History of the patio
This concept appeared in ancient times, where such a courtyard emphasized the status of the owner of the mansion.
Patios were decorated with fountains, sculptures, comfortable benches and were intended for relaxing on a hot day in silence, tranquility and leisurely bliss.
Most often, such charming courtyards were found in Spain, Italy, Latin America, in those hot countries where all plants grow quickly and abundantly decorate buildings, giving shade and coolness.
Gradually, patios migrated to poorer areas, but became less luxurious. It was more like an ordinary backyard, intended for a siesta during the day.
Today, the garden patio is very popular in Europe, but for Russia such a courtyard is rather an exception to the rule.
Apparently, the habit of Russians to use every piece of land for agricultural purposes or for the construction of practical and useful outbuildings is taking its toll.
Although recently interest in such a secluded vacation spot has become increasingly stronger.
The presence of country houses instead of garden houses, large plots of land instead of 4 or 6 acres provide the opportunity to create charming places for a pleasant holiday.
A photo of a patio at the dacha shows all the charm of such a courtyard.
Selecting a location
Plan and more plan. You always need to plan the site and draw up the design of the project in detail. It is better to use a specialist so that the location turns out successful and the design does not lag behind.
The choice of furniture is also very subtle. There is no place for bulky sofas here.
If we want to build a patio on our summer cottage, we must first take care of finding a suitable place for it. According to tradition, a patio is built on an area adjacent to the back wall of the house. It is especially good if this wall provides an emergency exit, which will significantly shorten the road and avoid running around the house from the porch to the treasured cozy place.
Building a patio near a pond is a great idea. The air will be moist and cool here even on hot days
You can also choose a place in any shady place on the site, where there is less noise, winds, and where outside views will not penetrate. Mobile partitions and screens will create a feeling of enclosure and security even in the open part of the site.
The shape of the patio depends on your personal preferences, and the size depends on the purpose of its use. To create a small island of relaxation and enjoyment, an area of 2-3 square meters will be enough, and for a holiday for 3-4 people the required area will be 4 square meters.
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Patio furniture should not only be beautiful, but also comfortable and practical. For example, wooden furniture, which is always beautiful and comfortable, is far from the best option for a patio, since it is not able to withstand weather conditions for a long time. Powerful and solid wrought iron furniture can be incredibly beautiful, but due to its size and weight it is too difficult to move. But wicker furniture really works best for patios. It is light, durable and is not afraid of either sunlight or high humidity.
Since shish kebabs or barbecues (whichever you prefer) are an almost integral part of relaxing at the dacha, for this purpose it is worth building a barbecue, for which a place is allocated in advance, even when designing the patio.
Wicker furniture is the best option for patios
And finally, relaxing after sunset is the logical conclusion to many friendly gatherings. It's nice to sit in the evening silence with the chirping of grasshoppers and crickets. This is where patio lighting comes to the fore. For this purpose, sconces are hung on the wall adjacent to the patio, garden figurines with solar panels are placed in flower beds, and lanterns are installed around the perimeter or torches are hung from poles.
An open patio at the back of the house A patio next to a water source An open patio in the shade of a tree An open patio with flowers A barbecue is a common element of the patio A corner with a fire pit
It is always important when creating your own piece of paradise to remember that you are not creating it for show, to become an object of admiration, but so that the site has a wonderful place for relaxation and contemplation of nature, where you can spend many delightful hours in the company of your family, relatives and friends.
Most often, a recreation area is arranged near the wall of the house. This is the most lived-in and comfortable part of the garden plot and often becomes an extension of the living space. It is convenient if the doors from the living room, or better yet from the kitchen, go directly to the patio area.
Many dacha owners build a recreation area at some distance from the house. And some people prefer to relax at the opposite end of the garden from the house.
In any case, the patio in the overall landscape design should form a single whole.
Traditionally, a patio area is located in the backyard. This arrangement allows one side of the site to be completely closed. The rest are either left open or fenced off. If there is an exit in the wall of the house adjacent to the patio, this is very convenient for relaxation. The presence of an exit allows you to immediately enter the building, without having to go around it.
The place for the patio is chosen in a shady area of the garden, where noise from the street cannot penetrate. Vacationers are inaccessible to prying eyes. Even in an open garden you can create a feeling of complete security. For this use:
- climbing plants;
- trellises;
- mobile screens.
It is better if there is a small artificial pond next to the patio. On hot days, the air above the site will become fresh and humid, which will create comfortable conditions for vacationers. The size and shape of the site depend on its purpose. To create a “paradise”, 3 m² is enough. To accommodate a company of 4 people on the patio, you will need to equip an area of 4 m².
Benefits of a patio
A patio allows you to visually increase the space of the site, making it more well-groomed and attractive.
