What to consider when choosing outdoor flooring for your patio

Having a patio does more than increase the value of your home - it provides a place to enjoy the great outdoors with family and friends and helps to transform a house into a home. It’s also an affordable way to increase the size of your living space. 

When deciding on the right flooring for your patio, there are lots of questions to ask. What will my patio be used for and how does this impact my choice of flooring? How can I use flooring to make my patio look as spacious as possible? How can I make my patio flow naturally into the rest of my garden? Finally, what are the best types of flooring to use for patios? Seeff has the answers.

Everything your patio will be used for 

Your patio will doubtless be used for entertaining guests and enjoying al fresco dinners during the summer months. It may also create a pathway between your home and your pool and provide a venue for cocktail parties and other social gatherings year-round. It’s important to make strategic choices when it comes to your patio flooring because it needs to be safe, non-slip and even in order for your family to enjoy it to its fullest potential. Your patio floor needs to complement your patio furniture to create a place where your family can make the most of every occasion from long summer evenings to cosy winter afternoons. 

Choosing the right flooring to make your patio look bigger 

The right choice of patio flooring can create an illusion of extra space on your patio, helping the area to open up and welcome your family and guests. Having a light-coloured floor with minimal decoration to distract the eye can make your patio feel uncluttered and open. Plain off-white tiles or flagstone pavers can work wonders to make your patio appear more spacious. 

Integrating your patio into the rest of your garden 

Having a great patio gives you a whole new way to enjoy your garden and it helps to blur the line between your home’s interior and your garden. Choose patio flooring that creates a great-looking buffer between your home and your garden. Your flooring should blend into both the interior and exterior of your home. A plain style is often the best way to achieve this. 

The best types of flooring for your patio

When it comes to choosing flooring for your patio, think carefully, because the material you use will go a long way to determining your patio’s look and what the area will be used for. Before putting in your new patio floor, make sure the area has been professionally prepared. This can help to avoid expensive maintenance later on. The options available to you include concrete, brick, flagstone, tiles and rubber pavers.

• Concrete

Pattern-imprinted concrete paving is a long-lasting and high-quality option for your patio floor. It consists of high-strength concrete that is cast on-site and then coloured and imprinted to your specifications. Of course, you can also choose a variant without a pattern if you prefer. Some of the advantages of concrete paving include the fact that it’s cost effective and requires little maintenance. It is also available in a variety of patterns and colours.

• Bricks

Chic brickwork is a great way to transform your patio into a buffer zone between your home and your garden. There is a wide array of brick paver types to choose from, including regular paving, interlocking paving and designer paving. Brick pavers are available in an array of colours and finishes, giving you plenty of opportunities to personalise your patio and enhance its look. Bricks are sturdy, long-lasting and boast a neat, classic look.

• Flagstone

Flagstone pavers are a popular choice for patios. The advantages of flagstone include non-slip surfaces, longevity and the variety of shapes and colour tones that are on offer. ­The versatility of flagstone tiles lends itself to both square/rectangular and round tile arrangements, which creates interesting options for your patio.

• Tiles

If you’re choosing tiles for your patio floor, it’s best to go for the unglazed option, as glazed tiles have a smooth finish and can be very slippery when wet. Glazed tiles can, however, be used to create a decorative border or accents. For the majority of your patio floor, slip-resistant ceramic floor tiles are a great choice. These are available in various colours and looks, from tiles reminiscent of cobblestones to ones that look like brickwork, as well as standard-look tiles.

• Rubber pavers

Rubber pavers have come a long way since only being known as gym flooring. These pavers are slip-resistant, long-lasting and durable, which makes them a great option for your patio. While boasting a look similar to brick and concrete, they also come with comfort and resilience. They make your patio into a safe environment for your kids to play in and a great place to host family braais and nights with friends.

Having a great-looking patio can be a huge factor in your favour when it’s time to sell your home. Seeff provides property valuations that give you a clear indication of other changes you could make, and when the time comes to sell your property, our professional real estate agents will guide you through every step of the process.

Author: Seeff Property Group