Patios Leeds

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Designing a Patio

As well as the material choices you have for a patio probably the first things you need to decide on is where are you intending to have your patio area and how big do you want it to be and do you have any additional thoughts on shape beyond the typical rectangular format.

You may also need to consider how you'll surround your patio. What sort of edging do you want? Will the end of your patio rest above or below any soiled area - and if so what will be planted in these areas? If your garden is on a slope will a retaining wall be required and will more than one patio level be required. If you intend to have more than one patio area will your need paving to connect one to the other?

Our local experts can discuss a number of options with you. Clearly, everyone needs to be mindful of budgets but a good start point is to scope out your ideal patio layout and then we can set about understanding what the potential costs will be. Then we can understand what may or not be possible based on budget, which may or may not influence the choice of possible materials which could be used to complete your patio project.

Patio Contractors Leeds

Designing a patio that is on a slope will typically provide the trickier decisions in terms of overall size, the size of different levels, retaining walls and how steps will be integrated into the overall layout.

A common start point for most people will be to have a patio or initial paving area coming right up to the back door, or back patio doors, so that you can step directly out from the house onto the patio at a similar level to the house. If your garden slopes down away from your house then this will definitely lend itself to this layout.

If the high part of your slope is towards the back of your garden then you may well want a patio at ground level but depending on the extent of your slope you the retaining wall will increase in size as your patio size increase and what type, size and position would you then want your steps and/or a ramp to get to the higher section of your garden?

Our patio experts can run through a number of options and scenarios with you - so don't worry you won't be left alone to make all the decisions unless you want to!

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Patio Installers Leeds

Clearly before any patio can begin to be installed all decisions will have been made regarding the design. Once we know the this we can will know the amount of materials required to complete your project. Some paving stone will some additional options, mostly in terms of jointing but essentially our teams will use the same base materials and equipment for most patio and paving jobs.

The first stage will be to dig down, normally to around 15cm to provide an even base onto which out teams will lay an aggregate (hard-core) sub-base which will also be flattened to some extent. On top of this we will lay a concrete mortar which acts as both a weed retardant and the base to which the paving slabs are fixed. The important part of laying any patio or paving area is to include an appropriate laying angle of the slabs to create a slight slope to encourage water run off. This needs to be sequenced correctly to ensure you don't end up creating a patio reservoir!

Once the mortar base has had 24 hours to set then the final stage of pointing can be done, which is the filling in of the gaps between adjacent slabs. For retaining walls, steps and other ancillary parts of the patio they will have similar settling in periods before final finishing.

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Patio Leeds

As we've already talked about, some thought ought to be put into the size and also positioning of your patio area as well as how it will be finished off or enclosed. Nevertheless, the choices of materials, colours, shapes, textures as well as dimensions can be vast and you could be a little overloaded by the quantity of options offered. This is when a spending plan will certainly play a part in helping to narrow down some of the options, but certainly having a good aesthetic concept probably at the very least regarding the colour pallet is a superb start factor. We've provided a number of common and less common options which we hope might assist you in providing an initial visualisation of what you do, or do not, want for your patio area in our services page.

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Resin Patio Leeds

Another option moving away from traditional slabs or blocks would be to have a resin patio. As the number of resin driveways has increased this has also lead to a customers wanting the same surface finish running from the front to the rear of a property can provide some economies of scale. Whilst this is one of the most expensive patio options it certainly can provide an excellent, low maintenance patio. There are many colour options nowadays for resins and importantly there are two main types of resins which you should be aware of so that you are comparing like with like when getting quotes in.

Opting for a resin bonded patio will be the cheaper option of the two, so it is important to know what the difference is and what you have been quoted for. If we understand the resin to essentially be the glue which is used to stick all the small stones together to make up the total surface the difference between the two resin options are as follows:


Resin Bonded Patios

This is where a layer of resin has been applied to the base layer and then the smaller particles of aggregate are then placed on top of the resin and spread out on top of the resin layer. using this process the resin acts as a type of membrane creating a waterproof layer onto which the small stones stick to. Unfortunately creating a waterproof layer like this means that that it is not permeable - so rain water will not naturally find its way down through the aggregate to the earth but flow along the surface, or build up to the surface of the aggregate if a suitable water run away has not been factored in. Also since a layer of resin has been applied not all particles of aggregate will get equal amounts of resin around them and the level of adhesion from particle to particle will vary, which will result in more loose amounts of aggregate being generated over time.


