Service
Concrete Patios and Entertaining Areas
A good patio becomes an extra room for most of the year: somewhere for the barbecue, the outdoor dining table, the kids' toys and long summer evenings. Concrete is a popular base because it's solid, low-maintenance and flexible in finish, from simple broom-finished slabs to coloured, exposed aggregate or honed surfaces that feel like part of the house. Rowville Concrete quotes concrete patios, alfresco slabs and backyard entertaining areas across Rowville and neighbouring suburbs.
Planning your patio
Size and shape
Think about how you'll use the space. An outdoor dining setting needs room for chairs to pull out and people to walk around. A lounge setting and barbecue need more again. Marking the area out with a hose or string before the site visit is a simple way to test the size. Curved edges, steps down to the lawn and built-in garden beds can all be formed in concrete.
Levels and drainage
A patio should fall gently away from the house so rain doesn't run towards the walls or doors. Where the patio meets the house, the slab level also needs to respect the home's weep holes and damp-proof course, and doorway thresholds need a sensible step or set-down. On sloping blocks, common in suburbs such as Wheelers Hill and Lysterfield, a patio may need steps, a raised edge or a small retaining wall. See concrete steps and stairs and concrete sleeper retaining walls.
Roofing and structures
If a pergola, verandah or roofed alfresco is planned now or later, footings for the posts should be allowed for. Roof structures often need a building permit, and the builder or designer will specify footing sizes. Coordinating those footings with the slab saves cutting into new concrete later.
Services
Before the pour is the time to run conduit for outdoor lighting, power points, gas for the barbecue or heaters, and irrigation. Your electrician and plumber can lay pipes and conduits under the slab.
Patio finishes
- •Broom finish. Practical and grippy, suits utilitarian areas and budget-conscious projects.
- •Coloured concrete. Oxide through the mix to complement your home. See coloured concrete driveways for colour guidance.
- •Exposed aggregate. Natural stone texture that hides spills. See exposed aggregate concrete.
- •Honed or ground. A smooth, contemporary look, particularly under a roof. See polished concrete.
- •Stencil or stamped patterns. The look of pavers, stone or timber in a continuous surface. See stencil and stamped concrete.
A sealer helps protect any finish from barbecue fat, food and drink spills, and makes cleaning easier. See concrete sealing.
How we build a concrete patio
- 01Site visit and design. We measure the area, check levels against the house and garden, and agree on the shape, finish and falls.
- 02Excavation. Grass, soil or old pavers are removed to the depth needed.
- 03Base. A compacted crushed-rock base is laid.
- 04Formwork. Forms are set for the shape and falls, including curves and step-downs.
- 05Services and reinforcement. Conduits and pipes are checked, and mesh is placed on chairs.
- 06Pour and finish. Concrete is placed and finished in your chosen surface, and joints are cut or tooled.
- 07Cure and seal. After curing, the surface is cleaned and sealed if selected.
Thinking about sun, shade and heat
Where the patio sits relative to the sun changes how it feels. A west-facing slab can get hot in the late afternoon, and dark finishes absorb more heat than pale ones. Shade from a pergola, a shade sail or established trees makes a big difference in summer. On the other hand, a patio in heavy shade stays damp for longer after rain and may need more attention to moss and grip. It's worth standing in the spot at different times of day before settling on the size, colour and finish.
Replacing old patios and pavers
Many backyards have ageing paver patios that have sunk, grown weeds or been lifted by roots, or original concrete patios that have cracked. Replacing them with a new slab gives a clean, level surface. If the existing concrete is sound but tired, resurfacing or sealing may be enough. See concrete resurfacing.
Linking the patio to the rest of the garden
A patio works best when it connects to the rest of the backyard: a path to the clothesline or shed, steps down to the lawn, or a surround that continues around the pool. See the pathways and footpaths hub, shed slabs and pool surrounds. All outdoor services are on the outdoor living hub.
Where we quote
We quote patios across Rowville, Knoxfield, Ferntree Gully, Wantirna South, Narre Warren North and the other suburbs on our locations page.
Concrete patio FAQs
Yes, but levels must respect the home's weep holes and damp-proof course, and the slab should fall away from the house. We check these details at the site visit.
A ground-level slab generally doesn't need a building permit, but roof structures such as pergolas and verandahs often do. Check with a building surveyor if a roof is planned.
Yes. It helps to plan post footing positions before the slab is poured, so the slab doesn't have to be cut later.
It depends on the look you want, how the area is used and your maintenance preferences. Exposed aggregate hides spills, honed finishes look sleek under a roof, and broom finishes are simple and practical.
Yes. Pavers and bedding sand are removed, the base is prepared and a new slab is poured.
Related services
Concrete steps & stairs → · Pool surrounds → · All outdoor living →
Service areas
Rowville · Knoxfield · Ferntree Gully · Wantirna South · Narre Warren North · Wheelers Hill · See all service areas →
Get a patio quote
Tell us roughly how big you'd like the patio, what finish you're considering and whether a roof is planned. We'll visit, measure up and give you a written quote.