This is a great place to relax; it’s very comfortable to wait out the heat of the day, meet with friends, and enjoy communication with relatives.
We create heaven on earth with our own hands
To build a patio at your dacha with your own hands, you should follow this plan.
How to create a patio at your dacha from scratch - detailed video instructions.
Selecting materials
First you should choose the material for the floor and think about the decor.
The simplest option for a patio can be a patio with a platform made of natural or artificial stone, wood, paving slabs, brick or decking. The combination of materials will look very original.
A fabric or thin wooden roof can act as a canopy. Comfortable furniture, lamps installed directly on the ground, a little floral decoration - and the relaxation area is ready! Let's look at all the stages of creation in more detail.
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Preparing the site
First, let's prepare the tools: a garden rake, a shovel, a rubber hammer (needed to adjust the stones) and twine (to determine the boundaries of the site).
The first stage of work on arranging a patio is preparing the site: we mark the area and remove 15-20 cm of soil.
But the specifics of site preparation for different flooring materials will also be different, so you should follow the installation instructions for the selected type of covering. We pour a sand cushion, moisten the sand and compact it with a rake or a special trowel.
Site preparation
When laying the covering, you should maintain a slight slope to allow water to drain.
If the choice fell on stone as the flooring, then the stones should be laid from the outer edge.
The finished coating should be sprinkled with sand and the cracks should be carefully filled. Then the excess sand must be removed and the site itself must be watered.
Types of patios
There are classic patios, which require compliance with the canons of construction, and modern courtyards, which are actually balconies or terraces, but in our country they are still called this beautiful word.
A classic patio is usually made of a corner or façade type and includes a passage into the interior of the house.
For a small area, multi-level or balcony patios are made, as well as a rooftop patio. This allows you to create a cozy corner in a small area, however, in these cases it is necessary to obtain additional advice from builders regarding the possibility of arranging such a charming place.
In general, the size of the garden patio is determined by the garden owners themselves.
It is believed that the most comfortable conditions are found in a courtyard, where each person has at least 3 square meters of space. Although small patios provide only 1 square meter per person.
There are several styles for creating a wonderful place to relax.
They all look very beautiful and natural, but differ slightly in content.
There are the following types of patios in the landscape: rural style (wicker or wooden furniture and pergolas), Japanese style (stone floors, bamboo decor and bonsai), Mediterranean style (wooden decking, an abundance of flower pots, the presence of white objects), Moorish style ( bright and colorful mosaic, rich colors of flowers and decor).
For lovers of the classics, they create a patio in English or French style. Connoisseurs of space will appreciate minimalism. Adherents of modern technology will be delighted with the high-tech style.
Preparation of working solution
Caustic quicklime for whitewashing walls is converted into slaked lime before use, which is achieved by slaking it with water. Caustic lime is placed in the box designated for slaking and a sufficient amount of water is poured onto it, and slaking occurs, that is, strong absorption of water. At the same time, the lime becomes very hot, boils and emits a lot of thick steam;
If a lot of water is taken during slaking, then the lime will weaken its strength, and if not enough, then unslaked and, therefore, unusable pieces will remain in the lime. These are the main aspects of how to properly dilute lime for whitewashing walls; if you follow them, then preparing a working solution will not seem difficult.
As for the amount of water required to slak the lime, it is not always the same and depends on the composition and quality of the lime taken. That is why water is not poured into the lime immediately, but gradually until all the lime is quenched.
Lime produces a very common strong white paint on water for cheap brick and plaster work.
Lime destroys organic colors, but with earthy ones it gives durable tones.
Spar, light and heavy, serves as an admixture in paints to reduce their cost; it does not affect the color, but weakens the roofing ability. The surrogate, although commonly used, is dishonest.
Most paints are diluted in oil, which can be of mineral, vegetable or animal origin. Mineral oils include petroleum, rock wax, etc.
In painting, oil and drying oil for wood are used exclusively of plant origin, extracted from the seeds of various plants and mainly flaxseed. You can find out which ones are suitable further in the article.
Vegetable oils are very diverse in their composition and are commercially available in solid (Japanese wax), thick (coconut oil) and liquid (linseed oil).
All vegetable oils when left in air for a long time oxidize, thicken and turn bitter.
Liquid and lubricating oils have the property of being viscous, harden and are able to form a beautiful elastic, rubber-like mass.
The second: wood, olive, almond, rapeseed, rapeseed, mustard, beech, castor, etc.
Flaxseed oil is extracted by pressing flaxseeds. Cold pressing produces the best type of oil with a pleasant smell and light yellow color, which makes it possible to eat it.
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In oil mills, however, cold pressing is considered unprofitable due to the relatively low yield of oil and is replaced by hot pressing, and the resulting product will be darker in color with a strong odor. This unrefined oil is used almost exclusively for the preparation of drying oil (boiled oil).
