How To Build A Front Patio
If you'd like some useful space in front of your house for lawn chairs or container gardening, you might want to have a concrete slab poured along the front of your house that's similar to a patio. You might have a roof added for shade, or just leave the slab open so you can save money.
You might spend a lot of time on your patio in the backyard, but having a front patio could make the area more useful and even add visual appeal to your property. Plus, the concrete could keep grass and plants away from your foundation so you don't have to worry as much about pests and poor drainage. Here's a look at having your front patio built by a residential concrete contractor.
Check Building Codes First
Since the slab will be in the front of your house, you might need to comply with building codes for how it's built and how far in front of your house it can extend. You might even need a permit to have the slab poured. Knowing the rules first helps you plan how your patio will be designed.
Talk To Your Contractor About The Design
A nice thing about a concrete slab is that it is built inside a frame, and the frame can be any shape you like. Instead of a straight rectangular slab, you might want one that's curvy. You can lay out string or a garden hose in the shape you like so your concrete contractor understands your goals. When the contractor builds the frame, you'll have a final chance to decide if that's the look you want.
Another thing to discuss with the residential concrete contractor is how you want the concrete to look. Since it will be in front of your house, you might want the slab stamped so it looks like it's made from flagstone or brick pavers instead of plain concrete.
Prepare The Ground And Pour The Concrete
One of the most important parts of installing a slab next to your home is to slope it so rain rolls away from your house. This can be done by grading the soil to create a slope. All the grass has to be removed so the soil base can be made with gravel and compacted for the concrete.
The frame is built on the soil to hold the concrete when it's poured. The contractor may put down rebar to help support the patio. Then the concrete mix can be poured into the frame. Since the patio is in your front yard, the mixing truck can probably get close enough to the area to pour the mix directly into the frame where the workers can spread it around before the mix gets hard.
During this phase, designs can be stamped in or color can be added to make the slab more attractive. Your residential concrete contractor may recommend a coating too, but they may wait to apply that once the concrete has cured. For more information on concrete patios, contact residential concrete contractors near you.
