Patio

Patio

Encyclopedia

Tutorials

Encyclopedia

Dictionary

Directory

Email this to a friend Patio

Patio

Italian courtyard of the Livadiya Palace

A patio (from the Spanish: patio meaning 'back garden' or 'backyard') is an outdoor space generally used for dining or recreation that often adjoins a residence and is typically paved. It may refer to a roofless inner courtyard of the sort found in Spanish-style dwellings or a paved area between a residence and the garden.

If the patio is to abut against the wall of a house, the top must be at least 100mm (4in) below the damp-proof course.^[1].

Patios are typically made of concrete or stone slabs laid over a firm base. This base is often formed of a layer of compacted hardcore (stone chips), a layer of sharp sand, and a layer of cement mortar. The firmness and stability of the base is essential to the robustness of the top layer of slabs - an infirm base will typically result in cracked slabs. Patios that hold a lot of weight, such as driveways, require stronger foundations than those that are designed for light use.

In Australia the term Patio is often used to mean any kind of outdoor balcony or verandah.