As for the quality of the oil, it depends on the method of preparation and the quality of the seed from which it is prepared.
Since linseed oil is a rather valuable product, it is often mixed with various impurities that spoil its quality. The most common contaminant found in flaxseed oil is mineral oil. Such drying oil usually dries poorly and becomes tacky. If you look at it through the light, you will get a bluish tint, which, however, is not always noticeable, because recently they have begun to use well-refined mineral oil (colorless) as a mixture.
Of all vegetable oils, linseed oil is the most widely used in painting, representing the best product for preparing linseed oil.
Poppy oil is obtained from poppy seeds by pressing at ordinary temperatures, or by heating. In the first case, the oil will have a light color, a pleasant taste, and therefore such oil is usually used as food. In the second, the dark color and bitter taste due to the abundance of impurities make such oil suitable only for technical use, such as, for example, in the preparation of expensive dyes. This oil is rarely used for ordinary painting work.
Sunflower oil is extracted from sunflower seeds, which grow almost everywhere in Russia and are especially sown in Little Russia, the southern provinces and the Caucasus. The color of the oil is golden yellow, when fresh it has a pleasant taste and smell and is readily consumed. Sunflower oil is mainly used for preparing light drying oils and for diluting white and light paints. It dries much slower than linen. If prepared improperly, such drying oil becomes sticky and acquires a red tint.
The drying of vegetable oils is based on the ability of these oils to absorb oxygen from the air, which in raw oils, however, occurs very slowly. To speed up this process, the oil is subjected to high temperature along with oxygen-rich substances, which partly dissolve themselves and partly give up their oxygen to the oil. For this purpose, red lead, silberglet, manganese peroxide and others are used.
When cooking to prepare drying oil from sunflower oil at home, one must not forget that excess oxides, or so-called drying, have a detrimental effect on the strength of drying oil and paints prepared with it.
Cooking butter in small quantities at home is quite difficult and requires a lot of skill, because the slightest oversight can ruin the whole job. If the oil is overcooked, it will dry poorly and become sticky, while undercooked oil will have its own, no less significant drawbacks.
Any clean, quick-drying vegetable oil without foreign impurities can be suitable for preparing drying oil. The best oil in this regard should be considered old linseed oil, precisely the kind in which, due to time and long standing, impurities and mucous substances have managed to settle and water has separated.
How to make a patio?
Once the location has been determined, it is necessary to select materials for the future patio.
Floor
The base of the site should not be made of bulk materials. They will make cleaning difficult, they are uncomfortable to walk on, and such a floor will not ensure the stability of the furniture.
It is much better to provide a base made of paving or porcelain tiles, brick, concrete slabs, or natural stone. Sometimes the floor is made of wood, but such material will not be very durable.
The selected area is deepened by about 15 centimeters, treated with herbicide to prevent grass growth, a cushion of sand or crushed stone is laid, and the base itself is mounted on it.
You can combine several materials, for example, lay out the barbecue area with cobblestones, create a place near the pool from brick, and decorate the dining area with porcelain stoneware.
It is better to provide a small border around the perimeter. This will give a finished look to the new landscape element.
Lighting
For comfort, it is better to provide lit and shaded areas in the patio. This function can be performed by a variety of artificial canopies, beach umbrellas or umbrellas over street cafes.
Canopies made from climbing plants such as grapes, lemongrass, castor beans, and clematis look good. Such a natural canopy will be able to mask minor design defects well and will always bring a good mood.
Since the patio is also used in the evening, it is a good idea to place artificial lighting. These can be small garden lanterns powered by solar batteries, garden torches or small sconces connected to the electrical network.
Decor
The main element of decoration will be flowers. They can be placed in flowerpots on the walls, placed in tubs around the perimeter, or made one or more flower beds on the floor.
Ornamental shrubs or small evergreen trees are often used as a barrier. For additional protection from bad weather and prying eyes, you can install a frame for installing awnings or braid the patio with decorative vines.
To create a tiny pond, you can use a basin, a baby bath or special shallow pools. As a larger reservoir, children's or adult plastic pools are used or a stationary pond is made. Fish, water lilies, and toys serve as decoration for the water surface.
To create fountains, you will most likely need the help of professionals. You can also install a purchased mini-fountain. It is quite easy to match the style of the patio, which will emphasize the unity of nature and technology in a single yard.
Furniture can be represented by a table, comfortable chairs, sun loungers, large swings, and hammocks. The main rule here is moderation. Open space is much more important on a patio.
A barbecue or a real oven will adequately complete the design of your patio. This design will additionally inform guests that they are truly welcome here.
