Deck vs Patio

B

buhund

< 25 Posts
Ok...I moved into my new house in December and am now ready to add my outdoor play area. However I can't decide between a deck and a patio. I couldn't find much online discussing the advantages or disadvantages of each. I was hoping to get some opinions from you all.

Here are some details that may help guide your suggestions:
- We have a large backyard so the deck/patio will be pretty good sized as well.
- We want part of it to be covered and part of it will be uncovered.
- We plan on staying in the house for a considerable amount of time.
- We have kids and dogs
- We plan on using the area for some entertaining as well as family meals and hanging out.
- We don't have an unlimited budget however I do want this to be a nice extended living area.
- Our house is one story
- Our lot is generally flat and level.

Also, if anyone has any recommendations of good, reputable deck/patio builders I would appreciate any recommendations.

Thanks.
 
I had a 16x16 deck built a few years ago and I love it. This past year I had a latticed covering put on so I get filtered shade during the afternoon. I have my hammock attached to two edges of the covering and I spend way too much time being lazy in it. I'm just partial to decks.
 
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My house and yard are at the same level so I used this type of Pavestone but in a sandy color. If I used decking I would have had to step up to the deck or do more excavation than I wanted to.

I put the first part in myself, but when I enlarged it I hired a contractor because I was too busy at the time. It looks great and is completely maintainance free.

I haven't priced any stuff recently so I don't know what is cheaper.


Pavestone
 
We had a deck built on our old house and loved it--it was significantly elevated (12 feet on one side and about 18 or so on the otehr so a patio wasn't an option). We also had a patio built in the yard behind the deck so we did a little bit of both. We recently moved and we are thinking about deck v. patio.

I think deck's are generally a bit more expensive but it all depends on the material you use and how much work needs to be done to prep the area for a patio. We used ipe wood for our old deck and it was great--very dense, no splinters, no need to paint it. It was great for dogs and kids, etc. It was very expensive, though. If you use cheaper wood it will splinter, rot, etc. and be more of a headache over the years whereas the more expensive woods look better and last longer. The patio will need to be pressure washed but that should be about it--although it isn't as friendly to kids. I haven't priced stones but I would think that you can find some good looking stones for the patio that aren't as expensive as wood.

We used Austin Deck Co. for the deck and will use them again if we go that route. They can come out and give you a bid and a drawing. We had The Great Outdoors do some landscaping and they built the patios. One of our patios (we had 2) was fairly complicated b/c of elevation so they contracted it out--whover they used did a great job but I don't recall who it was.
 
I am in the process of building a patio myself now. I just added on to the existing square the builder gives you by drilling into it and putting rebar. I actually extended it out by about 5 feet, added a pond/ water fall, rounded it off and will cover it with stone that is about 1 inch thick. It has been a lot of work but will pay off when I am finished. I prefer the rock look more than wood which is why I chose the patio.
 
It is over an existing concrete slab, and I added on to it to make a half circle. When I bought the home it just had a square of about 10x10 and I just extended the slab by 5 feet except for the radius. Now, I am in the process of laying 1 in thick rock ( tan colored flagstone) over the entire slab and building up a waterfall around my pond(very tiny). I have to put mortar mix under the rock to make it stick, and then fill in between the rock with mortar and sand.
 
Whatever you do, stay away from a wood deck. That's all I'm gonna say.

Check out the simulated wood composite decks that offer the look of wood, but the maintenance of plastic (no splinters, no rot, etc)
 
I own a construction company. About this time of year, I start getting calls daily from people wanting to build decks and pergolas (google pergola images). I have almost stopped building wood decks. The money a person will save over the years in maintenance would be better spent on a more expensive and higher quality man made product. I use TREX almost exclusively. Spend the extra money and do it right. You get what you pay for.
 
PATIO!

You are going to be there a while so durability will outlast the initial greater cost of a patio. Think of the cost of replacing a wood deck even well maintained in 10 years.

Your house is a single story and your land is relatively flat. Unless you have a tall slab where you are at least a foot or more off the ground putting in a wooden deck that butts up to your house is simply a long term invitation to termite infestation (another cost justification for a patio)

The best thing to do is do your homework reagrding what materials you like best. Stone is awesome but you need to be careful in laying it in that you need the stones to be "level" yet you need 1/2" per 8 feet of decline away from your home to insure proper drainage.

Start watching the hell out of the Home and Garden network and hit the web to see when the are doing stone work or patio work.

NOTHING looks better than a well done stone patio area. But be damn sure you have done your homework if you are going to do it yourself.

the TREX product is also great, but you are getting close to stone in pricing so you decision might depend on if you have stone/brick on the back of your house. More wood against siding never was that appealing to me for example.

Good luck let us know how it turns out!
 
Another vote for a patio. We have a deck due to the terrain and I freakin' hate it. Next week, we are having a patio made of interlocking pavers off to one side of the deck.

After getting the patio finished, I am going to have the deck converted into a sun room. I can't wait to say goodbye to that deck.

The maintenance on the deck is a pain in the ***. IF you do the deck, follow WesTex's advice. Dont' do wood.
 
Thanks for the replies. I was leaning toward the patio before and will almost definitely go that way now.

I am thinking about finding and working with a landscape designer to help lay out a design and also help plan the backyard (my wife and I are not creative with this stuff). I guess I would then go with a contractor they recommend to do the patio and the cover.

I just feel like I'm flying so blind with this.
 
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