs to this patio since the posts of an ...
3
votes
2answers
722 views
How much compaction should I get from crushed rock?
I was in the middle of moving rock into the patio area till the wee hour of midnight last night when I realized I knew my 4" mark for the paver base depth. But I have no idea how much the base is ...
3
votes
2answers
207 views
Will rubber pavers hold up against Wisconsin winters?
I'm planning on redoing all of my walkways as well as a small patio in the back yard. I'm trying to decide between concrete with exposed aggregate or rubber pavers. The whole market for rubber ...
3
votes
3answers
701 views
Can I lay pavers over a concrete patio?
I have a concrete patio in my backyard that's in pretty good condition. We don't like how it looks, so we'd like to cover it up with brick or pavers. Looking online, it appears that most people ...
3
votes
2answers
122 views
Can I build a 28" retaining wall using blocks with no lip?
I am building a wall that is 10.5' long and 28" high. There will also be side walls sloping down from both corners to enclose a patio. I would like to use blocks that are 15" wide, 5" tall and 8" ...
3
votes
1answer
398 views
The mortar between my patio bricks is crumbling away
The bricks on my front porch have some sort of mortar that crumbles away more and more every time I pull a weed from it. You could pick this stuff away with an awl but it is not just sand that you ...
2
votes
1answer
343 views
Repair a popped up brick in an otherwise level brick patio
My brick patio is very level. Unfortunately, a nearby tree has sent a root that is now causing a brick to pop up. Before the issue spreads I'd like to pry the brick up and remove the offending root. ...
2
votes
1answer
256 views
Where can I store outdoor patio or deck furniture over the winter?
I have a variety of plastic / wood / metal patio furniture that I am looking to store over the winter.
Unfortunately, I don't have space inside to store it.
We usually see temperatures of about 10 ...
2
votes
1answer
180 views
How can I make a park bench more sturdy?
I purchased a park bench for my patio
But it's a little on the flimsy side and I'm afraid someone is going to throw themselves down on it and it's going to break. In what way can I strengthen the ...
1
vote
2answers
804 views
How do I measure a standard sliding glass door?
We are going to hire somebody to replace our sliding glass patio door. Its a standard sliding glass patio door, similar looking to this:
I am going to buy the replacement door at auction, but ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
Why should I not use standard “house” bricks for a patio?
I'm looking to put in a brick patio and have been really wanting to do it with reclaimed road bricks. The problem here is sourcing enough to do an entire 18x18 patio and not spending a months salary ...
1
vote
1answer
455 views
What type of block should I use for a small retaining wall?
I am just starting on a new project to build a small 10 x 10 patio in the front of my house. The 10 x 10 area is not level with the front left corner sloping down about 8 to 10 inches compared to the ...
1
vote
1answer
163 views
Does concrete sealant slow the growth of moss?
Does sealant like Thompson's WaterSeal slow the growth of moss on concrete? I live in the rainy Pacific Northwest and moss and mold are regular problems.
1
vote
2answers
434 views
How do I handle a transition from concrete to dirt underneath a flagstone patio?
I had a pool installed a few years ago and the builder threw in a narrow concrete patio around it. See fuzzy picture below (sorry about that. Google earth must be a little tipsy tonight).
So now ...
1
vote
0answers
57 views
Can brick patio and walk edging be removed without damaging the edging?
The original installed patio and walk plastic edging around my brick pavers has become dislodged and is above the lawn line in some places. Can those places or all of the edging be removed and will ...
0
votes
2answers
2k views
What are my refinishing options for a concrete patio?
I have an external concrete patio, about 3 years old. I'm wondering if there are any finishing or refinishing options to make it look a little better than just boring 'ole concrete.
0
votes
1answer
350 views
How to ensure proper drainage in a back yard
Most homes in the Phoenix Metro area have slump block walls around separating the side and back yards. My house has a small side yard with a grass area and the back area is red brick on half and a ...
0
votes
1answer
167 views
How to remove bird droppings from woven patio furniture?
We have a set of patio furniture with a steel frame, but a loosely woven cloth seating surface. Since we live in a very wooded area, a chair was recently dive-bombed. I have a bucket and scrub-brush - ...
