Looking to enjoy your home’s surroundings a little more? A deck or a patio can add some great flexibility and value to your home without costing too much money. There’s few things better than having a few friends over, firing up the grill or a fire pit, and soaking in the fresh air till the stars come out.
The question is, which do you go with?
Patio or Deck – That is the Question
Before we continue, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page. When we say patio, we’re referring to a surface that’s directly on the lawn. This could be attached to the home. This could be further out in the yard.
Patios can be covered, or they can remain uncovered, depending on what you want.
A deck, on the other hand is a wooden (or vinyl) structure that’s elevated off the ground and connected to the home. A deck typically has a railing around it, though direct covering isn’t particularly common. Deciding what’s best for you could depend on a number of factors.
For example, if there’s no place to build directly off your home, a patio would work best as it could be placed further out in the yard. Your budget is also a likely factor.
Cost of Patio vs. Deck
Cost varies for both depending on what materials you use. However, a wooden deck vs. a cement patio, the cost of the patio is often cheaper. And in the long run of care and maintenance, the patio can have further savings.
While wood requires consistent maintenance to keep it from falling apart in a few years, concrete patios require minimum maintenance while lasting longer.
Safety
With their higher elevation, decks can pose a larger safety risk than a ground level patio. Additionally, if a deck isn’t properly constructed or maintained, boards may break, causing a serious hazard for those walking across.
If you’re planning on grilling or setting up a fire pit, take into account the fact that a wood deck is, of course, flammable.
A concrete patio is a hard surface. Should someone trip and fall, they might hurt themselves while landing, but this is true for virtually any surface.
Appearance
A well-made, stained deck will look good. If you choose a finish that’s complimentary to your house, it’ll look nice. There’s no arguing with that.
But a patio can look just as good if not better with some stained concrete application. Stained concrete is the perfect way to add a beautiful finish to your home’s new patio, creating a unique appearance.
If you’ve seen one deck, you seen almost all of them. Stained patios, however, tend to have a little more character. For exterior concrete staining in Minnesota, the twin cities metro, or even Wisconsin, the team at Artisan Concrete is here for you.
We’ll make sure your concrete doesn’t just look good, but is also prepared to weather the outdoors all season long.
Contact us today!