What To Consider When Installing A Concrete Patio

22 November 2021 by Marvin Carroll

Are you going to have a concrete patio poured for the first time but don't know much about it? If so, it will help to consider the following things regarding this backyard home improvement project.

Know How The Downspouts Will Be Handled

If you currently have downspouts that empty out into the area where your patio is located, you'll need to figure out what you want to do with them. Nobody wants a downspout extender to go across their entire patio, which is something that will get in the way and be tripped over. 

Ask your concrete contractors about burying that downspout pipe underneath the patio and installing a pop-up drain in your yard. This allows all that runoff from your roof to travel underneath the concrete and empty out into a pit in the ground with a gravel base so you never see that downspout extension again. 

Decide On The Shape Of The Patio

One of the nice things about poured concrete is that you can have it form practically any shape that you want. This means that you don't have to go with traditional 90-degree corners but can use curved shapes to make the space a bit more elegant. Consider sketching out your designs for the shape of the patio so that they can be presented to your concrete contractor. They can then mark the ground before they start prepping the area so that you know the exact shape of the concrete patio surface.

Consider Conduit For Cables

Do you have cables that are buried underground that run into your home, and they are right underneath where the patio will go? This can include low voltage cables for outdoor lighting or fibre internet cables. Don't make the mistake of burying these bare cables under the patio, because you'll never be able to replace them if they become damaged. 

Install a conduit made out of PVC plastic that runs underneath the patio. This will allow you to properly run cables to your home that are buried underground, and make it easy to change the cables later if necessary.

Decide On Stamped Concrete

A nice way to transform the look of a concrete patio is with stamped concrete. A pattern will be put into the top of the concrete that helps replicate the look of stone, and colour will be applied on top as well. This can make a boring slab of concrete look like beautiful stone. 

Contact a residential concrete contractor near you to learn more.

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