Our Mind's Made Up

Before Christmas I wrote about our dilemma in relation to what flooring we should use for the covered patio area at the rear of our house. This area was designed specifically as an outdoor room to be an extension of our living zone. We were careful to have the area covered under the same roof line as the house, so that it doesn't feel like an afterthought. The only problem is that its had no flooring since we moved in and as such, is a completely unusable dust bowl.

So, after much debate over the last few weeks, my man and I have finally reached our decision on the best flooring solution for our patio and the winner is (drum roll please) - tiles laid on a concrete slab. We have changed our minds so many times since moving into our home, and the reason we finally decided on tile went a little like this:

Timber Deck

(via RealEstate.com.au)

While I love, love, luuurrrve a timber deck, we did have one at our previous home and know from personal back breaking experience that the up-keep is never ending. Our block also backs onto a nature reserve, so under current bush fire laws, that would have meant applying for special planning permission through our local Council, adding to the costs.

My other concern was in relation to our existing bamboo flooring in the room directly adjacent to the patio and how two competing timbers would "flow". You see we have strand woven bamboo floors inside in a coffee colour that look like this, but the decking that we both like (and is within our budget) is merbau which is much redder by comparison - as you can see here. This would mean a somewhat confused collection of timber flooring.

Pavers

 

(via Inspire Bohemia)

Paving would have solved the timber clash, but would have involved lots of excavation works, leading to a somewhat sunken patio. Pavers also come with their own up-keep challenges ie. grass/weeds growing in joints, uneven pavers over time and they are typically more porous than tile meaning they will hold water for longer and also absorb more stains - probably not a good idea in an area where we will be eating and drinking!



So tiles it is! The first step in the process is concreting the slab on which the tiles will (eventually) be laid. But until I get around to organising said concreter, here are some tiled patios that are definitely worth a look.

(via FYG Architects)

(via Southern Living)

(via Neon Reservation)

via Pinterest Source Unknown

via Pinterest Source Unknown

It's hard to imagine that our dirt covered patio will ever eventuate into something even remotely as beautiful as these examples, but I guess you have to start somewhere! Stay tuned for the next installment of our patio progress.