You go outside to relax on your patio, but when you step onto the patio, you nearly trip on a brick that’s sticking up too far. Maybe you don’t have bricks, but you slide your chair back into a hole in the concrete. You need to refinish your patio floor or build a new one, but you don’t have much money. Try one of these Cheap Patio Floor Ideas to get a smooth and comfortable patio.
1) Paint
If your concrete patio isn’t severely damaged, but you want to make it look nicer, try painting it with a patio paint like this. This will get rid of any stains and scratches on the concrete that have made it an eyesore. You can patch any holes in your concrete and paint over them to get a smooth, attractive finish in any color you want. The Home Depot will even customize the color for you.
2) DIY Pavers
Building a patio yourself is often cheaper than hiring somebody, and pavers are one of the easiest ways to make a do-it-yourself patio. You can use the instructions in this article to build your patio and make any leftover pavers into fire pits and other decorative features. Using this method, your cheap patio can look like something you’d see in a magazine without breaking the bank. It’s also a lot easier to build creative fire pits with pavers, and they’re less permanent than concrete if you choose to redesign the area.
3) DIY Basketweave Pattern
Rather than focus on what materials you choose, consider ways to reuse your existing materials in more attractive ways. A brick basketweave pattern is a beautiful choice, and it doesn’t necessarily cost any money. If you’re redoing a brick patio, try watching this video by Odell Complete Concrete to learn to rearrange your bricks into a basketweave pattern. This will make your patio look new and unique with almost no expense. This is also a cheap way to use new bricks since you won’t have to pay a contractor to build it.
4) Outdoor Carpet
If your patio doesn’t need to be completely redone, and you just want to spruce it up, you don’t need to tear up and redo the floor. Instead, try adding an outdoor carpet like this to bring some bright and attractive color onto the dull surface. This will cover a large surface, but the carpet is much cheaper than tearing up your patio and remaking it. Make sure to get a carpet that’s designed for the outdoors so you won’t have to replace it as often.
5) Interlocking Wood Deck Tiles
If you have an existing patio and want to improve it’s look for cheap, consider getting interlocking wood tiles like these. They’ll make the patio look more like a wooden deck, and these tiles from Amazon cost less than $4 per square foot. You’ll want to coat them with some wood oil every year, but you can install them on your own instead of hiring a contractor to build an inexpensive deck over your patio.
6) Gravel
While it doesn’t create a solid floor, gravel is cheaper than many patio options, and it clearly designates your patio space. One of the great things about gravel is that you can put it in yourself to save the cost of installation. You can also use the extra for other landscaping, and you won’t have high maintenance costs like you might for other patio materials. Check out this article from doityourself.com to learn about the pros and cons of choosing gravel for outdoor areas.
7) DIY Herringbone Pattern
If you have patio pavers that need to be replaced, don’t get rid of them just yet. While they may look boring and dull now, you can revitalize them by relaying them in a unique pattern. You can use this video from Modern Builds to learn how to lay a herringbone pattern with your old pavers, creating an entirely new look without any extra cost. If you don’t have pavers already, you can also buy cheap pavers and lay them like this since pavers are already one of the cheaper patio choices.
8) Cover Concrete with Deck
If you have old and ugly concrete that you want to replace, it can be expensive to tear up the old concrete. While you can repair it, you’ll still be left with ugly patches of different-colored concrete. Instead of removing the concrete, try using this tutorial from The Home Depot to build a wood deck over the existing patio. This saves you the time and expense of demolishing your old patio and building a new one.
9) Concrete Moldings
Concrete is a cheap way to build a new patio or replace an old one, but it’s not the most attractive patio style. While you can use stenciling to create beautiful patterns, it’s easy to mess up stenciling, and you’ll want to hire a contractor to avoid making permanent mistakes while pouring the material. Try using these concrete forms from Amazon that are easy to use, with no need for a contractor. While they’re designed for pathways, you can use them for a patio, too.
10) DIY Tile
While concrete is a cheap and durable way to build a patio, it can be a problem at times like these when you need to replace it. Instead of going to the expense of replacing it, try repairing and holes and covering it with tile. You can get cheap tiles that work outdoors and use the directions in this video from Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford to install the tile properly. Doing it yourself will also save money, as long as you do it correctly.
11) Interlocking Deck Tiles
One of the best ways to design a cheap patio floor is to find flooring that you can install yourself, like these interlocking tiles from Walmart. These tiles are some of the cheapest you can get, and while they won’t look as nice as more expensive tiles, they’re resistant to all kinds of weather and resist UV rays from the sun that often damage outdoor materials. Since they snap together, you won’t have to go to a lot of extra effort to save money, either!
12) Pallets
Pallets are one of the greatest materials currently available for cheap projects. You can get pallets for free or cheap in many places, such as from large stores that get shipments on pallets and don’t reuse them. This makes them great material for a cheap patio floor. Consider using the directions in this article by Josh G at 1001pallets.com to build a pallet deck over your existing patio, or directly on the ground to make a new patio.
