We spent last summer painting the back porch (it was smurf blue), replacing the deck lattice, and creating a garden. All great improvements but the space lacked charm. Then this spring we fixed our rustic retaining wall that was badly damaged over the winter and all of a sudden I kept thinking English garden retreat, right here! With good weather around the corner, we’re excited to expand our outdoor living space with a DIY patio.
the plan
The patio will have a small outdoor living room and dining room area for our family of five to enjoy alfresco meals lit by overhead cafe lights, relax and enjoy the summer weather. With a budget in mind, we decided on a combination of pea gravel, cobblestones, and slate tiles (leftover from my parent’s house) to create the patio floor. The driveway will be cut back (Ryan’s brilliant idea) to expand the patio space and the cracked concrete step will be replaced with a granite step.
Here is what we’re starting with…
Demo & Prep
I demoed the concrete step which to no one’s surprise came apart in two big wacks with a sledgehammer! Ryan cut back the driveway using a circular saw with a diamond blade. We found running a slow trickle of water while cutting helped keep the dust down and the blade from overheating. I have no pictures of this (ugh) but if you follow me on Instagram then there’s plenty of videos on this portion of the demo! Next came the back-breaking step – excavation! We removed and relocated the soil and leveled the area.
Our yard is sloped and the back patio sits at the top of this slop which makes leveling difficult. We needed to account for a small slope so water would run off but also make sure you didn’t feel like you’re sitting on an angle! We used a line level from corner to corner and would periodically check while removing dirt. We dug down about 6 inches which is deep enough to accommodate our 4-inch cobblestone to sit flush with the driveway with a 2-inch base layer. Ryan then tampered the dirt and we installed a weed blocker.
installation
The pea gravel, cobblestones, and granite step were delivered mid-week and the following weekend it was time for installation. Unfortunately, the weather was terrible but Ryan managed to get the granite step in place and work on the 4′ x 4′ cobblestone landing. Check out the patio stories highlight on Instagram for the impressive shelter he made so he could continue working!
Luckily the weather cooperated the following weekend and he was able to get the cobblestone border set and the pea gravel spread only for us to realize that we probably have about 1 ton EXTRA of pea gravel! We plan on relocating the pea gravel to the side of our house to help with some drainage issues. A slight delay but not enough to stop me from adding two chairs so we could enjoy a morning cup or evening cocktail!
Next up, slate tile installation, building a table and bench, and decor. Soon enough we’ll be ready to dine alfresco! Oh, and how could I forget my favorite part, cafe lights!
