Patio Problems: 5 Common Patio Mistakes To Avoid
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Patios can make excellent social spaces in a backyard. However, it’s important that you carefully consider the design and upkeep of your patio to make sure it’s a fun and functional space. Below are a few mistakes to avoid when setting up and looking after your patio.
Forgetting about the sun
Too many people build a patio in the shadiest area of their backyard. While this may keep you cool on a hot summer’s day, there may be cooler days when you want to feel the heat and catch a tan. To help you enjoy the sun, consider the part of your backyard that receives the most sunlight throughout the day and build your patio there. You can always add patio umbrellas or a retractable awning to give you the option of shade when you desire it.
Overlooking drainage
Another common mistake that people make when building a patio is making it completely level, when in fact there should be a slight slope to encourage rain to runoff. If you don’t consider drainage, puddles will form on your patio. Make sure that your patio slopes away from your property so that it doesn’t damage your foundations - you could consider sloping it towards a pond or French drains.
Choosing the wrong furniture
When it comes to choosing the best outdoor patio furniture, you should consider factors such as the local climate, how easily you want to be able to move furniture and the overall style you want to achieve with your backyard. Wrought iron furniture is ideal for windswept patio areas because it won’t blow away and has an ornate feel that suits historic homes, but its heaviness means that it is very difficult to reposition, plus it needs to be well maintained to stop it rusting. Synthetic wicker furniture on the other hand is very easy to reposition and won’t get damaged by rain while providing a modern touch - however, it is not suitable for homes that experience high winds as this furniture will easily blow away.
Providing no heating or lighting
You should be able to enjoy your patio not just during the day but after dark too. This is hard to do if you don’t have any outdoor lighting or heating. Setting up some string lighting or solar lanterns could help to illuminate your patio so that you can still use it in the evening. An electric patio heater or a chiminea could meanwhile help keep your patio warm on a cool night.
Not maintaining your patio
Patios need to be regularly cleaned to keep them looking attractive and to keep them safe. Over time, your patio paving slabs will start to get dirty and you may experience weeds growing between some of the slabs. Take the time to annually clean your patio and de-weed it - using a pressure washer is the best way to do this. During fall, you may also want to sweep away any fallen leaves to stop it getting slippery - especially if you have to walk on your patio to access your backyard.
