How to Remodel a Patio
The order the work happens in, and what to settle before anything is ordered. Paving, edges and drainage — then it is a room.
BeforeAfter
- 1
Work out what the room has to do
A patio remodel is a surface and a boundary. The paving format sets the character, the edge detail decides whether it looks finished, and the fall decides whether it is usable the day after rain.
- 2
Decide what is actually changing
On this project the work touches paving material and format, edging and borders, levels and drainage falls, built-in seating or walls — and often planting at the edges and lighting. Settling that list first is what stops a remodel growing sideways once it has started.
- 3
Hold the dimensions
Whatever the finishes, these do not move. Fall away from the house at roughly 1:80 — flat paving holds water against the wall. Keep the paved surface at least 6in below any damp course. A dining patio needs 12×12ft to hold a six-seat table with chairs out.
- 4
Plan the light before the finishes
Wash the boundaries rather than the middle. Lighting the walls and planting that surround a patio makes it feel like a room; lighting the paving itself makes it feel like a car park.
- 5
Check it against the room you have
Photograph the space and render it before anything is ordered. A Standard run costs 4 credits and a new account starts with 4, so the whole thing can be seen before a single decision is paid for.
Questions
- What should I decide first in a patio remodel?
- A patio remodel is a surface and a boundary. The paving format sets the character, the edge detail decides whether it looks finished, and the fall decides whether it is usable the day after rain.
- What goes wrong most often?
- A patio laid dead level, so it puddles and stains. Paving brought up above the damp course.
- Will it work in a small patio?
- On a small patio, run the paving in one direction and take it right to the boundary. Borders and inset patterns eat the area visually and make a modest patio look smaller than it is.
- Can I see it on my own patio before starting?
- Yes — photograph the space and run it through the Studio. It is generated imagery, so compare the render against your photo rather than treating it as a plan.