Yes, you can build your own patio. Here’s how to do it. (2024)

FAQs

Yes, you can build your own patio. Here’s how to do it.? ›

Any gardener with realistic expectations on size and material can create a solid space on which to sit and view his or her garden. The average home owner working with one or two other people should be able to install a 12-foot-square patio with stone-like pavers in one weekend.

Any gardener with realistic expectations on size and material can create a solid space on which to sit and view his or her garden. The average home owner working with one or two other people should be able to install a 12-foot-square patio with stone-like pavers in one weekend.

What is the most budget-friendly DIY patio material? Packed gravel is the lowest-cost option. Gravel is inexpensive, and installation involves digging, tamping, spreading, and adding borders. It's a fast way to add usable backyard space.

Bricks and concrete pavers are the easiest patio materials to use because they have a uniform shape and create a relatively flat surface. That's helpful if you want to roll a grill across it, put down a mat to do Pilates or wear high heels while hosting a dinner party.

Patios are cheaper to build, partially because the building materials are cheaper and because they're installed flush with the ground, requiring less materials and labor to create stairs, install joists, railings, and other components associated with decks.

Gravel is, on average, the cheapest material for a patio and requires the least time to install. It can match well with a less landscaped, wilder garden or backyard, and offers great drainage. However, it is not very comfortable underfoot and can be hard to keep level.

Gravel is the cheapest option when looking to create a patio on a budget. Otherwise, pebbles or reclaimed materials are also good options. If you're set on laying paving slabs, concrete is one of the cheapest materials, and when installed and maintained correctly, it can hold up well and last for years.

If you're looking for a reliable, straightforward way to build a patio without all the hard labor of digging involved, paver base patio panels offer a great solution. These lightweight panels are designed to provide a sturdy foundation and make installation much easier.

What base should a patio be laid on? ›

If you are planning on laying paving in your garden, driveway or patio, then you will need to create a sub-base. This is a layer of material that sits underneath the paving and provides a stable foundation. You will need to dig out an area that is slightly larger than the paving you are going to lay.

Foundations are a key element in ensuring the solidity of your patio, balcony or terrace.

Dig a depth of around 150mm across the whole area, making sure the soil is evenly compacted. Then tip in the sub-base, raking it into a consistent depth of 100mm. Make sure it's smooth, flat and firm. Prepare a concrete mix of three parts sand and one part cement, adding water to create a doughy consistency.

3) Prepare & lay the patio sub-base

To provide a stable and secure platform for your patio installation, you will need to add a sub-base of compacted DTp1 hardcore (an aggregate with particulates ranging from 40mm down to dust). We advise that you lay your sub-base to conform with the required fall.

DIY guru, Jo Behari, says: A patio is relatively simple to lay and the materials are available at hardware stores. First, dig out any turf or plants down to about 10-15cm to form the foundations. Then put down a layer of 'hardcore', which is broken bits of rubble and brick.

You can build a DIY concrete patio step by step

Be sure to place all the concrete at once; a big patio can be broken down into smaller manageable sections using 2x4's. Once concrete is in place, you're stuck with it forever; replacement is costly and difficult. Planning is essential for a perfect DIY conrete patio.

On average, the cost of building a patio can be as high as $5,300, depending on size and materials used. That said, it's estimated that well-designed patios not only add 8-10% home value, but also earn an ROI of over 80%.