Concrete Patios in Grand Rapids, MI

Concrete patios are the most common backyard project we quote in Grand Rapids. Summers here are warm and humid, with July highs averaging about 83 degrees on Wikipedia's climate table, and most families want an outdoor space ready the minute the snow is gone. Concrete is a practical choice: HomeGuide's patio guide lists plain concrete at $4 to $12 per square foot installed and gives a lifespan of 30 to 50 years with good installation and care. It can be left plain or finished with color, texture or a pattern.

Plan the size before the finish

The most common regret is a patio that is too small. A table for six with chairs pulled out takes up roughly a 12 by 12 foot area by itself. Add a grill with room to stand at it, a path to walk around the table, and a couple of lounge chairs, and you are closer to 16 by 16 feet or more. At the estimate we can mark the outline on the lawn with stakes and string so you can stand in it and decide. Curved edges, a step down to the yard and a walk to the driveway or gate can all be poured at the same time.

Drainage comes first

A patio is a large flat surface next to your foundation, so its slope matters more than its finish. We usually pitch a patio about a quarter inch per foot away from the house. Many Grand Rapids lots are on a slope, and older lots often already drain toward the house, so we check where water goes now and where downspouts and sump lines discharge before any forms go in. If a downspout needs to be extended past the new patio, we include that in the plan. A patio must also not block a drainage path that carries water away from your yard or a neighbor's.

Finishes

• Broom: a light ridged texture with good grip, the most affordable choice and easy to hose off.
• Integral color: pigment mixed into the concrete at the plant, so the color runs all the way through.
• Exposed aggregate: surface paste washed away to show the stone, with good traction and a look that hides dirt.
• Stamped: stone, slate and brick patterns, covered on our stamped concrete page.
• Decorative saw cuts: a grid or diamond pattern cut into a plain slab that also serves as control joints.

Get a Free Estimate

How we build a patio

We strip the sod and topsoil, shape the ground to the planned slope, and compact a crushed-stone base so the slab is evenly supported and drains well. Forms set the shape. HomeGuide lists 4 inches as standard patio thickness, and 6 inches with added reinforcement for heavy loads like hot tubs or outdoor kitchens. We use air-entrained concrete, finish and edge it, and cut joints. Where the patio meets the house, an isolation joint lets it move without pushing against the foundation.

Replacing an old patio

An older patio should come out when:

• It slopes toward the house
• Cracked sections have shifted into trip edges
• The surface has scaled away, leaving loose sand and stone
• The step down from the door has grown because the slab sank

If an old patio is solid but has settled, leveling may be enough, and we will price that option if it fits.

Care

Sweep and rinse it regularly. Put planters on feet so water can drain out from under them. Reseal broom and exposed-aggregate patios every few years. Do not use salt on a patio; if you need traction in winter, use sand. Keep downspouts draining past the edge of the slab. HomeGuide's patio guide says to keep foot traffic off for 24 to 48 hours and pets off for about 3 days.