Summary: If you are one of the 1000's of home owners who are planning to build a patio this year, you can do something a bit different from the old familiar brick or plain concrete patio and have a functional conversation piece during the months you use it and beyond. It is easily assembled from custom cast modular blocks and the texture is achieved by pressing a layer of course aggregate into the concrete while it is still wet.
First off, check with your local laws to see if you need a permit to add a patio and if there are any restrictions involved. Once you know what you are allowed to do, you can prepare the foundation to lay your blocks. There are many ways to prepare a patio foundation which are beyond the scope of this article, but basically, make sure that the site is level and properly prepared before laying your completed blocks.
Before you begin the actual work of casting the blocks, draw out your patio plan on a sheet of graph paper. Be sure it is complete with the sizes and shapes of the blocks you would like use, as well as the placement of the blocks to create the design. If you are also measuring with your graph paper, subtract 1/2 inch for the joint between each module for the mortar. You are not limited to rectangles and squares, but can use any shape that you feel you can build a form, or mold, for. But with just 3 different dimensions of rectangular blocks, there are hundreds of possibile ways to arrange them. For simplicity, this article will assume the blocks are rectangles.
To read the rest of my article:
http://www.diystuff.com/Concrete/How_to_Cast_Your_Own_Custom_Patio_Blocks_in_Concrete.shtml
[Due to copyright agreement, I am unable to post my article here in its entirety.]
Saturday, October 17, 2009
DIY Article - How to Cast Your Own Custom Patio Blocks in Concrete
Monday, August 17, 2009
DIY Article - How To Create Patio Walls From Decorative Concrete Blocks
Summary: Backyard privacy does not need to be an unattractive and solid windscreen, but it can be a beautiful and breezy decorative block wall. You can add it to an existing patio foundation as a wall, or build it on its own footing as a free-standing fence.
Note: If you are planning to build a wall or fence taller than 3 feet, you may need to get a building permit for it depending on where you live.
If you get off on the right foot with a proper foundation, your privacy screen will look fantastic. If you are not going to place your privacy wall on an existing concrete patio slab, you will need to create one specifically for the wall. This is done by simply digging a 10 inch wide by 7 inch deep trench that is the length of your proposed wall.
To read the rest of my article:
http://www.diystuff.com/Concrete/How_To_Create_Patio_Walls_From_Decorative_Concrete_Blocks.shtml
[Due to copyright agreement, I am unable to post my article here in its entirety.]