A catalog of beautiful patios will help you choose a cozy and suitable design for everyone.
Instructions for creating a patio
First you need to decide on the shape of the rest room. All guests should be seated at the table so that each party participant feels free. You can arrange a small courtyard with a pond for two. In this case, a minimum of materials and time will be required.
The shape of the patio is determined by the shape of the pavement. Usually choose round, square or rectangular options. By choosing straight lines, paving installation is noticeably simplified. Typically, the pavement of a patio that is adjacent to a building is made square or rectangular. If you place the patio in the back of the garden, you can give it a whimsical shape.
When designating a patio for large and noisy parties, it is appropriate to arrange a sufficient area. Materials you will need for work:
- bayonet shovel;
- construction wheelbarrow;
- level;
- device for compacting a sand cushion;
- sand;
- mastic;
- hammer;
- paving stones.
The main materials when arranging a patio are concrete and brick, wood and paving slabs. It is better not to save on building materials, since cheap products are not durable.
Preparation
First you need to draw up a plan. Its choice depends on the preferences of the owners of the site and the possibilities of landscape design. A standard patio includes the following elements:
- Platform. The rest area must be on a secure foundation.
- Border. It can be used at the same time as a fence from an undeveloped part of the garden, and as a place for flowers or accessories.
- Place for a fireplace. A barbecue is installed here.
Then you need to decide on the basis. It can be monolithic or tape. In the second case, you will need to dig a trench 2 cm deep and 30 cm wide. Such a foundation is made into a crescent. It is performed under part of the patio with a border.
To create a strip foundation, perform the following steps:
- Bricks are laid on the sand cushion, and reinforcement bars are placed on them.
- The concrete solution is mixed in a ratio of 1:3:5 (cement/sand/gravel).
- The trench is then filled with concrete. The first row of the border is laid out from cinder blocks. You can choose brick, but the price of this design will be higher.
Then the entire border is erected, equipping it with shelves along the edges. Each subsequent row of cinder blocks turns out to be shorter than the previous one.
After this, the curb trim is finished and the platform is lined. Closer to the parapet, a place for the hearth is prepared.
To prepare the foundation, the area under the platform is fenced with pegs. Then the fertile layer of soil is removed from the area to lay the base to a depth of 15 cm. To level and equip the site, the depression is filled with sand and watered with water to compact it. The surface is leveled with a rake. The resulting pillow should be 2 cm higher than the ground level.
Features of creating a platform for a patio:
- The technology depends on the material from which the platform will be created. The covering should have a slope of 2 degrees towards the garden with a tight fit of the elements to each other. Paving slabs and concrete slabs can be laid directly on the pad, filling the gaps between the stones with cement mortar. Wooden flooring is laid on a frame made of thick bars.
- When constructing the foundation, provision should be made for drainage grooves 15 cm deep and 40 cm wide. The patio area is made 2 cm higher than the lawn, which makes it easier to mow the grass with a trimmer.
- To protect the area from the sun and precipitation, a polycarbonate canopy is made over the patio. The translucent material allows enough light to pass through so that additional lighting is not required during the day. An awning fabric on a folding frame can replace a stationary structure. A patio can be built from boards. They will need to be protected from ground dampness and precipitation.
We invite you to familiarize yourself with the barbecue area attached to the house
Stone work
There is no need to lay out the area with pebbles. If you choose natural stone, you should pay attention to elements with a flat side, on which you can safely walk without fear of stumbling.
The original sites are made from fragments of slabs. They are cut with a circular saw or broken with a chisel. The pieces are put together like a jigsaw puzzle. This type of masonry allows you to significantly save on material. Broken tiles are much cheaper.
Before breaking the tiles, it is important to decide what shape the pieces are needed. Then a line is drawn on the element and a recess is made using a chisel. The tile is laid on the block so that the fracture line is on the edge. The element is then struck to obtain a piece of the desired shape.
Simultaneously with the construction of the foundation, the routes for water supply and electricity are determined. In the case of underground cable installation, the top layer of soil is cut off in rectangles. After completion of the work, the soil is placed in place. Such actions will cause the least damage to the lawn.
Pipes are laid at least 1.5 m from ground level. You can also install an external water supply. However, every year it will need to be dismantled before the onset of winter. When shutting off the water supply, you can leave the shut-off devices open.
If there is a lot of space, it is better to install an original stove or outdoor fireplace on the patio. It's nice to gather around the fireplace in the cooler weather. For small areas, purchase a mobile grill. It is easy to prepare a delicious dish for the whole family.
Particular attention should be paid to the place for the hearth. A fire bowl is often installed here. This decoration is romantic and spectacular. The hearth area is equipped with refractory brick or stone. Often, owners of private homes choose portable fire pits.
Photo of a patio at the dacha
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