concreting back yard

countrywoman

we have a very large area at the back of our house, it would cost too much to pave it with patio slabs even though this would be my first choice, so we are going to concrete it.
the area will be a patio area, place to park the car and area for kids to ride around on bikes etc.

i'm just wondering if anyone has concrete out back and if it is easy enough to maintain and i'm also looking for ideas to accesorise the area. i'm definitely going to buy some pots and plant up with nice flowers i would also like to separate the area where we will have the patio furniture and bbq from the rest of the area.

thanks

Goodne

Hi, I completely concreted my back garden because it was just a soggy mess that you couldn't go into. Close to the door I have a red patio area that breaks up the area. The concrete down the side of the house was done last year & its slightly rough & I find that bit hard to clean whereas the rest is much smoother & a brush on a wet day keeps it clean. I have lots of pots of flowers & a couple of raised veg borders that add colour to it.

DELTATIP

just an idea ?

would it be an idea to put down a decortive crushed stone ?

massey woman

Sounds like a job for Nida Gravel

countrywoman

thanks a million for the replies

goodne...thats what i was hoping to hear!!

deltatip - i'm not really fond of crushed stone, cos the kids re small and i think a smoother surface would be best

massey woman - whats nida gravel?

rancher

Did you consider marked concrete, it's put down same as concrete, then marked like crazy paving or brick paving or any pattern you wish. You can also put a dye in it
Look it up, its called MATCRETE, you'll get it on google.

Sonnenblumen

countrywoman wrote: »

we have a very large area at the back of our house, it would cost too much to pave it with patio slabs even though this would be my first choice, so we are going to concrete it.
the area will be a patio area, place to park the car and area for kids to ride around on bikes etc.

i'm just wondering if anyone has concrete out back and if it is easy enough to maintain and i'm also looking for ideas to accesorise the area. i'm definitely going to buy some pots and plant up with nice flowers i would also like to separate the area where we will have the patio furniture and bbq from the rest of the area.

thanks

Concrete areas are easy to maintain, the problem is that the finish is usually (especially with larger areas) are cold, boring and uninviting.

You have several ways of improving a basic open expanse of concrete which might otherwise appear drab and uninviting. Consider means to making the space more attractive, including demarkating different areas with borders filled with cobble/stone trims set in the concrete. Trellis screening is an ideal and cost effective means of creating compartments ie to separate Patio and Play areas. Raised Planter beds are also a useful means of separating space as well as providing ample room for plants to thrive and requiring less attention than pots/planters will require. Also think about the layout, you do not necessarily need to go end to end or wall to wall with concrete, consider developing shape which will be practical to use but appealing to look at and use.

Unless you intend to create a farmyard, concrete is quite flexible to facilitating an interesting layout.

countrywoman

wow SB.........you have given me loads to think about

i love the idea of raised planters and developing a shape with the concrete

i'm looking forward to coming up with some plans now

cheers

countrywoman

SB, are there any websites that i could look at that have some of the things you mention in them?

thanks

Sonnenblumen

Plenty to see on my own website including Blog area.

countrywoman

oh thanks...i'll have a look. i'm still kinda new here so tryiong to find my way around the boards

thanks again!

countrywoman

SBlummen...i spent hours last night looking through your website, it is absolutely fantastic, i've gotten bucket loads of ideas....now all i need is a bucket load of money!!!

thanks very much!!

Sonnenblumen

countrywoman wrote: »

SBlummen...i spent hours last night looking through your website, it is absolutely fantastic, i've gotten bucket loads of ideas....now all i need is a bucket load of money!!!

thanks very much!!

Hi Countrywoman

I'm delighted you found our website useful and thank you for your kind feedback. Our site is updated continuously as new projects are completed etc.

We've many exciting projects to do in 2011, so be sure to check in to see some more inspiring examples!:D

ronald reagan

hi sb, whats the website called?

nev mind found it in the sticky

Antiquo

countrywoman wrote: »

we have a very large area at the back of our house, it would cost too much to pave it with patio slabs even though this would be my first choice, so we are going to concrete it.
the area will be a patio area, place to park the car and area for kids to ride around on bikes etc.

i'm just wondering if anyone has concrete out back and if it is easy enough to maintain and i'm also looking for ideas to accesorise the area. i'm definitely going to buy some pots and plant up with nice flowers i would also like to separate the area where we will have the patio furniture and bbq from the rest of the area.

thanks

Properly laid concrete will need to have an equally properly laid foundation. Likewise a patio needs a well laid foundation therfore I would not jump to the concrete as the cheaper alternative as it could end up costing the same as laying a patio. Cheap concrete with poor foundations will crack in no time simply through frost heave let alone traffic.

Also when you do decide on patio or concrete please be aware that any external hard surface must be 150mm below the DPC or Damp Proof Course in your external walls. At absolute minimum this can be 75mm but do not let the groundworks contractor tell you any different and that you can have it flush to your existing interior floor level etc.

I have seen far too many hard landscaping being laid flush to existing interior floor level and serious ingress of damp has occurred because of it.

Particularly noticeable with wooden flooring which expands visibly identifying the problem sooner more so than carpeting which tends to go un-noticed for longer.

The homeowners have been told all kinds or rubbish about stones being laid around the exterior will drain water away, there's a good fall from the house, etc. Its not just the standing water but also the splash that ocurrs when rain hits the hard standing and is played onto the wall.

Sometimes the homeowner asks for the paving to be flush and they are not disuaded or informed of the issues that can arise because of this for fear of losing a sale. Other times laying it flush suits the contractor as they don't have to remove soil to get down to correct levels.

Sonnenblumen

^^^^

Antiquo

lots of can't do, don't do this, don't do that etc etc feedback. Full of negativity? Reminds of the fear of perimeter planting, which is common in Europe but rare in British Isles? Why, Oh the damp, the damp!! Absolute nonsense.

Granted house construction and design is more sophisticated in Europe, at least we can aspire to similar planting creativity and associated standards.

Poor workmanship like poor advice has the same effect. There are many safe ways of providing a safe and seamless transition from house to patio areas, without any risk or fear of water ingress.

BTW, how does the exterior wall cope with driving rain above DPC? I absolutely agree with the importance of safeguarding wooden floor areas against water penetrating at/below DPC line. That does not mean it isn't possible.

There are significant cost differences between a concrete finish and paved patios, and of course proper groundworks/foundations are a pre-requisite.