Tile-Inlaid Patio

To provide a perfectly proportioned addition to the space that also complements the style of the home, landscape design consultant Hilary Recesso creates a patio design that features tinted concrete and inlaid tile, making a unique statement. Around the patio's borders Recesso will add a variety of plants that provide plenty of color and texture and soften the patio's edges.

A professional installation of this project would generally cost around $4,000, but Recesso says a do-it-yourselfer could purchase the materials for about $1,000 (not including plants). On a difficulty scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the hardest, Recesso rates this project a 3 and says the most difficult step is creating forms for the concrete. She estimates that the average homeowner could complete the work in about two weekends.

The first step is setting expansion board against the foundation of the house using concrete nails and a nail gun to secure it (figure A). The board will keep the concrete from cracking as it expands and contracts. The crew attaches the board to the the spot where the grade should be set.

The frames are constructed with 2x4 boards that are attached to pre-drilled concrete stakes (figure B). The crew hammers in the first stake to anchor the board, making sure the boards are straight by pulling a string line across the board (figure C). They will use the string as a guide while they hammer in the rest of the stakes.

Once the framing is complete, crew members fill the bed with road base, an angular gravel used in road construction (available in building-supply stores). Then they pour it in and rake it out using a tamp to compact the base (figure D).

To prevent the patio from pulling away from the house, the crew hammers two foot rebar stubs into the expansion board. They measure the area where they will be pouring the concrete, then cut some rebar to fit and lay it in a grid (figure E). The grid is connected with tie wire (figure F).

Step Two: Pouring Concrete

Landscape contractor Randy Shadrick recommends hiring a pumper to bring in the concrete, which eliminates the backbreaking work of hauling the mix in a wheelbarrow a little at a time. He explains that this arrangement can be set up when the concrete is ordered from the mixer. The pumper uses a hose connected to a cement truck to fill the framework with concrete. If you follow the lead of these homeowners, you can also have color added to your concrete when it's being mixed.

As the pumper pours the concrete into the frame, workers use a 2x6 to smooth it in place. They continue smoothing the surface with a bull float. Then they cut a border into the concrete with an edging tool. It will take 24 hours for the concrete to set up, then it's time to add the tile.

Step Three: Planting Plan

While the crew is busy adding the patio's finishing touches, Recesso implements the planting plan. The homeowners want a low-maintenance yet colorful garden, and Recesso chooses a variety of contemporary plants that are frequently used in landscaping. Featured varieties include:

• Japanese anemone (Anemone japonica 'Mona Lisa'), Zones 4-8
• Penstemon 'Chester Scarlet', Zones 6-9
• Hydrangea macrophylla, Zones 6-9
• Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha), Zones 10-11

Recesso chooses 12 x 12 mosaic tiles to match the Craftsman style of the home. To add the tiles, the crew fills the gaps left for the tiles with some ready-mix concrete, then trowels to a smooth finish. They blend a thin set mortar mix to a thick but spreadable consistency and apply with a notched trowel. Next they set the tile firmly on the mortar and use a scrap piece of wood to set the corners and edges firmly in place (figure K). The tile will set in 24 hours, then the crew applies grout. Grout is spread all over the tile with a rubber float, and all the spaces between the tiles and the patio are filled. The crew lets the grout set 15 to 30 minutes and wipes the excess off with a sponge.

The concrete is sealed with a penetrating, water-based sealant, which is applied with a hand pump. When the sealant dries, the patio is finished.