A Patio Makeover

Landscape Smart : Episode LDS-604 -- More Projects »
PHOTO

With a little effort and a surprisingly small amount of money, this bare patio will be transformed into a great-looking place to entertain.
Jennifer Fernandez, a San Francisco Bay homeowner, would like a new patio. She spends a lot of time in the backyard and wants to find a way to dress it up without spending a lot of money.

"I've heard about patio resurfacing and that's something that I'd really like to do," she tells Landscape Smart host Ken Bastida. He introduces her to landscape designer Diane Bloom, who suggests using colored concrete and adding a winding flagstone path to dress things up.

Bloom advises that you should start with concrete that's already in pretty good shape so that your new patio will be smooth. And she says the best part is the cost: you can expect to pay less than $1000 versus the cost of professional installation--around $5000. Neither estimate includes plants.

The patio can be completed in about two weekends, but the project is fairly labor-intensive, so it's rated a 4 on the difficulty scale, with 5 being the hardest. Bloom suggests you hire a professional to pour the concrete and get a friend to help lay the flagstone for the path.

Step One: Building the Forms

The first step is preparing the old patio for the new concrete. Start by building the forms for the new patio to add height along the patio's perimeter. Use 2x4s to raise the level--here, two inches--to meet your existing patio. The additional height will help support the new layer of concrete. Be sure that when you raise the height, you don't end up blocking a doorway.

PHOTO

Figure A
Begin along edges that are open, or don't meet a wall. Make sure the edge is smooth by removing any nails that might be sticking out. Set 2x4 planks along the edge of the patio and stake them securely in place (figure A). Adjust the 2x4s so they measure two inches above the patio surface and then screw the stakes into the boards. Once your perimeter is complete, move on to the center of the patio. If you have anything embedded in your patio, remove it with a pick ax.
PHOTO

Figure B
Now you're ready to add a fun dimension to your new patio. To get the curved look of this patio you need to use some bender board (figure B). It's made of plastic, so it's flexible, and it's available at any building supply store. Use landscaper's spray paint to lay out the new look. Set the bender board in a curving shape. Then drive in stakes about every 18 inches around the board to help it maintain its shape. Once you're satisfied with the shape, level your bender board with the patio, and raise the height of the form two inches. Finally, screw the stakes into the bender board to secure the form. Don't worry if you don't like your first try at adding curves. Simply cover it with dirt and try again.

Step Two: Reinforcing the Patio

PHOTO

Figure C
PHOTO

Figure D
You need to take steps to stabilize the new concrete that will be poured on top of the old concrete pad. To do this, drive foot-long, 3/8-inch rebar, about every 18-inches, into the spaces in the old concrete to prevent shifting or cracking (figure C). Next, lay down your reinforced wire mesh in strips measured to the correct width or length of your patio. If you run into steps or other obstacles, simply lay out your mesh, measure where you need to trim, and cut with a circular saw. (The saw can be rented for about $30 a day.) Be sure to cover your new patio extension with the wire, cutting it to shape with the saw (figure D).
PHOTO

Figure E
PHOTO

Figure F
Next, tie all those pieces of wire mesh together with metal ties to guarantee they won't shift (figure E), and lay in your ten-foot rebar parallel to the wire in your mesh (figure F). Add that same rebar in those spaces in the concrete. Connect it all with the wire ties. Before you pour the concrete, it's time to set in the flagstone.

Step Three: Placing the Flagstone

Bloom is using three-rivers flagstone, which she likes because the combination of colors in the flagstone will pick up colors from the garden. She's using the same flagstone to resurface the steps that lead from the house to the patio.

Make sure your surface is clean and concentrate on one piece of flagstone at a time.

PHOTO

Figure G
Start at the steps and mark where you want to cut the flagstone, allowing for a two-inch extension beyond the step. This flagstone piece will need to be even with the flagstone that will face the riser. Use a circular saw with a diamond blade to make the cut, then make the final break with a chisel and mallet. Lay your first piece in place, and continue creating your pattern as if you were building a flagstone puzzle (figure G). Once the flagstone is laid out on the steps, it's time to move on to the path.
PHOTO

Figure H
Choose the first piece of flagstone--Bloom recommends using a large piece to give the sense of firm footing. Then determine where you want to place the rest of the flagstones (figure H). Remember to make the path wide enough to be in proportion with the size of your patio. Mix the sizes and shapes to make it interesting and pleasing to the eye. Now you're ready to choose plants for the patio area.

Planting Plan

The homeowner wants color and a feeling of warmth and coziness so people will be drawn to this spot and want to spend a lot of time there. Bloom will fill in the back bed with plenty of greenery and add lots of interesting potted plants to the patio that can be easily rearranged if Fernandez decides she wants a different look. She adds shade-loving, taller plants to the barest areas between the windows, and medium-sized shrubs in the bed below the windows. She also arranges groups of potted plants in spots around the patio to add fun and plenty of color. She chooses:

  • Camellia (Camellia x vernalis), 'Hiryu', Zones 7 - 8
  • Fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum), Zones 9 - 10
  • Flowering maple (Abutilon), 'Souvenir de Bonn', Zones 9 - 10
  • Chinese foxglove (Rehmannia elata), Zones 9 - 10

Step Four: Pouring the Patio

PHOTO

Figure I
You need to mortar your stones in place before you're ready for the new concrete. Carefully mortar one piece of flagstone at a time. Once you have a few pieces in, make sure each stone is level with the ones around it. Add just enough water to the mortar to keep it thick and smooth (figure I). Beginning at the steps, remove a stepping stone, and clean the area with a damp sponge. Apply the mortar to the step with a trowel and spread it about one-inch thick.

Then lay your flagstone back in place, leaving one- to two-inch gaps between the stones, which you'll grout later. Tap the stones into place and check the level as you go along. Continue on to the flagstone path, applying a three-inch thick layer of mortar under the larger stones. Let your mortar set for 24 hours, and then you're ready for the concrete pour.

PHOTO

Figure J
Depending on the size of your patio, you may want to order your concrete pre-mixed and hire a machine pumper and hose. Bloom says it's best to order 48 hours in advance, and recommends that you take this step. It'll save you--and the friends you get to help--a lot of time and backaches. Before beginning the pour, hard-hose the surface, mopping up any standing water. Apply a bonding agent (figure J) to help the new concrete adhere to the old--you can choose a type that is sprayed on or a type that's painted on--Bloom says either is fine.
PHOTO

Figure K
PHOTO

Figure L
Work from one end of the patio, and distribute the concrete with a shovel. Then, use a 2x4 to level the surface (figure K). In smaller areas, use a trowel to smooth the concrete. Don't worry if the concrete covers the flagstones; you can wash them off before the concrete dries. After the entire surface is covered, clean the flagstones with a wet sponge and smooth the entire area with a bull float (figure L) that you can rent from a tool supply store for about $9 a day. Let the concrete set for about three days before you start to grout the steps.
Use a tinted mortar to match the concrete, then fill in the gaps with the mortar and a trowel (figure M). Wipe the excess grout off the flagstones with a damp sponge. Let it all dry overnight and you're done!

Photo

Figure M
Photo

Fernandez is pleased with her new patio. She tells Bloom and Bastida: "I can't wait to invite people over."

Guests
Diane Bloom
Landscape Designer, Bloom Gardens
642 38th St.
Richmond, CA 94805
Phone: 510-234-5196
Fax: 510-237-4931
Also in this Episode
Landscape Smart : Episode LDS-604
•A Patio Makeover