Five Ways to Create a DIY Patio for Under $300
It’s the time of year to decorate your outdoor space and create a place to relax over your morning coffee or gather for a barbecue. If the weather has inspired you to build a patio, you may have noticed the price of materials—building a patio can be expensive. But you can make it on a budget if you buy the right materials.
Pea gravel and curb
A gravel patio is an affordable option for creating an outdoor space for less money. You can use weed barrier ($19.99 for a 3-by-50-foot roll), pea gravel ($4.68 for a 0.5-cubic-foot roll), and some edging ($27.54 for a 40-foot roll). ft.) to define the patio space and keep it free from weeds. The border comes with stakes to secure it, and this type of patio can be assembled relatively easily using a hammer, shovel and scissors or a utility knife to trim the weed barrier. If your ground is uneven, it may be helpful to level the dirt underneath before installing a weed barrier to ensure your patio is level.
Composite deck tiles
You can make a patio out of interlocking wood and plastic composite tiles ($82.99/27 12-by-12-inch tiles) for a versatile and simple patio floor. Before laying the tiles, you may need to use a weed barrier ($19.99 for a 3-by-50-foot roll) to keep grass from growing between the deck tiles. These tiles need to be laid on level ground, so you may have to level and compact the dirt underneath them to make them work.
DIY concrete paving stones
You can make your own concrete pavers patio using quick setting concrete ($5.20/60 lb bag) and patio pavers molds ($29.98) to make your own concrete patio pavers. You will need about 20 bags of concrete per 50 square foot area if your paver mold is two inches thick. To successfully pour concrete on a patio, you will need to level the dirt underneath the pavers and add sand ($6.80 per 50 lb bag) or gravel base ($4.64 per 50 lb bag) to the pavers. This method of creating a patio is more labor-intensive and will take more time, but it will also last longer than other options.
Rubber road pavers
To create a patio with rubber pavers ($79.85 for a six-pack of 16-by-16-inch pavers), you’ll first need to level the area and use a weed barrier ($19.99 for a 3-by-50-foot roll). You may also consider using an edge ($27.54 for a 40-foot roll) to keep the pavers from shifting. The benefit of rubber pavers is that they are easy on the knees and durable for outdoor use, but patios made from this material can shift more easily than concrete or stone, so it can be difficult to keep the pavers in place year-round. .
Ready-made concrete paving stones
Pre-mixed concrete pavers ($1.98 for 12-by-12-inch pavers) are an affordable patio option if you choose a simple design. As with other paver installation methods, it’s a good idea to use a weed barrier ($19.99 for a 3-by-50-foot roll) to prevent plants from growing under the pavers. You can also use gravel ($4.64 for 50 pounds) between the pavers to fill any gaps and firm up any uneven areas. The advantage of ready-mixed pavers is that they don’t take as long as pouring pavers into a mold, but they are easier to move than molded concrete with a base.