Is concrete a good choice for a patio?

Concrete is a smart choice for your patio construction material. That is why concrete is the most popular building material when adding a patio to a home. It has infinite design possibilities and is incredibly durable.

How do I cover an old concrete patio?

If you have an old patio you want to hide, you could simply throw an area rug over it. There is also concrete paint that you can use to give your concrete patio a fresh look. If you want something more permanent, you could arrange pavers over it or build a wooden deck.

Is it better to paint or stain a concrete patio?

Stain is a more durable treatment because it sinks down into the concrete. It is a dye that becomes a part of the concrete. Paint is a liquid that sits on the surface of the concrete and then dries like a coating. This makes it less durable because it can eventually peel or wear away.

Concrete Patio Ideas and Suggestions for Your Backyard

Having a concrete patio on the back of your house gives you the perfect place for developing your outdoor living space. The concrete is sturdy, durable, and long-lasting. The problem with concrete is that it’s not very attractive. Leaving your concrete bare can bring down your entire outdoor design. Thankfully, there are several ways you can dress up your concrete patio to elevate the exterior of your home.

Check out these concrete patio ideas and upgrade your concrete into a place you actually want to be.

1. Transform Your Concrete Patio with Wood Planks

If you absolutely hate your concrete and want something else, then you can cover it with wood planks. Your concrete patio is a perfect solid base for building a wooden deck over it. You could start by building a framework that rests on the concrete. Then mount your planks on the framework.

Wooden pergola over a concrete patio with a table and chairs, surrounded by greenery and plants under a partly cloudy sky — Source: @eurotex.usa via Instagram

Another option is to use wood tiles. They give you the look of a wood deck but are cheaper and much easier to install. There are teak tiles that are perfect because the teak is durable enough to be left outside year-round. The wood is on a plastic frame base that locks into the tiles around it. The result is a floating wood covering that sits directly on the concrete.

2. Elevate Your Concrete Patio with a Fire Pit

Placing a fire pit on your concrete patio is a great addition. You’ll see many ideas that use pea gravel for the fire pit base and surrounding area. Concrete is better because it’s solid and smooth. This gives you a solid base for your fire pit, which is safer than one that can shift and move.

Stone patio with circular fire pit, surrounded by grass and a low brick wall in a backyard setting — Source: @taylorsconcrete via Instagram

Fire pits are basic, though. Build an outdoor fireplace instead. You can build it on one side of your concrete patio and have a modified chimney that helps direct the smoke upward. You can then create an outdoor living room set up in front of it.

3. Enhance Your Patio with Thoughtful Landscaping

It doesn’t matter if you are planning a DIY concrete patio or already have one in place. Once the patio is in place, you need to add landscaping around it. Otherwise, you have an awkward concrete slab just sitting on your property.

A modern concrete patio combined with small rocks, with lounge chairs around a fire pit, a grassy yard, and mountain views in the background under a clear blue sky — Source: @actionlandscape_ via Instagram

A patterned stone patio with gravel fill, bordered by concrete blocks. A small cactus grows near the edge — Source: @heidi_schwegler via Instagram

A stone patio surrounded by plants, flowers, and a wooden barrel planter in a garden setting — Source: @naylorscapes via Instagram

Curved stone pathway with irregular shaped tiles, bordered by dry soil and sparse plants — Source: @nwbuilders_tucson_az via Instagram

You’ll feel exposed when sitting on your patio furniture or when swimming in your backyard pool. Try planting a variety of vegetation that grows to different heights for a layered effect. Dense leafy plants or those that produce large leaves are good for creating privacy.

4. Natural Stone Transformation for Your Patio

Fresh and clean concrete can look modern, but it needs to look new and be meticulously maintained. Chances are, if your concrete patio is older, it wouldn’t be up to these standards. Thankfully, you have another option for modernizing your patio. Use your concrete patio as a base for laying natural stone.

Wet concrete patio reflecting a house with large sliding doors, adjacent to a shrub and patch of soil — Source: @rbzcontracting via Instagram

Wet stamped concrete patio with tile-like pattern, adjacent to a beige house with a window and a white fence gate — Source: @triple_crete_construction via Instagram

Choose a durable and hard stone like slate or flagstone. These stones have dark coloring to transform the look of your patio. To secure the stones on the concrete, you’ll need to mortar them in place.

5. Install Pavers Over a Concrete Patio

For a contemporary update to your concrete patio, cover it with pavers. This paver project is significantly easier than starting another project from scratch. The concrete surface gives you a smooth and stable surface for your paver patio concrete overlay. Concrete pavers will give you the same level of durability and a similar look to your slab.

Stone patio fire pit, metal chairs, and potted pink flowers, adjacent to a house and grassy yard with tall plants — Source: @ekwlandscapedesigner via Instagram

Small brick patio area with light brown herringbone paving against a red brick house next to concrete patio, trimmed bush and utility boxes on the side — Source: @greeninnovationslandscapes via Instagram

Spacious patio with pavers and wooden chairs and a fire pit, surrounded by lush greenery and stone waterfall feature in backyard setting — Source: @millstreamlandscapes via Instagram

Bricks can give your patio a traditional look with a rich red color. Clay pavers are the modern version of traditional bricks. They create a more modern concrete patio design in your outdoor space. You can keep the design simple with square or rectangle pavers. You can also get more creative with wedge or hexagon shapes.

6. Add a Stylish Pergola to Your Concrete Patio

You already have the concrete flooring, so why not build a pergola over it. Now you have a shaded and protected outdoor space to enjoy your backyard. You could turn it into an outdoor living room. Or you could have a large dining table for an outdoor spot to enjoy meals.

Backyard concrete patio with a wooden pergola, potted plants, and outdoor furniture, brown house with stairs in the background, clear blue sky above — Source: @4_seasons_llc via Instagram

Concrete patio with wooden pergola, gray wicker chairs, blue cushions, and potted plants; sliding glass door on house wall in background — Source: @anothertarajones via Instagram

Wooden pergola on a tiled patio beside a house, next to a black table — Source: @bestredwood via Instagram

Backyard concrete patio with a covered seating area, table, chairs, a grill, and a dog on the lawn — Source: @builtrightpatios via Instagram

Wooden pergola with seating and potted plants on a tiled concrete patio in a backyard, surrounded by brick and wooden fences under a blue sky — Source: @fumauk via Instagram

A backyard with a concrete patio and wooden pergola casting shadows, surrounded by a grassy lawn and fenced by wooden panels — Source: @levelup_contractors via Instagram

Wooden pergola with string lights over a paved concrete patio, surrounded by planters, shrubs, and desert plants in a modern outdoor space — Source: @the_sumpter_house via Instagram

Wooden pergola with benches and a table underneath on a sunny concrete patio, surrounded by trees and a house in the background — Source: @bestredwood via Instagram

You could even build an outdoor kitchen if you have a larger patio. Pergolas come in a wide range of sizes, so you can build a structure that perfectly fits your large or small backyard.

See more pergola ideas here.

7. Start with a Poured Concrete Patio

If you are ready to build your outdoor living space from the ground up, your first step is to build the concrete patio. For a solid concrete floor, a poured patio is the best option. It’s more expensive than pre-cast pieces, but it lets you customize the design, and it’s built directly where you want it.

Smooth concrete patio with diagonal cuts next to a beige house and green grass — Source: @_royalconcrete via Instagram

A modern backyard patio with concrete paving, a grill, and outdoor furniture. There is a manicured lawn and a neighboring house visible — Source: @denverconcreteinc via Instagram

Freshly poured concrete patio in a backyard, surrounded by a wooden fence, with some greenery and neighboring houses in the background — Source: @firebirdconstruction via Instagram

Freshly poured concrete slab in a backyard, surrounded by wooden fences and plants — Source: @macleodconcrete_bayofplenty via Instagram

If you already have a patio, you could perform a patio makeover by adding a layer to the top of your patio. This is sometimes done when adding a pool to your backyard. The additional poured concrete connects your existing patio to your future pool surround.

8. Concrete Slabs for Home and Patio

A slab is a large piece of concrete that supports your entire house. Before building up, the contractor marks out and pours the concrete. Once cured, it acts as the base for your home. For most modern homes, the builder will make the concrete slab larger than the home’s size.

