Concrete Patios in Decatur, IL

A concrete patio turns part of the backyard into a room you can use from April into October. We build new concrete patios in Decatur and nearby towns, replace cracked or sunken ones, and extend small slabs that came with older houses. Most of the decisions are about layout and drainage, not just the concrete.

Start with how you will use it

Size is the first decision. A small bistro table and two chairs fits on roughly 10 by 10 feet. A dining table for six with room to walk around it needs closer to 16 by 16. Add a grill, a fire pit or a sitting area and the patio grows again. We lay out the space with you, mark it on the ground and talk through where the sun hits in the afternoon, where the back door swings and where you will walk to the garage or yard.

Drainage on flat Decatur lots

Glaciers that once covered most of Illinois left Macon County largely flat, and a lot of Decatur backyards have almost no natural fall. The county averages about 40 inches of precipitation a year, with July the wettest month on average, so a patio poured dead level against the house will steer water toward the foundation. We pitch patios gently away from the house, usually an eighth to a quarter inch per foot: enough to move rain off the slab, not enough to tip a chair.

Replacing an old patio

Many of the city's homes went up in the 1950s and 1960s, and plenty still have the small original slab off the back door. Common problems are cracks running across the slab, a section that has sunk and tilted toward the house, and gaps where the patio meets the foundation. If the slab is sound but has settled, lifting may fix it. If it is broken up or tilts toward the house, we usually recommend tearing it out and starting over with a proper base and a size that suits the household now.

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How we build a patio

We remove sod and soft soil, place and compact a crushed stone base, and set forms to the planned slope. Patios are usually 4 inches thick with wire mesh or rebar inside. Air-entrained concrete is used for every outdoor slab because patios freeze and thaw all winter just like driveways. Control joints are cut so panels stay close to square, and we keep the surface damp or covered while it cures so it does not dry out on a hot day.

Finish choices

• Broom finish: the standard, with good grip when wet
• Colored concrete: pigment mixed in for a warmer tone than plain gray
• Exposed aggregate: the top layer washed off to show stone, which hides dirt and gives grip
• Stamped: patterns that look like stone, brick or slate (see our stamped concrete page)
• Stained: color applied after the slab cures

Lighter finishes stay cooler underfoot in July. Darker colors look rich but get hot in full sun.

Care

Sweep it, rinse it, and keep downspouts from dumping onto the slab. Seal colored, stamped and exposed aggregate finishes every few years. Use plain sand rather than harsh de-icers if you use the patio in winter. HomeGuide puts the lifespan of a well-built plain or stamped patio at 30 to 50 years.

Call (217) 301-2983 with a rough idea of the patio size you want.