Concrete Patios in Stickney That Fit the Way You Live

Stickney backyards are not huge, so every foot of patio has to earn its spot. The mistake we see most is a slab that looked fine empty and feels cramped once the table and chairs are out. So we start with what goes on it. Table, grill, a couple of chairs, a spot for the kids' stuff. Spray paint goes on the grass in the shape we discussed, and you stand in it before any digging. Then we look at water. A patio against the house has to slope away from it, not much, but steadily, so a storm drains to the lawn instead of puddling at the back door or running toward the basement. In yards where the neighbor's lot sits higher, that takes some planning. With the shape and slope settled, the crew digs out the sod and soft soil, lays and compacts stone and sets the forms. Most patios go in about four inches thick with reinforcement inside. You choose the finish: broomed for a plain, grippy surface, or stamped and colored if you want it to look like stone. Joints get cut where they belong, the slab gets cured properly, and when the forms come out we put the soil back along the edges and haul off everything we brought in or dug up.