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Have you ever considered a deck or a patio for your home? If you have, you might know that patios are less expensive than decks, but does that mean decks are more desirable? Today, as more home-buyers show a preference for homes with patios, you’ve got to wonder what the buzz is about.

One of the reasons the patio rocks is that it’s the perfect outdoor upgrade. For instance, the raised patio gives you one of the advantages of the deck. Just fill the grade in behind the house and lay the patio slab on top of the new grade flush with the house entrance. Sometimes half the house already has a raised grade and a raised patio fills in the rest.

While decks can be multi-layered and design wonders, patios can embody simplicity itself, truly a virtue to build on. It’s just a slab on the ground. When incorporating the patio to flow with the home, using patio materials for steps to gain access to the house can make the patio truly transitional. Imagine a back patio with steps across the back of the house that allows access to the kitchen and living rooms.

You can make patios out of numerous materials. They can be constructed from wood, concrete, gravel, stone and flagstone and brick. The wood option looks natural and attractive, but because of rot, it must be replaced occasionally. The concrete can be very attractive with options like finishes and stamping to enhance its looks. The stone, brick or flagstone is probably the most expensive route but can be incredibly beautiful, surpassing any look a wood deck could deliver.

If you decide to build a patio, you can look forward to some difficult days installing it even if you farm the work out to a contractor. Whatever direction you go, here are five reasons you can focus on to get a patio into your life:

Patios work well with the Open Floor plan

Open floor plans dominate the housing market today. Everybody wants a house that naturally flows from one room to the next without obstructions. The back patio might easily become another room of the house depending on different factors, so it’s an incredible fit for houses with open floor plans. In effect, you add space to the house without ever framing an addition. A patio takes an ordinary three bedroom home with two baths and turns it into a neighborhood gathering place or a spot to hold an event like a bridal shower. You won’t have to hire a hotel lobby! In addition, patios are easy to sweep up and flexible enough to quickly set up for any event.

An attractive Patio Beats the Neighbor’s Backyard

Patios can make the back of the house look incredibly classy and inviting. If keeping up with the Jones matters, a patio will elevate your back yard. With the right landscaping, your backyard will beat anything in your neighborhood. The most attractive porches are made of flagstone, brick pave or stone. The colors on the patio can be perfect compliments for your home. In selling situations, you could easily ask for more money for your home with an attractive patio. In terms of dollars and sense, the bigger the patio, the more impressive it looks to buyers. You can even save enough money to buy some picturesque bank checks.

You Don’t Have to Mow or Weed a Patio

The bigger the patio, the less lawn you have to maintain. Patios are low maintenance. You can sweep them off once a week and call it enough. The size matters because the more your patio sprawls into your backyard, the less green lawn needs maintenance. Unfortunately, the more attractive the patio, the more landscaping seems appropriate. To plant hedges to border the patio may be an item that finds its way onto your to-do list, along with a desire to install a bird bath and maybe plant a tree that will grow tall and shady. While that may be true, you might enjoy watching a patio bring life to an unused part of your property.

It Gives Dad a Kitchen Space and Mom That Fireplace She Always Wanted

A patio can easily become every homeowner’s fantasy world where a second kitchen exists and there’s a fire pit or a fireplace to warm up next to. The patio is a wide open space limited only by your imagination. The outdoor kitchen setups configured for use on back patios today are pretty nice. They’re not just about the barbecue grill anymore. You’ll want to consider a fourteen foot counter/grill/stove/oven combo and may even a serving island and a full bar. A fishnet canopy above it all is only reasonable. Since Dad has taken over the patio kitchen, Mom can entertain friends and family around a fire pit or a fireplace. Outdoor fireplaces on patios can be gigantic or elegant. They’re great for warmth on chilly evenings or conversation pieces on hot days. They are made of brick, stone or welded steel. They lend a patio a focus and comfort it would otherwise lack.

Article by:

Jessica Kane
Freelance Copywriter and SEO Specialist
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicakanewrites/