It Is Finished!

We have been working on a new patio project for a couple of weeks now and we finally got it finished this week!!  This all started when we decided to spruce up the backyard.  We had initially planned to build an arbor over our deck but soon realized it would cost a lot more money than we initially thought and we didn't really want to deal with the up-keep of staining it.  Then we got to looking at our sad little brick paved patio.

The patio was on the smallish side, the brick pavers were a little loose and we had weeds growing up in between them.  So, with the help of one of Brandon's sub-contractors, we decided to give it a face lift! 

Brandon began the whole process by pulling up all of the pavers and digging out a 17' x 22' area (we extended the patio to the end of the house).  Once that was done he asked a friend from work to come help him form up the area and get the sand down.

And then, because we were getting the labor as a favor from the concrete company, we waited.  And we waited some more.  Finally, two weeks after this huge sand box was made, the concrete truck showed up early Wednesday morning!

They strung a huge hose all the way back to the patio area and pumped the concrete in that way.  It was pretty fun to watch them pour it and smoosh it around.

If you are wondering, we chose to do a colored concrete which is why the concrete looks brown.  As you can see, our poor strawberries took a beating!

After they got the concrete poured, they leveled it out to make it even and then they let it set for about an hour before they started the next step.

These are the stamps they used to make the patio look like flagstone.  Unfortunately, we both had to go to work so we didn't get to see them stamp the patio.  But, from what I hear, they have to let the concrete set up enough to walk on it before they can stamp it.  Then, they throw this colored powder over the concrete to help release the stamps (and the powder gives the concrete a little character when it is all said and done).  Then, they place these rubber stamps on the concrete, tamp them down and pull them back up to get the pattern.  They have stamps in all different patterns - brick, slate tile, cobblestone and even wood grain planks.

The finished patio looks awesome!!  I was a little nervous about the color we chose, but I think it is perfect!

Brandon had just power washed the patio in these pictures so that is why it is wet.  We still have to seal it which will give it a nice shiny appearance and it will really bring out the colors and the character of the stamp. 

We are so pleased with the outcome and can't wait to get out there and make use of our new space!