Hi,
I have purchased a house where the previous owner has paved half of the backyard with concrete (previous owner needed a few car spaces).The concrete backyard is about an inch lower than the indoor floor level (concrete slab). I'd like to turn this concrete backyard into outdoor entertaining area without removing it, because I think it might be too expensive to cut the concrete and remove it.
Do you know if you can do tiling or put on timber deck (i know it's not going to be that high up, since I only got an inch) on top of the concrete? Will there be a problem with drainage?
Any suggestion would be appreciated.
Thanks, guys.
PaulConsider having spray on epoxy finish (stencilled concrete).
Bunnings sell a 3 x 3 set of pavers that is set in a plastic frame so the pavers would sit off the concrete to allow drainage.
Thank you for all your replies.
Stenciled concrete sounds like a good option, but that depends on how much it would cost per sqm.
Duckster: what type of pavers are you referring to? Are they square timber pieces you connect together? I saw it at freedom the other day.
They are stone looking pavers but they sit on a plastic frame and the plastic frames click together like a jigsaw piece. In the garden section. I think I have seen timber ones as well .
I was faced with the same problem…. I wanted to utilise the small outdoor area that i had.. my uncle had quoted me to build a small timber deck… but I found a cheaper option at Freedom furniture…
Interlocking timber decking panels that are laid over the top of concrete and most other outdoor surfaces. You simply buy the panels and the interlocking clips…. and I had laid it myself in one afternoon. I've now got a great outdoor entertaining area and it cost me less than $500.00
Go to http://www.freedom.com.au for further details.
ben young,
Yes, I am also considering timber deak panels at freedom. Can you please tell me how these panels got locked to the concrete floor? i.e. if someone kicks it from the side, would the whole thing move?Paul
Hi Paul,
The clips that lock the timber panels into place are not fixed to the concrete…. once you have got the whole deck locked into place it is unlikely the whole decking will move… obviously it isn't as ideal as having an actual timber deck built and fixed to the ground, but providing you purchase enough of the interlocking clips – it holds together pretty well.
I guess it really depends on what outcome you are hoping to achieve… for me, being my first home – my budget was limited and i found this to be a trendy yet affordable alternative to paving or having a deck built for me.
Good luck!
Cheers, Ben
Hi Paul
I had the same issue recently and this is what I did. I painted the concrete with White Knight paving paint. It cost me under $100.00 and took about 3 hours to complete (2 coats). I actually did a feature on it on the home page of my website last week. Have a look at the before and after shot to see the results, to see if it's something you could do in your area. http://www.housestoimpress.com.au
It gave it such a lift and made the hug 15×5 Metre area look even bigger.
I hope this helps
Cheers
Charyn
The interlocking deck sounds similar to a floating floor system.
You can purchase paving paint from most paint shops. These are textured finish, and i believe for the price would give you the best bang for your buck. Try your Dulux trade centre.
The whole project could come up trumpsgood luck
It really depends on what you want to do with what you have. If you want to spend some money on it you can pave or tile over the concrete. For a really cheap fix you can just paint it assuming the current concrete is in good condition. You don't have the height to be able to build a deck, but it could e done if you really wanted it.
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