The Patio

I struggled with what to call this post, and decided simply to call it The Patio because it has a story. The Patio actually came to be from reading Young House Love's experience of putting in their own patio. That John made it look so easy and beautiful. And I thought, "Surely we can do that." 

This project began last summer. Did you catch that? Last. Summer. And it isn't an easy project. It's not a short affair like YHL's was, which was done by a single person!!!

Oh, did you notice that I used present tense there? Well, that's because it's not done. We have three rows left, which probably equates to three hours of work if not more. It's back breaking, sweaty, and frustrating work. And the perfectionists in us are struggling with doing it right. Except when we're not doing it right. We're probably doing every part wrong to achieve a patio that works for our sloped yard. I'm hoping the end result, which should be done this weekend since we'll be kidless, will still look good. If it doesn't, I might have to move. 

Because we are building such a large patio--I think it's around 6ft.x15ft--we needed to dig down half an inch for every foot. We dug down 7in. I think that's the correct math. It sounds small, but it isn't, especially in 107 degree weather we experienced last summer.

So we dug, and my in laws even got in the action <--forever grateful. Then we laid weed blocker, base, and sand. We rented machines we had no business operating. We laid probably a fourth of the patio before we got derailed by the surgery husband needed. So two tarps were purchased, and The Patio was covered. And it sat until nearly halfway into the summer because of some heavy rainfall we experienced this spring and early summer.

This summer we uncovered it. Purchased more bags of sand and base. We learned our lesson there. Go to a place that will deliver a bulk pile. Live and learn. And learn how to calculate properly. I think that first day back on the job we laid five rows we were so eager to make headway on The Patio. Now we have three rows left and I'm itching to cruise patio sets (we'll buy one next year since almost all sets are sold out), flowers I want to plant, and some containers to put around here and there with flowers. I'm aiming for a Tuscan feel, but it might end up being more rustic (read: DIY and beginner experience)

One day, I'll share more on our process, what we spent (haha...budgets), how it turned out, and some other ideas have I have percolating.