A house with a driveway featuring a grid pattern of concrete slabs separated by grass strips, surrounded by palm trees — Source: @reyfinishconcretecorp via Instagram

Patio with large concrete tiles, a wooden planter box along the wall, and a black storage box on the left side — Source: @zsoltfl via Instagram

The extra piece of concrete is what eventually turns into the backyard patio extending out from the side of the home. If you plan to build a home, include your patio ideas early on so that you can account for the additional planning, concrete, and costs.

9. The Beauty of Stained Concrete Patios

A stained concrete patio will not look like concrete. It’s colored concrete, but it can mimic the look of stone. The stain elevates the look of the concrete without having to cover it up or replace it. When done yourself, you can have an affordable and beautiful concrete patio.

A newly poured and cured brown stamped concrete patio adjacent to a house with beige siding and large windows — Source: @capitalconcretefinishing via Instagram

A patio with light brown, textured, wood-look concrete tiles, bordered by a wooden lattice and a fenced yard in the background — Source: @covafloorcoatings via Instagram

Stamped concrete patio with a cobblestone pattern, bordered by grass and plants, under a covered outdoor area — Source: @kevinbrown4112 via Instagram

Seal the concrete once you have the stain the way you like it. This protects the concrete and the staining design. Concrete stain comes in a wide range of colors. Try using more than one to create a layered effect that becomes multidimensional.

10. Upgrade Your Concrete Patio: Adding Functional Stairs

Adding stairs to an existing concrete patio can make it safer to navigate your property. You may need a step or two leading into the house through your home’s exterior door. Or perhaps your property slopes, and you need stairs that take you from the patio to the ground below.

A modern outdoor staircase with brown and beige concrete tiles leads to a doorway and garage entrance against a brick wall — Source: @artechlandscaping via Instagram

Curved concrete black tiled steps on a patio with a large potted plant, green artificial grass, and wicker furniture nearby — Source: @jlbuild via Instagram

Curved stone steps with a black railing lead to glass double doors surrounded by a wooden fence and stone patio — Source: @tonyslawnandgarden via Instagram

You can use pre-cast steps to build your stairs quickly. Place them where you want them and secure them in place. They should fit smoothly against your poured concrete patio to prevent a safety

11. Transforming Plain Concrete: The Artistry of Concrete Stamps

Because poured concrete can look plain with a smooth surface, you can use concrete stamps. They are typically made from a plastic or PVC material. Once the concrete is poured and begins to set up, you lay the stamp on the surface of the concrete and press down. The stamp then makes an indent in the surface to create a design.

Backyard view with a wooden gazebo, metal roof, and stone fire pit on a concrete patio, surrounded by wooden fences and houses — Source: @qbconcrete via Instagram

You can create a stamped concrete border when you have freshly poured concrete. Or you can use a larger stamp to create a stamped concrete pattern over the entire surface of the concrete. Some stamps can mimic the look of stones. Other stamps create a decorative design for an artistic stamped concrete patio. You’ll need to work quickly, and it helps to have multiple stamps to cover a larger area at once.

12. Stencil and Paint: An Easy Concrete Patio Makeover

Using a stencil and some paint is a simple method for dressing up an old poured concrete patio. Start by pressure washing your concrete to remove any dirt or grease. You need a clean and bare surface for the paint to adhere to the concrete.

Wooden table with planter centerpiece on a patterned concrete patio, overlooking trees and houses in the background — Source: @curatedbyanna_ via Instagram

Colorful patio with a patterned tile floor, a rainbow hammock, plants, a patterned rug, and eclectic chairs — Source: @hey.tiger via Instagram

Pallet furniture with gray cushions on a patterned concrete patio, surrounded by potted plants, a lantern, and a dark wooden fence — Source: @oursharedcorner via Instagram

Outdoor patio with two round wicker chairs, beige cushions, geometric black-and-white tiled floor, and a small plant table — Source: @oursharedcorner via Instagram

Choose a stencil that you like, lay it down, and then paint the pattern onto the concrete. The finished result should be a decorative concrete patio. You could use a single color or use multiple colors and stencils for a more intricate pattern.

Concrete Patio Ideas for Your Backyard