Six Key Considerations When Designing an Outdoor Patio Area

One of the most effective and aesthetically pleasing ways to expand your living space is to design and install an outdoor patio area. An outdoor patio isn’t just a small area to enjoy the summer; the patio is an extension of your living area and can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be.

Not only is a patio a wonderful place to spend pleasant days outside, but it will make your home that much more functional and add to its overall beauty. When you’re designing your dream patio, you’ll want to think about how you’ll use it, your budget, and how it will be styled to match your home’s decor.

Below are six key considerations when designing an outdoor patio area; for more information about patio construction, contact Rite Price Roofing at (08) 8348 5988 today.

Deciding On Your Location

When you’re choosing the site for your outdoor patio, you’ll want to ensure it’s in an area that has proper drainage. You don’t want it to be in a spot where standing water might accumulate as this can have a detrimental effect on the health of the patio’s structure over time and will certainly cause the need for early repairs.

When choosing your location, take the weather into consideration, especially if you live in an area that is subject to extreme weather conditions. If the patio is in direct sunlight during the summer, you may find that it can be too uncomfortable.

However, if you choose a location that’s in the shade much of the time, it will too cool to fully enjoy in the chilly times of the year. Either way, a poor choice of location will limit the amount of time you can spend outdoors.

You should also choose an area that has sufficient space to fully enjoy the benefits that come with outdoor living. If you plan on eating on your patio often as most homeowners who have patios do it should be in a spot that has convenient access to the kitchen.

If the patio will be adjacent to your swimming pool, it should be in a location where you can get undercover if the weather should change. Rainstorms can come out of nowhere and you want to be able to get inside quickly if necessary.

Before you start construction on your patio, think about what you’ll be using it for. If you live in an urban area and want more peace and solitude, you might choose a more private area.

However, if you plan to cook and entertain a lot, you’ll want easy access to your house. Finding the right balance is key to extracting the most enjoyment from your patio.

Getting the Necessary Permits

Another important step is to contact the authorities to ensure you’re in compliance with local building and zoning codes. If you live in Adelaide, you will almost certainly require some form of building permit to construct a patio.

You should also make sure to contact local utility and cable companies to determine the location of underground lines. These companies will send technicians to your property to mark the location of underground wires and cables prior to any digging.

Note that if you choose to work with Rite Price Roofing to construct your patio, we can advise you in this regard.

Designing Your Patio and its Layout

You can design your patio in any style and size that you want, as long as it’s within your budget. You’ll likely want the design to reflect the style of your home and your personal taste. Decorate with accessories including outdoor lighting that provide a relaxing atmosphere.

When you’re selecting outdoor furniture for your new space, you should take measurements before making any purchases to make sure everything fits well. Choose well-built furniture that compliments your home but will stand up well to weather conditions and a lot of use.

You can have a lot of flexibility when it comes to landscaping your new patio and surrounding space. Plant trees or ornamental shrubbery that are native to your area and will grow well.

You could build a retaining wall in the same materials as the patio and incorporate a floral border. Large containers of flowers or plants enhance your new space and will really brighten things up a bit.

Choosing the Building Materials

Brick and natural stone make excellent foundations, will last for a long time, and are sturdy enough for outdoor fireplaces and heavy furniture. Concrete is another versatile material because it’s easy to create unusual patterns and it’s available in an array of colours.

Wood is a favourite of many as it can be painted or stained to suit any motif. If your patio is large enough, you can use glass in a variety of tasteful ways that will add quite a bit of class to your overall design.

Waterproofing Your Patio

When you’re constructing your patio, make sure to leave sufficient space between the door leading outdoors and the floor of the patio. If there should be any water on the patio, you don’t want it seeping into your home.

If you choose to use concrete for the floor of the patio, make sure to use a water sealer that’s solvent-based, which will keep any water from penetrating into the floor.

Some homeowners are using porous permeable pavers, because water can drain right through the pores in the material. Again, if this all sounds like gibberish to you, give us a call.

Cost and Maintenance

When you design an outdoor patio area, you must take into consideration the initial cost of the project, which includes the construction, the outdoor furniture, lighting, accessories and landscaping the area.

Even if you manage to get your patio constructed in a way that it is shielded from the elements, a certain amount of maintenance will have to be done on a regular basis to keep your patio in good condition.

The maintenance that’s involved with your patio furniture depends on the materials used to construct it. Wicker, wood, metals, resin, and wrought iron are all maintained using different methods.

When you’re choosing the construction materials, furniture, and accessories, you may want to spend more initially, but it will be worth the investment over a long period of time.

For more information about patio construction in Adelaide, contact the experts at Rite Price Roofing at your convenience at (08) 8348 5988. We look forward to speaking with you!

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