Project Patio

We have totally ripped out and redone our back patio at least three times in past 13 years.  That's what happens when your husband has access to heavy machinery and wants to bring it home all the time.  The last remodel of the patio we used concrete squares that had been salvaged from a remodel of a grocery store.  These worked out pretty well as pavers for several years until the rain, freezing temps, etc. caused them to shift and get pretty uneven...trip hazards everywhere. So, six weeks ago we decided to bite the bullet, rip it ALL out and do a stamped concrete patio.  And when I say "we" I mean Clyde did all the ripping and I took pictures.

This was actually the one section of the patio that I liked still...but it had to go.

My one criteria was do NOT kill my wisteria!  Clyde was very careful not to pull out the roots.

Lots of work compacting the rock.

Meanwhile, my wisteria bloomed! (with the plate compactor still in the middle of the patio and matrix-like string across the whole area)

Clyde made a stamp so we could personalize our patio.

But the N was backwards...back to the shop it went.

Finally, everything aligned...schedules, weather...and we were able to pour the concrete!

When I said, "that's not the color I picked out!" no one thought it was as funny as I did.

Smoothing out the concrete was just the beginning.

More smoothing...

Then, they had to cut in joints to control the inevitable cracks to the concrete.

And cut in more joints.

Smooth out some more.

After all that, THEN the stamping can begin.

Lookin' good!

JT stamped the entryway with our "custom" stamp.

Hit it with some color and then air to blow away the excess powder.

Smooth it all out.

End result.

Clyde was "supervising" the project.

Meanwhile the weather was getting warmer and the concrete was getting harder so the stamping had to go FASTER.  "What happened to the 68 degree forecast? It feels like 86 degrees!"

It turned out BEAUTIFUL and I am VERY happy with the result, can't wait to break it in with our first party.  They made it all look so easy!

Now all we have to do, correction, all CLYDE has to do is pressure wash it and seal it.