patio design

Building a patio myself

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A patio seems like a fairly easy project to tackle for those that are handy.

Outdoor-Fireplace-with-pave

What are the pitfalls?

  1. Grading – knowing how to slope the patio and when you will need retaining wall block to keep the patio from falling or separating
  2. Materials – having the information on how much off the base to purchase and how to compact
  3. Design – to build a patio is just part of it, the proper design to accommodate what  you want to furnish or seat on the space is another part
  4. Finish – how to keep the weeds from growing up through the seams and to keep the patio from staining easily
  5. Warranty – when you build it yourself, you may end up doing it more than once which increases your costs!

Charlotte outdoor kitchen travertine patio

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Hardscape sitting walls, design and purpose

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With the absurd growth of paver and stone patios, the public is taking notice of features that accompany them. Whether it be an outdoor fireplace, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, or sitting walls.

The sitting walls serve multiple purposes. They are custom designed to meet function and aesthetics.

Paver Patio with ledge stone fire pit and sitting wall and a wood pergola with an outdoor kitchen in Ft. Mill, SC

 

At Archadeck of Charlotte, we typically design them to follow the soft curve or bay of a patio layout to add a “picture frame” or provide definition. They are commonly used as a space saver when we build a fire pit as shown above. We design them to be 18″ – 20″ tall, which matches the height of a typical chair you would sit in.

Other uses include the function of a barrier to water draining back onto the patio due to the grade of your land. In addition, they can be used as a combination of a retaining wall and a sitting wall. Go to archadeckofcharlotte.com to see a complete photo gallery of outdoor living space designs.

Archadeck of Charlotte designed and built this pave patio with paver steps and sitting walls

Archadeck of Charlotte designed and built this pave patio with paver steps and sitting walls

Why do weeds grow up through my paver patio?

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As a large design/ build firm that specializes in outdoor living spaces, one of the common concerns when considering a paver patio is the weed growth up through the sand joints and the overall maintenance.

Archadeck of Charlotte designed and built this decorative retaining wall and paver patio with paver steps

Archadeck of Charlotte designed and built this decorative retaining wall and paver patio with paver steps

When constructed properly, weeds will NOT grow up through the patio. When we refer to constructed properly, we mean to say the proper base of crushed stone, aggregate, and screening material that is tamped down into a hard base and then install the pavers with polymeric sand and allow it to harden.

If the patio is built to these specifications, you should not see any weeds growing up from under the patio. What often times can happen is grass seed, seedlings from trees above, grass clippings, etc…. can get on top of the patio and germinate in the sand from above. When this happens, it is as simple as just pulling them out at they are merely surface rooted!

Archadeck of Charlotte designed and built the herringbone pattern pool deck with brick pavers

Archadeck of Charlotte designed and built the herringbone pattern pool deck with brick pavers

For a great photo gallery of patios in the Charlotte area, go to http://www.charlotte.archadeck.com

 

Read the great review on this Charlotte patio built by Archadeck

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Paver Patio with ledge stone fire pit and sitting wall and a wood pergola with an outdoor kitchen in Ft. Mill, SC by Archadeck of Charlotte

Paver Patio with ledge stone fire pit and sitting wall and a wood pergola with an outdoor kitchen in Ft. Mill, SC by Archadeck of Charlotte

Here is a review by a recent (2014) customer of Archadeck of Charlotte:

“From beginning to end: professional, honest, caring, and most expert in their profession. The result is beautiful. Every stage was planned, explained, executed and reviewed. Job was completed quickly, neatly, and thoroughly. Our every concern was addressed and viable suggestions added by Greg. Callan, Sue and others in admin. kept job on schedule. Construction by Master Craftsman, Waylon, and crew provided product with beautiful finish. Patrick kept a close eye on project and made sure all parties were on the same page. Minor aftercare issue handled with same courtesy. Third party guarantee was a nice bonus. As the ad says: Getting what you want, without a hitch—priceless”

-Jay Goldstein

Ideas for your outdoor living space (What haven’t I thought of for the porch/ patio?)

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Archadeck of Charlotte designed and built this outdoor fireplace on a flagstone patio with dual sitting walls

Archadeck of Charlotte designed and built this outdoor fireplace on a flagstone patio with dual sitting walls

Pool pavilion with a stone box for a Green Egg and outdoor living space built by Archadeck of Charlotte

Pool pavilion with a stone box for a Green Egg and outdoor living space built by Archadeck of Charlotte

A very common question we get is “what haven’t I thought of for my porch/ patio? Can you give me some additional ideas of trends whether they are functional or simply aesthetic value?

Archadeck of Charlotte designs and builds outdoor living spaces in the Carolinas and has done so for over the past 25 years. There are several newer trends and ideas we can share for your outdoor space.

Water features are a very hot trend right now. You can do something simple like a small waterfall that has a soothing noise and adds beauty or design and build a pond with a waterfall.

Fire features to extend your outdoor living to year around include fire pits and fire places. We design them incorporated with structures like covered patios and porches or free standing on patios and decks.

Outdoor lighting is the perfect accent for evening functionality, safety and ambiance.

Outdoor heaters can be very effective again on a covered porch or open patio.

Shade structures are a must in the Carolina’s as the hot sun can make it uncomfortable without them!

There is an extensive photo gallery available to get outdoor living design ideas at http://www.charlotte.archadeck.com

Outdoor living design concepts with backyard

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stone patio with outdoor kitchen

stone paver patio with outdoor kitchen

More and more people are looking for more than just a deck or patio. People want a total outdoor living design concept that incorporates multiple outdoor living spaces. Decks and patios are a big part of these designs and they are no longer mutually exclusive. We are designing decks for homes that are built on crawl spaces and have them flowing down to grade onto stone patios. In addition, we are designing outdoor fireplaces, outdoor kitchens, firepits, and water features! Since most people have a budget they do not want to spend beyond. the best concept is to design to the budget. We call it “stage construction”. We start with the end in mind by creating a total outdoor living design concept and then only build the priority areas and designing them so that they can easily be expanded to encorporate the next stage or stages. This way you can create your outdoor living dream in an affordable and functional fashion. For more ideas, click on either our following web sites….     http://www.archadeckofcharlotte.com  or http://www.charlotte.archadeck.com

Charlotte Deck Builder wins “Consumers’ Choice Award” for Decks and Patio’s

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We got some rather exciting news today! A professional polling organization called Consumer’s Choice conducted their first annual poll in Charlotte, NC and Archadeck of Charlotte was awarded the winner for the “Deck and Patio” category for the entire market here locally. Check out a few pictures below! This survey is done through consumers and over 300 responded and we won the inaugural award. This is direct feedback from our customers telling an independent company that we are the finest deck and patio builder. This award cannot be bought, we are quite proud!

stone patio and pergola off deck

stone paver patio off deck with pergolaOpen Porch and patio with outdoor kitchens