Concrete Patios in Pembroke Pines, FL

Concrete Patios are how many Pembroke Pines homeowners get more out of a small back yard. The covered area that came with many houses is just big enough for a table. With average highs above 84 degrees from April through October in Wikipedia's climate table, a lot of living happens outside. A concrete patio extends that space onto grass that is hard to keep looking good in the shade anyway.

Common patio projects here

• Extending the slab beyond a screened or covered area
• A new patio for a grill, outdoor kitchen or seating area
• A walkway around the side of the house to the back gate
• Replacing a cracked or sunken patio from the original build
• A pad next to a lake or canal view in the back yard
• Joining a patio to an existing pool deck

Slope comes first

Pembroke Pines is flat and sits close to sea level, and June alone averages 8.72 inches of rain. A patio has to carry that water away from the house. We pitch the slab gently toward the yard or a drain so water runs off rather than flowing toward the back door. Where a patio meets the house, we keep the surface below the door threshold so heavy rain does not reach the interior.

How a patio goes in

We mark the layout and remove sod and soil to the right depth. The ground is compacted and a rock base goes down where needed. Forms set the edges and slope, and reinforcement goes in. After the pour, the surface is finished, edged and jointed, then kept damp while it cures. Most patios can take foot traffic in a day or two and furniture after about a week.

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Finishes that work in a wet climate

A smooth trowel finish looks clean indoors but can be slick when a patio gets wet. Outdoors, a light broom finish or exposed aggregate gives better footing. HomeGuide lists broom-finished patios at $6 to $13 per square foot, exposed aggregate at $7 to $18, stained at $8 to $25 and stamped at $9 to $30. Lighter colors stay cooler under the sun, which matters on a slab you walk on barefoot.

Extending an existing patio

Adding on to an older slab is common. We drill and pin the new concrete to the old edge so the two sections do not drift apart, and we put a joint at the seam. New concrete will not exactly match the color of a 30-year-old slab. If that bothers you, a stain or a full resurfacing can bring the two closer together.

Mildew, stains and care

Shade, humidity and rain mean patios here grow mildew and algae, especially near hedges and on the north side of the house. A penetrating sealer slows that down and makes cleaning easier. Rinse the patio regularly, keep sprinklers from soaking the same spot every day, and trim plants back so the slab can dry between storms.