7 Reasons Concrete Patios Are So Popular
Raised concrete patio under a roof extension with wood ceiling, skylights, and modern fireplace.
When it comes to creating a beautiful outdoor space to enjoy in your backyard, the number one choice of homeowners is a concrete patio.
Concrete patio slabs work with any style of architecture and offer a huge variety of finishes, colors, and designs to meet any homeowner’s need while also being durable and one of the least expensive choices.
In this post, we’ll discuss some of the most common questions homeowners have about poured concrete patios like:
What is a concrete patio?
7 reasons concrete patios are so popular
Concrete patio drainage options
What types of textured concrete are available for patios?
Concrete patio ideas — upgrades you’ll love!
Colored concrete
Painted concrete
Stained concrete
Stamped concrete
How thick should a concrete patio be?
How much does a concrete patio cost?
Looking for concrete patio contractors near you in Columbia, SC?
Ready to make your dream of a beautiful new concrete patio a reality? We can help!
At Boots On Enterprises, we do concrete patio installation, patio resurfacing, paver patios, hardscaping, and even landscaping.
Contact us today for a FREE quote.
Phone: 803-521-4978
Email: bootsonenterprises@gmail.com
A modern concrete patio with an outdoor stacked stone fireplace and a view into a luxurious living space.
What is a concrete patio?
A concrete patio is an outdoor paved living space made of a poured concrete slab. Concrete is one of the most common building materials in the world. It’s made of Portland cement, water, and aggregates (sand, rock, or gravel). The mixture begins as a thick, wet paste and can be poured into any shape. Then it hardens and cures to make a very durable pavement.
Poured concrete is the most popular of all types of patio materials because it is less expensive than pavers, tiles, brick, or natural stone and is long-lasting and versatile.
A backyard concrete patio that is stamped and stained to look like natural stone with a small table and wooden chairs.
7 reasons concrete patios are so popular
A concrete slab patio is one of the best options for creating a flat surface that’s perfect for an outdoor living room or outdoor dining room.
Advantages of a concrete patio
Poured concrete…
Is the least expensive pavement option for patios.
Lasts for 10-15 years or even several decades if well-maintained.
Is extremely versatile — can be made into any shape or size.
Has a variety of finishing options and upgrades available.
Can be textured to be non-slip.
Can be weatherproof if properly sealed.
Is low maintenance.
A few more reasons so many people love a concrete slab for a patio…
Concrete for patios will never rot or rust. It can handle harsh weather conditions better than most materials. And you can get the look of pavers without having to worry about weeds between the pavers/stones.
Concrete doesn’t splinter. It can be made in any color. And you can paint it with Cool Deck so it won’t burn your feet in the summer. With upgrades, it can look like it’s made of high-end materials.
If it does ever crack, the cracks can be fixed. And, if there is damage over time, there’s always the option to resurface the concrete.
Cross section of drainage system concept with a channel drain between the lawn and pavement blocks - 3D illustration.
Concrete patio drainage options:
Wood or composite decks automatically have their own drainage because there are spaces between each board for water to drain out. But concrete patios or paver patios may need a bit of help to drain properly, depending on the situation.
You can have a channel drain or slot drain installed to prevent ponding and flooding if you live in an area prone to heavy rains. Or, consider talking with concrete patio installers near you about a sloping channel with decorative stone or gravel and continue it into the yard with some lovely landscaping.
A broom-finish concrete patio is being installed with the last few strokes of the broom adding texture to the concrete.
What types of textured concrete are available for patios?
Concrete patio finishes come in a variety of beautiful options depending on the look you prefer and how much texture and non-slip effect you’d like. You can also add some non-slip effects with certain types of concrete patio sealers.
Brushed concrete/broom-finish concrete
A brushed concrete patio is the same thing as a broom-finish concrete patio. As you can see in the image above, a large broom is carefully dragged over the surface of the concrete when it is still wet to create lines all going in the same direction. This is the most popular finish for concrete patios.
Polished concrete
Among the types of textured concrete patios, this one is the least textured. It looks shiny, almost like a polished ballroom floor. A polished concrete patio is stunningly beautiful. But because it is so smooth and shiny, it doesn’t have much texture and can be quite slippery. Especially if it gets wet.
Salt finish concrete
A salt-finished concrete patio is a bit more textured than a brushed finish. Coarse rock salt is spread across the wet surface of the concrete. Then, once the concrete cures, the salt crystals are pressure washed away to reveal little nooks and crannies in the pavement.
Smooth trowel finish
To achieve a smooth finish on concrete, a concrete patio builder uses a trowel to carefully smooth out the concrete and “fine-level” the surface.
The picture at the top of this post shows a smooth concrete patio. This finish is modern and beautiful-looking. But do keep in mind that it doesn’t provide as much traction as a textured concrete patio.
A smooth trowel finish can even be polished for a very shiny, beautiful effect that is often used for indoor flooring. Or it can be honed and ground down to have a matte finish that is not as slippery but quite smooth.
Trowel finish
For different types of textured concrete patios, concrete patio installers can use the edge of a trowel to do sweeping patterns, swirls, and other textures on the surface of wet concrete. This provides decorative concrete finishes that are also non-slip.
Non-slip textures are perfect for outdoor concrete patios, walkways, steps, and pool decks where people might be walking on wet surfaces to help minimize falls and injuries.
Circular stained concrete patio with red lounge chairs and a shade umbrella near a black metal fence overlooking a pond and grassy area.
Concrete patio ideas — upgrades you’ll love
A poured concrete patio looks beautiful left as is. But you don’t have to leave it that way if you want something with more pizzazz. Check out these glorious upgrades for a luxurious patio.
