Adding a quality patio in your yard is one of the best investments you can make. It can do a lot to really add to the entertainment value of your yard. You can use a patio for everything from bathing in the sun, to holding a cookout, doing art with chalk, among other ideas. Figuring out how much space you need for it depends largely on what you want to be able to do with it and what style you want.
Activities for Your Patio
The start of figuring out the space you need for your patio is going to require you to figure out what you want it used for. You should make a list of everything that you want to be able to do on it. If you want to be able to eat outside, you should think about how many people are likely going to be eating on the patio at once. If you need a table that can seat six, size out the area so that it can house the table that you want.
You will also have to factor in other furniture that is likely to be on the patio. You may want to have a few lounge chairs, a charcoal grill, among other things. These are all going to take up space on it and add to the overall area you will need it to cover.
Planning for the Future
You should also consider what you want out of your yard in the future. If you want to be able to expand your patio with something such as a fire pit, you need to be able to space it out so that you have the extra area to make that a reality. Plan out the size of it so that you always have some area for expansion and you will not find yourself trapped in what you have already built.
Budget and Materials Will Also Dictate Size
Some of the other things that are going to dictate how big you can make your patio include the materials you go with and your budget. If you want to just use regular old cement for your patio, then it could be fairly cheap to have a large patio put in. This could allow your patio to be larger on a much smaller budget. If you are going with a quality stone or brick patio though, then you may end up running through your budget faster than you think. These can be costly materials that will be several dollars per square foot. Unless you have an unlimited budget, these need to be taken into account when planning the size.
Adding a patio to your yard is a very worth investment. Taking into account all of the activities that you are going to do on it, and planning for the future will help ensure that you do not make it too big or too small. Always be sure you leave a few extra feet than needed so that you have some wiggle room for the future. Set your budget and with that figure out the size you need and the materials you can afford. This will get you on the path to having a great yard to enjoy.