The patio spruces up the look of your yard, provides you with a place to entertain your guests, and improves the value of your home. You can install a stone, concrete, or brick patio depending on your needs and preferences or hire a pergola builder for a nice pergola. A brick patio is the most common as it comes in different colors, lasts for a long time (when properly installed), and you can install it in different designs.
Designs for installing a brick patio
There are many designs that you can go with. The most common are: Stacked bond: The design is loved by many people as it’s easy thus the most ideal for you if you don’t have money to hire a patio company. This design involves laying bricks so that they run in a vertical and horizontal pattern. Due to the design, the joint lines are up. Running board: Here you install the bricks running in the same direction. Unlike in the stacked bond, where the joints are up, the joints in this design are in rows. The design is difficult to achieve on your own but you can do it with a little bit of training. Basketweave: The cool thing about this design is that it provides you with a minimal number of bricks needing to be cut. The first row goes from left to right and you lay the bricks in a horizontal and vertical pattern. Jack on jack: The pattern involves a uniform set of rows and columns where you set each paver end-to-end or side-to-side.
Guide to choosing a brick patio design
As you have seen there are plenty of designs that you can go with. The design that you choose should be informed by your skills. If you have the brick laying skills you should choose a design that you can easily execute. If you don’t have the skills you should hire a patio design company to help with the installation of even the most complex designs. Another factor to consider is the look you want to create. If you want a complex look, go for the complex patio design and vice versa. Regardless of the design, you choose, ensure that you install your pavers on a solid, dry ground. This is to avoid damage to the pavers. If you have never installed the pavers before, you should hire a patio contractor to help you out. After installing the patio you need to take good care for it to last for a long time and also look good for long. You should remove weeds and repaint it regularly. A brick patio is a beautiful addition to your home. It not only provides a place for you and your friends to relax, it also increases the value of your home. To keep your patio looking great you have to take good care of it. To help you out here are tips on how to maintain the patio:
Pay attention to the patio brick joints
One of the major challenges facing brick patios is erosion between the brick joints. When there is plenty of erosion the joints get weak and the pavers tend to move. This can see your patio coming down within a short time. To avoid erosion, you should add sand to the joints. For ideal results use sand that is specifically designed to use with bricks.
Get rid of patio weeds
There is nothing that gives patios an ugly look than weeds. To maintain the great look of the patio take measures to get rid of weeds from your patio. One of the most effective ways of doing it is sealing the patio using a water-based sealer. Most people think that using fungicides is the most effective way of getting rid of weeds, but it isn’t. In addition to it not being effective, it also harms the environment. Sealing the patio not only prevents weeds from growing, it also prevents the patio’s color from fading easily. Sealing also makes it easy for you to clean the patio. When buying the sealant, go for one that hardens the brick joints thus ensuring that the pavers are set firmly in place.
Regularly clean the patio
Water remains the easiest and most effective way of keeping the patio looking great. While regular sweeping gets rid of dirt and debris, it isn’t enough to maintain your patio in good condition. To get rid of even the most stubborn debris you should hose the pavers.
Apply paint to the patio
In addition to cleaning the unit, you should also regularly paint it in order to maintain the original look. When painting, use the highest quality of paint that you can afford. For the paint to be durable, use paint that is designed for bricks. If you have the painting skills you should go ahead and paint the bricks, but if you don’t have the skills you should hire a hardscaping contractor Port Jefferson to help you out. In addition to the contractor painting the unit, he/she also helps you identify problems and fix them.
