Concrete vs Non-Concrete for Patio
We have a 12′ x 12′ area in the back that we want to make into a patio. The space is by the house and it’s had drainage issues. We’ve recently added an area drain and graded it so it’s pitched away from the house. Rain definitely drains much better but the contractor wants to…
We have a 12′ x 12′ area in the back that we want to make into a patio. The space is by the house and it’s had drainage issues. We’ve recently added an area drain and graded it so it’s pitched away from the house. Rain definitely drains much better but the contractor wants to put in a 4″ slab of concrete as an added precaution for around 3k. I’d like to avoid too much concrete in the yard. Bluestone or something similar is more appealing
to me.
Is there anything that works as well as concrete for water drainage?
Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
If you notice that the area seems to collect standing water real fast, and if you haven’t done so already, maybe an impromtu survey of surrounding properties would be good to see if they’re at higher elevations. It depends on how fast your area reaches full soil saturation. If all else fails maybe a raised deck will keep you above the floodwaters.
concrete is seriously fugly.. bluestone, brick ,belgian block,slate get my vote.. they can all be laid at a pich to a drain
A mason who’s worth his/her salt can put down a gorgeous bluestone (or any stone, paver, etc., that you chose) and pitch it so it drains away from the house. And they can employ stone dust as a base (with mason’s sand on top at end to ‘lock-in’ block) that’ll hold great, stay level, not allow for weed growth and not have to use concrete/mortar.
I’ve done 3-4 of these with a friend who is a mason and they’ve come out great—just takes know-how and labor and looks exponentially better than a concrete slab.
Totally agree. No concrete. Permeable pavers on gravel base even better for drainage.
Forget concrete, and forget that tasteless contractor. Bluestone has so much more character, and with unmortared joints, a small amount of rain seeps in (a good thing for the earth) and with your area drain for the rest, the situation seems ideal. I’ve overseen the installation of two bluestone patios employing the precise, efficient labor of licensed contractor Hamid Construction. Call Hamid at 917 684 2428.