Resin Bound Patios

In this process all of the aggregate particles are mixed together with the resin - the result of which is that each small stone will be completely covered with resin, this will provide a much better bond between each particle and the base layer as each point of contact from a 360 degree perspective will form a strong connection. The end result provides a much more UV stable finish, a much stronger patio surface and one which will allow water to find its way through the gaps where no bond is formed yet the gaps are such that light cannot pass directly through so will inhibit the growth of weeds.


The other decision you will need to make will be what edging to choose to contain your resin patio. Mostly the choice will be some type of block paving. The many options to chose colours of the resin and of the boarders  means that you will be very hard pressed to find a finish which you will like. In fact the bigger challenge will be to narrow it down to one! Both resin options will leave you with a fantastic looking patio but a resin bound one will have much less maintenance and will have much more longevity than a resin bonded patio.

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Resin Patios

As we've already talked about, some thought ought to be put into the size and also positioning of your patio area as well as how it will be finished off or enclosed. Nevertheless, the choices of materials, colours, shapes, textures as well as dimensions can be vast and you could be a little overloaded by the quantity of options offered. This is when a spending plan will certainly play a part in helping to narrow down some of the options, but certainly having a good aesthetic concept probably at the very least regarding the colour pallet is a superb start factor. We've provided a number of common and less common options which we hope might assist you in providing an initial visualisation of what you do, or do not, want for your patio area in our services page.

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Frequently Asked Patio Questions

  • Can you paint patio slabs?

    The brief reply to the question is yes. However, if you are thinking of repainting your outdoor patio rather than replacing it you truly ought to not try to do this on a tight budget - which may seem counterintuitive but it will be counterproductive.

    Top-quality acrylic based paints would certainly be best. However, you must understand that to provide resilience these paints will certainly require to be applied heavily and also in numerous coats with a brush or roller. Also, they should be allowed to completely dry normally for a couple of days, so please inspect the forecast prior to starting this course of action. These paints are often designed for warehouses for marking safety routes so the colour options may also be a little unnatural for a garden environment. 

    With a painted patio - remember this is just a layer and will undergo table and chair bumps and scrapes. It may give a band-aid approach to boosting the look of your patio for a little while but once the paint starts to chip away attempting to overpaint once more will certainly not look great!

  • Can you lay patio slabs straight onto grass?

    Of course, you can simply lay a paving piece on any surface area however you need to think about what will be completed effect. If you just intended to use a few slabs simply as a stepping rock then with a little sand and a little work with a spade you could level the ground to place a paver that can be stepped on without wobbling for a while. However, if you are intending on utilising chairs, tables, bar-b-ques you really should set your paving slabs into an effectively-prepared sub-base, which will certainly provide a strong, flat base for your pavers to then be fixed onto a mortar base. This will prevent weeds from showing up via paving joints and also ensure you do not have loose or unsteady paving stones.

  • Which is better for a patio area - decking or paving?

    Clearly, an installer who only does one of these will persuade you down that particular path. However, there are some scenarios where one may have the edge over the other. One of the main ones is the budget you are working with.

    As a quick comparison - especially against wooden decking a patio made up from any of the slab options we have covered will be stronger, and as a result, last longer and require less maintenance. However, if you want to have a large single level social area and have a garden on a steep slope decking will offer a more cost-effective solution. The decking can be laid on a frame, which can simply be build up from the lower end of the slope. To do the same for a paved patio will require much more death moval and supporting walls to be constructed so will be more costly. 

  • Can the same paving slabs be used for a driveway?

    Yes - certain types of paving can also be used for a driveway so you can have consistent paving from the front of your house down the sides and to your back garden patio. 

    Not all pavers will be suitable but granite setts and driveway grade Indian stone would be perfectly good choices for this.

  • What's the best way to clean a patio

    Clearly, this will depend on how dirty your patio is and whether or not staining has taken place.

    For regular quick and easy cleaning simply mixing a cup of washing up liquid in a bucket of warm water and brushing this across your patio with a firm bristled brush is suitable for all types of pavers. 

    Pressure washing can be used for most pavers but this can remove sealers - although thoroughly cleaning this way will be good preparation for re-sealing when dry. with a pressure washer you should be more careful near the joints as high pressure can damage and dislodge jointing. If this does happen it is best to apply some jointing compound to prevent this from becoming an area for weed and algae growth. There are many options on the market, many of which can simply be brushed into the gaps so no DIY skills requried.

Patio Areas covered in Leeds:

Patios Leeds , Patios Yeadon, Patios Morley, Patios Rothwell, Patios Garforth, Patios Whinmoor, Patios Horsforth, Patios Calverley, Patios Whinmoor, Patios Bramhope, Patios Kirkstall , Patios Weetwood , Patios Alwoodley, Patios Rawdon,