Let’s face it. There’s nothing more boring than a slab of poured concrete for a patio. Unfortunately, this is exactly the type of patio many Charlotte homeowners got when they purchased their homes. These are the type of patios that often come standard with a new home. Dull, lifeless, small and not very functional — right?
Archadeck of Charlotte is ending the cycle of boring, builder-grade patios and providing stunning patio designs to homeowners looking to improve an outdoor living space. With this in mind, here are some ideas for selecting the best outdoor materials to design your patio.
Open porch in Shadowlake featuring a travertine tile floor.
Here in the Charlotte area, the most popular hardscape materials are pavers, travertine and flagstone. When choosing the best hardscape material to use for your patio, it is a good rule of thumb to continue with hardscape materials you already have on your house. For example, if you have stone or flagstone on your home’s foundation, then you might want to use flagstone on your patio addition.
Pavers
There are now many different shapes, colors and patterns available in manufactured paving stones. Archadeck of Charlotte has a large selection of pavers from manufacturers such as Belgard, Pavestone and others to choose from. Not only can paving stones be used on the floor of your paver patio but the large assortment of stones and blocks available can also be used in creating decorative and functional vertical elements. Decorative elements include planters, seating walls and pillars. Functional elements consist of outdoor kitchens, load-bearing retaining walls and even outdoor fire features.
Travertine
Travertine patios are very popular among Charlotte homeowners. Travertine tile delivers a very neat and organized look. One of the best advantages of using it on the floor of your patio is that it stays cool underfoot even in hot conditions. It comes in a variety of colors and subtle textures to suit any taste. Travertine is also absent of efflorescence. Efflorescence is the white deposit that sometimes occurs on the surface of concrete and some paver projects just after completion.
Travertine patio in Piper Glen.
Travertine pavers are a natural material which is formed by geological processes. Travertine is found in many different parts of the world, from Rome to Peru and even Yellowstone Park.
Flagstone
For a completely natural look, nothing beats flagstone for a patio. Natural stone is so versatile it can be used in many horizontal and vertical applications. Flagstone patios convey a very natural, organic look due to the stone’s irregular shapes and earthy shades of browns, reds, grays and blues. The unique beauty of flagstone provides inspiration to create both formal and informal spaces. For a formal look, we suggest selecting cut flagstones and installing them in a repeating pattern. For a more informal, eccentric look, you can select irregular flagstones and install them at random. This informal style is often called crazy-paving.
Flagstone patio and seating wall on Lake Norman.
If you are thinking of a patio for your home, Archadeck of Charlotte has tremendous experience and expertise in designing and building Charlotte’s best patios and hardscapes. Contact us today to bring your backyard from blah to beautiful! Call us at (704) 850-6104, email us or fill out the form to the right and we will contact you.
