If you’re redoing your outdoor space, or you’ve bought a home and you’re creating your first outdoor space; you’ll need to consider what kind of flooring to use. Sometimes the answer may be obvious, but in some cases, it may not be. Be sure to check out all of your options and see which ways work best with your budget. Keep in mind that gorgeous teak deck might look great, but it’s certainly not the most budget-friendly, nor is it very eco-friendly either.
The first step to a proper outdoor space is to consider what you’ll be doing in that space. Do you intend on having large gatherings of family or friends, or small, simple weekend get-togethers. Will you be sitting outside in your space reading the morning paper on a daily basis, or will you just be using it for the occasional weekend gathering. How many people do you normally cater to when you have gatherings, and so forth. Keep all of these things in mind, because you don’t want to design a space that’s too small, or potentially too large; for whatever the space is actually being used for.
If you’re interested in doing the project yourself, consider how much time it will actually take you and how much time you have available. When tackling the project yourself, you need to take in many different aspects of the project: durability of the materials, whether or not your space will need some kind of drainage, the time and maintenance for the space, and so forth. Last but not least, your budget.
Wooden decks are a great and very popular option. You can use woods local to your region to ensure their durability in your climate. If you’re interested in eco-friendly alternatives, you can also purchase bamboo to build your outdoor space. Bamboo is a great option because it’s easily renewable (within 5 years to reach maturity,) and it’s extremely durable. Bamboo may cost a little bit extra, but in the end it may be worth it – especially if you’re looking for less destructive ways to create an outdoor space. If you’re not interested in bamboo, but you don’t want to use new plywood to create your outdoor space, consider using reclaimed wood. Reclaimed wood is a great option, especially for outdoor spaces.
You can also choose a wide variety of stone for your outdoor space. Take into consideration that you may need to regularly weed between the cracks of stone and it can become uneven if not installed properly. You can use sand to help keep your floor even. Avoid pebbles, gravel or other smaller rocks because they can become especially uncomfortable to stand on. Also, they don’t allow for easy placement of furniture; and they can be haven to unwanted pests such as spiders or ants.
Your outdoor space should reflect you and your needs, rather than the latest and greatest magazine photo – so keep in mind that this is about you and your family.
Source: Personal Experience