How to Successfully Expand Your Home’s Concrete Patio

Is your existing concrete patio small and outdated? Is it failing to meet your needs for a relaxing entertainment space, making it hard to enjoy outdoor living? 

If you’ve been wondering how to make your concrete patio more attractive and useful, here’s some good news—you can extend your patio so that it’s spacious and comfortable. But it’s best to have concrete pros do the work so that you’re fully satisfied with top-notch results.

Here’s how it’s done.

7 Steps to Making Your Existing Concrete Patio Larger 

Extending your concrete patio means that you’re making it bigger—and the ideal way to do so is to lay more concrete. This will allow for a more consistent look than mixing materials and also create a surface that is smooth, strong, and built to last.

This process requires several steps carefully performed in order to do it right. With a pro concrete company’s help, you’ll get an attractive, durable surface that suits your needs and also makes you delighted to use your new space.

Here’s what your concrete installation team will do.

1. Inspect the Current Concrete 

Before anything else, it’s important to check out the existing patio and assess its condition. Small issues such as tiny cracks or stained surfaces may be minor, but it’s best to have a professional concrete expert assess that for you. If the concrete is severely cracked, broken, or uneven, you may need to resurface it, or even replace it all.

2. Plan Your Design Before You Build 

Next, it’s time to think through exactly what you want your new concrete to do for you. How far do you want the surface to extend? Do you want a square or rectangular space, or do you want to add curves? Do you want stamped or tinted concrete? Once you’re clear on what you want, installation can begin.

3. Prepare the Ground Properly

Before new concrete is poured, the ground must be carefully prepared. This includes digging out any grass deep enough to ensure the concrete has room to be laid and then compacting the ground so that it is firm and stable. Loose soil makes it more likely that the new concrete will sink or crack, so you want to avoid that. Mechanical soil compactors used by pro concrete layers do this work very effectively.

4. Set the Forms 

Concrete needs a mold to fill so that it will set neatly and look sharp. Professional concrete layers will securely nail boards into place around the edges of the prepared ground, creating a form that the concrete will soon be poured into.

5. Create a Firm Base

Next, gravel is laid atop the soil, then compacted and checked to be sure the base is level. If the surface is going to be large or complex in design, rebar (metal support bars) or mesh may be set in place to reinforce the concrete. Plus, rebar should be anchored from the existing concrete patio to the new surface to ensure the entire patio is secure.

6. Mix the Concrete Just Right and Pour It 

Concrete comes as a dry material that must be mixed with water to the proper consistency. Too much or too little water and the concrete won’t set properly. Plus, the concrete mix and water must be blended well and kept just right until you’re ready to pour. For a large surface such as a patio extension, it’s best to have a professional truck deliver and mix your concrete.

7. Let the Concrete Cure 

Once the concrete is poured to fill the forms, it is evened out. Any excess concrete is removed from the top of the forms. Then the surface is smoothed with special tools that look sort of like a dust broom, followed by hand leveling to even out any remaining rough spots. A finishing trowel helps smooth out the concrete patio edges. Finally, the surface is covered carefully with a tarp and allowed to cure. It takes at least two days for the initial curing, but you’ll wait a week or more before putting anything heavy on it.

DIY vs. Having the Work Done Professionally: Which to Choose? 

One of the chief reasons for building onto an existing patio is the desire to stay within a specific budget. And if that’s the case for you, then you may be wondering about doing the work yourself. But there are several reasons why this is the kind of home upgrade that’s worth having professionals perform for you.

Pros Give You Quality Results 

Concrete may seem at first glance like it’s easy to work with, but it’s actually an art form. Getting the mix just right is not easy, nor is it simple to lay it properly so that you get a hardy, smooth surface that stands up to weather and wear.

Pros Make the Process Easier 

Laying concrete is time-consuming, sweaty, and complicated work. A lot can go wrong, especially if you’re trying to do it yourself. A pro concrete team (like ours) has all the equipment and know-how to create beautiful results that you’ll admire.

Pros Give You Better Return on Investment 

The initial investment of using a concrete company is definitely going to be balanced by all the benefits you get. The work will look beautiful, conform to local building requirements (if you work with pros like our team), and add true value to your home.

Enjoy a More Spacious, Attractive Concrete Patio This Summer   

Whether you have an existing concrete patio you want to extend, or you envision a fresh new patio designed to create the outdoor entertainment space of your dreams — our team at R&M Concrete is here to serve you. Learn more about our residential concrete service and start imagining what your Tulsa area home lifestyle can be like with a new patio laid by our concrete experts.