Concrete Patio Designs

You've seen those large concrete areas in some public places that are just big, smooth gray slabs of concrete.

You might be thinking that a concrete patio might be a smaller version of that. Well, it could be if that is what you wanted it to be. But it doesn't have to be. Concrete is far more versatile than that. There are beautiful concrete patio designs that you would love.

Concrete is limited only by your imagination. You can have it in any shape that a form or mold can be made. It doesn't have to be straight edges and sharp corners, it can be rounded, scalloped edges or anything else you want. Your patio can be whatever shape you want it to be. To see what shapes concrete patio designs can be, check in magazines, home improvement books, online and around your neighborhood and city. Not every public place made of concrete looks like concrete, so take a closer look at some of those areas.

Gray is not your only color choice, either. Concrete patio designs can be any color, though red or terra cotta are the most popular colors. You can even use more than one color. Make blocks of concrete in different colors and arrange them in a pattern. Again, only your imagination limits you in what you can do. You can even add sparkles to the concrete.

Your texture choices are not limited to smooth or that rough texture used for making concrete less slippery during winter when ice can be a problem. Swirls, zig-zags, waves and many other simple designs work great for patios. But you don't have to stop there. Concrete patio designs can make wonderful use of nearly any method of adding texture you can think of. Pictures or patterns can also be incorporated into your concrete patio. Do you want paisley? Sure, why not. It can be done. Another way of adding a different texture is adding other objects to the concrete, such as small river rocks or marbles. Even course sand with lots of quartz crystals make a great texturizing material.

The patio slab is not the only thing that can be made from concrete. Planters, tables, benches and more can also be made from concrete. There are concrete patio designs that are almost entirely of concrete. If you want patio furniture that isn't going to get blown away by the wind or damaged by rain or snow, concrete patio furniture is hard to beat.

Not all concrete patio designs are limited to just concrete. If you want to use concrete combined with other materials, the concrete will work great with them and help hold everything together. Whether you use wood, stone, brick or a combination, they can be help in place by the concrete while enhancing the overall beauty of the patio.

By following certain guidelines, concrete patios can be low to no maintenance. One important thing that helps reduce the need for repair or replacement of the concrete is making sure it is thick enough to resist cracking and breaking. Most concrete patio designs are strong enough if the concrete is at least four inches thick. Six inches is even better. This thickness is strong enough to drive a truck on. So, for beauty and strength, concrete is a great way to go for your patio.