Colored concrete patio
Concrete can be mixed with color to change the color all the way through the entire slab. This is different from stained concrete (that we will be discussing in a bit where the stain is only applied to the surface). Dyes can be added before the concrete is installed. Then sealers can be added to bring out the color of the concrete stain for a patio even more beautifully.
Painted concrete patio
A patio can also be painted with concrete patio paint. This is a special paint that generally also acts as a sealant. Painting a concrete patio is one option for changing the appearance and color of your concrete. Another great thing about paint is that you can have a Cool Deck treatment painted on so that the patio will never get too hot and burn bare feet in the summer.
Stained concrete patio
Staining a concrete patio involves spraying or rolling a water-based concrete patio stain onto the surface of the patio concrete. The stain penetrates the top layer of the pavement, changing the color. The patio stain may contain concrete sealer, as well if you opt for a “stain + sealer” variety.
Sealer is needed to protect the concrete from water and chemical damage and to help prevent the stain from fading as quickly. And it also helps to bring out the color of the stain.
Concrete stain adds colors and effects that can make your concrete look like stone, tile, or other materials. And it doesn’t flake or chip like paint because it’s not a coating on top of the concrete. It actually goes down into the concrete, itself. So it lasts a lot longer than paint can.
Stamped concrete patio
Stamped concrete involves making imprints on the top of wet concrete that make the concrete look like higher-end materials like slate, flagstone, natural stone, wood, brick, or tile. It is especially beautiful when the concrete is also colored or stained to mimic the material.
Stamped concrete patio cost
Stamped concrete patios cost a bit less than pavers, generally, but more than plain poured concrete. If you want a basic stamped concrete patio, expect to spend about $9-$16 per square foot.
The typical price range for stamped concrete in the Columbia, SC area is about $2900 - $7400 for a stamped concrete patio.
Stained and stamped concrete costs about $10-15 per square foot for basic designs with just one color. And for more complicated colors, you can expect to pay $28-30 per square foot.
But for more complicated custom projects, you could pay up to $20 per square foot. If you want a different border pattern, colored concrete, concrete stain, multiple colors, or special patterns, expect to pay more.
A backyard concrete patio with a pergola and chocolate brown wicker chairs and coffee table.
How thick should a concrete patio be?
A concrete patio builder can help you evaluate how thick your concrete patio should be. You’ll want to get a good balance between strength and cost-effectiveness. The thicker the concrete, the stronger it is. But patio concrete often doesn’t need to be able to handle extremely heavy loads.
In general, you would want an ideal concrete patio thickness is 4 inches for stamped concrete.
In contrast, a stamped concrete driveway should be at least 6 inches thick. Or even 8 inches, if you plan to have heavier vehicles or multiple vehicles on the slab long term.
A simple concrete patio with four black Adirondack chairs and a wood table near a patio home.
How much does a concrete patio cost?
How much is a concrete patio?
On average, a plain concrete slab patio would cost about $5-7 per square foot. This means that the concrete has no special finishes, colors, staining, or stamping.
For a patio with one color method or one decorative finish, that would likely cost about $7-10 per square foot.
For a more custom design with several colors or a contrasting border, that would cost about $10-15 per square foot.
And for a very intricate design, it would be $15 and up.
How much does a 20x20 concrete patio cost
$ — Plain concrete patio
Expect about $2000 - $2800
$$ — One color method or one decorative finish
Expect about $2800 - $4000
$$$ — Custom design with two-three colors or a contrasting border
Expect about $4000 - $6000
$$$$ — Very complicated patio design with borders, hand-applied colors, or many colors
Expect $6000 and up
A concrete patio company near you can give you an exact quote for your project. And if you need a concrete patio in Columbia, SC, we’d love to give you a quote.
Factors involved in the cost of a concrete patio
Calculating a new concrete patio cost depends on several factors like:
How much prep work/grading needs to be done before the patio installation.
If you need an old patio/deck demolished and hauled away.
The size of the patio.
How complicated the patio design is.
How accessible the patio build area is for machinery.
How thick the concrete is.
Any upgrades like stamping or staining.
What type of sealant you want to use.
How far your location is from the normal service area of the concrete patio installer.
What area of the country you live in.
Current fuel/labor/material costs.
Cost of concrete patio repairs/concrete overlay vs a new patio
If you have an existing patio and just want to do patio repairs, patio resurfacing, or a concrete patio overlay, you’ll pay a good bit less than you would for building a new patio from scratch.
Concrete patio repairs
Repairing cracks and then applying a fresh coat of sealant or stain/sealant is the most economical way to fix an existing patio if surface damage is minimal.
Concrete patio overlay/patio concrete resurfacing
If there is surface damage to the concrete patio and it is beyond crack repair alone, adding a concrete overlay on the patio may be a great option that is more economical than replacing the entire patio.
A basic patio overlay may cost $3-7 per square foot. Of course, you can also add upgrades to your overlay like staining or stamping which could cause the cost to go up.
A closeup of a concrete patio stained and stamped with a wood texture to look like a wooden deck.
Ready to find a concrete patio contractor in Columbia, SC?
We are a concrete patio contractor near you in the Midlands of South Carolina servicing Lexington and Richland counties.
We can help with:
Patio sealing
Patio painting/Cool Deck application
Patio resurfacing/patio overlays
Concrete staining, stamping
New patio installation
And more
We also install stone and concrete patio pavers, and offer hardscaping, landscaping, and tree services.
Please contact us today for a FREE quote.
Phone: 803-521-4978
Email: bootsonenterprises@gmail.com