13) Artificial Grass
If your patio is unsightly, but you don’t have the money to tear up old concrete, or the time and ability to remove an old paver or brick patio, consider covering it with a cheap material instead. One of the cheapest materials you can use is artificial grass like this. You’ll want to put it on a raised patio to set it apart from the rest of the grass, but as long as it’s a few inches above the ground, it’ll make a comfortable outdoor carpet and cover any blemishes on concrete or other patios.
14) Brick
While brick isn’t the cheapest material to buy, there are advantages to brick patios. For one thing, you can often get bricks cheaper if you know somebody who has some. More importantly, a brick patio is one of the easiest to design and lay on your own, so you won’t have to worry about the expense of hiring a contractor. You can use these instructions from diy network to make a brick patio that will last a long time.
15) DIY Stencils
Concrete is probably the cheapest option for building a new patio, but it has drawbacks. For one thing, it’s not the most attractive style. One way to make concrete look better is to stencil it as you’re pouring it, either by having a professional do it or by doing it yourself. Doing it yourself is cheaper, but concrete can be dangerous to work with, so make sure you’re careful. Try using this video to learn how you can stencil your own concrete and create beautiful patterns.
16) Paint Faux Brick
While brick patios are lovely, the bricks can be expensive. If you don’t want to go to that expense, or can’t afford it, consider painting a fake brick design on your patio. This works best on a concrete patio, and you’ll need to patch any holes or other places where the surface was damaged if you’re working on an existing patio. Then, use this tutorial by Michelle from Pen and Hive to paint a brick pattern.
17) Poured or Pavers?
Concrete is by far one of the cheapest options for a patio floor, whether it’s poured concrete or concrete pavers. The question is, which option is the cheapest? You’ll need to consider both the cost of materials and the fact that it’s a lot easier to build a paver patio yourself. Depending on how much you’re willing to do yourself, you’ll find that one option can be a lot cheaper than another. Read this article to learn more about the benefits and drawbacks of poured versus pavers.
18) Peel and Stick Vinyl
Peel and stick materials may be the best thing ever invented for DIYers who do their own home renovations. While it can only go on an existing patio, peel and stick vinyl is a great way to cover an ugly surface. It won’t last as long as paint, stain, or pavers, but it’ll transform your patio for minimal cost. Make sure to read the instructions before installing it, and use an anti-slip sealant on it for protection from the elements. Ultimately, this is one of the cheapest ways to make concrete look like stone.
19) Epoxy Flake
Epoxy can be more or less expensive, depending on how much you do yourself, but it’s one of the most durable options for floors. It works well when used to cover existing concrete, and even fills in voids in a damaged surface. Consider adding flakes to epoxy and creating a color like the one in this picture, then using it to coat your concrete patio. You can choose any color epoxy or flakes, making it an attractive choice, in addition to being very durable.
20) Permeable Pavers
Pavers are a common and cheap way to design a patio, but not all pavers are alike. While you can go with standard concrete pavers, you can also try a permeable paver like this one from Amazon. The pavers are easy to install, so you don’t need to hire a contractor, and they keep water off your patio surface since the water can run through them. They can even be cut with a saw so that you don’t have to buy new equipment.
21) DIY Floating Deck
Whether you’re building a new patio or improving an existing one, a floating deck is a relatively cheap option. There are many choices for cheap decks, and you can always build one on your own to reduce costs more. Consider using these instructions from The Home Depot’s blog to build a floating deck in place of a patio, or to build one over an existing patio. This is great if you have a concrete patio that’s in rough shape since you don’t have to go to the time and expense of tearing up the old material.
22) Non-Slip Paint
If you have an old patio that you’re trying to refinish, you don’t need to replace your floor to get a nicer and more durable surface. Instead, make any repairs you need, then paint the floor. While you can use any patio paint, try getting a non-slip paint like this one from The Home Depot. It costs a little more than paint that isn’t non-slip, but it’ll make the patio safer, and it’s still much cheaper than most flooring options.
23) Reuse Old Pavers
If you have an overgrown paver patio like the one in this picture and want to try something new, don’t get rid of the pavers. Instead, rearrange them in a different pattern, or even move the patio to a new and more interesting location. Either way, you can relay the pavers as part of your patio, or use them as a decorative edge when you rebuild using a different flooring material. This will save some money and add decorations for no additional cost.
24) Cheap Tiles
Whether you have the ability to do the construction yourself or not, there are cheap materials that will help reduce your costs when you hire a contractor. One material that you can often find for under $2 per square foot is tile. Add cheap tile to an existing concrete patio if you have one, and get cheaper ones like those in this photograph. While the tiles aren’t the most attractive, they’re durable and clean-looking, and you can add bright decorations to make the area more exciting afterward.
25) Cheap Pavers
When you pick your patio material, you’ll want to look at a combination of initial cost and maintenance over time. If you have to replace materials constantly, the floor isn’t as cheap as it may have seemed. This article goes over the pros and cons of wood versus pavers to help you decide on a material, but the short version is; pavers are cheaper. They’re durable and versatile, and won’t cost much. You can even maintain them for free if you do the work yourself.
Are you building from scratch or revitalizing your old patio? Which idea helped you the most? Tell us about it in the comments below!