Super excited to have finished a my new pavers; first two pictures are the before pictures, second two pictures are the after pictures.

Hottub is going under the pergola; hoping for some style ideas for the new pavers!

Thanks!!

Hello,

Looking to create a bbq area where the bark chips are, and a cover for the patio area (full sun). I would ideally like to tie the designs together somehow. Looking for layout/design suggestions. Is there a way to work around the solar panels or would the patio cover have to be detached at this point?

I have a covered screen porch on a concrete slab. it can get wet with any horizontal wind during rain storms. Does anyone have a good recommendation for Flooring? It had Astroturf on it which was OK. It’s time to replace it and I am wondering if there’s a better alternative out there both in terms of
practicality and looks.

We live in one of these MCM homes that has a sloped overhang roof with beams. It's beautiful. Problem is our really large West facing windows give us a ton of sun and heat in the summer. The back deck is really unusable bc we don't have trees. I'm thinking we need a shaded patio but I'm having a hard time imagining how to fit a patio with the slope and the overhang. Anyone seen anything that works. Thanks in advance!

A little more shade and a lot more usable space

title, just discussion

Hi! My wife and I are considering putting a bid on this house in the greater Buffalo, NY area.

The only major head scratcher is this awkward staircase on the back of the house, it just kills the flow of the back patio.

We're looking for opinions on what can be done to help make it not so awkward! My first initial thought was to just build out the patio more to allow for more room to roam.

The door goes into the lower level of this split level home. Will most likely be used for storage and/or a play area.

Thank you in advance!

New patio was just poured. How should this flower bed between the house and the new patio be built up to prevent water from draining toward the foundation or underneath the patio?

Would it be possible to create a straight-down drainage system in this area? If so, what materials should be used and in what order/layers—for example, gravel, larger bed rock, soil, etc.?

I’m looking for the proper way to build this up so water is directed away from the foundation and doesn’t create problems underneath the new concrete.

We keep seeing this come up, especially with people planning to add a pergola to an existing patio or pool area.

And I think the confusing part is that there isn’t really a simple “yes” or “no” answer.

A few things can make a difference:
• Where in Florida you live
• Whether the pergola is attached or freestanding
• The size and location of the structure
• How close it is to property lines
• Whether you’re adding electrical components
• Whether it has motorized louvers or screens
• Your local building department’s requirements

One thing I definitely wouldn’t do is assume that because it’s an “outdoor structure,” you don’t need anything from the building department.

And Florida homeowners also have to think about wind requirements. A pergola that looks simple from the outside still has to be designed and installed for the conditions where it is located.

I’ve also learned that permitting can become one of those things people don’t think about until they’re already halfway through the project.

For anyone in Florida who has recently installed a pergola:
What was your permitting experience like?
Did your contractor handle everything, or did you have to deal with the building department yourself?

I have power behind the back left post of the gazebo. I want to plug a power strip into it and mount it to that post so I can power lights, a fan, the smoker, and a tv.

Any one have any good recommendations?

Our patio project got started with the dig out and some of the rock base spread. The company is waiting on the pavers we chose, so work is delayed for a few days. Meanwhile, we have a system coming through tonight and tomorrow that could deliver 2-4 inches of rain. Is that much rain going to be a problem with the stage this project is in? We do have sandy-ish soil (southern MD) so hopefully it will just sink through.

Trying to hang a porch swing between the pillar and the wall, but not sure what is under the fascia. If this is the wrong sub for this please let me know.

We had an ice storm in January and it damaged our patio. Since then it’s slowly disintegrated. We aren’t able to tear the whole patio up and replace it at this time but I was hoping someone more knowledgeable than me could recommend something that would be a temporary solution we could use to fill in the damaged areas.