These 3 Patios Make an Unsexy Technical Detail Cool
How can you keep rain from pooling on your patio? With clever style, as these designers prove
Drainage is a critical detail — even if it’s not the sexiest — when it comes to patios and other outdoor spaces. Without good drainage, you could end up with pooling, flooding or damage to surrounding structures. Permeable paving offers an integrated solution, but it’s not always an option.
The following three patios show how drainage doesn’t have to be only about function. It can be elegant, clever and thoughtful.
The following three patios show how drainage doesn’t have to be only about function. It can be elegant, clever and thoughtful.
Other features of this patio. A water feature, including a 6-inch-wide rill, frames one side of the patio. Lotuses and water lilies grow in the rill, which also protects the plants growing behind it from the homeowner’s dog.
Thermal-finish 12-by-24-inch bluestone pavers are installed in a running bond pattern. The bluestone’s smooth finish creates a uniform surface that organizes the space and contributes to the desired contemporary aesthetic. It also feels good on dogs’ paws.
See more of this streamlined patio and its details
Thermal-finish 12-by-24-inch bluestone pavers are installed in a running bond pattern. The bluestone’s smooth finish creates a uniform surface that organizes the space and contributes to the desired contemporary aesthetic. It also feels good on dogs’ paws.
See more of this streamlined patio and its details
2. Contemporary Pergola With a Hidden Downspout
Designer: Lane Williams Architects
Location: Seattle
Size: 168-square-foot (16-square-meter) paved area under the pergola, plus the extended patio area
A covered outdoor dining area in Seattle allows the homeowners to spend more time in their backyard, protected from the elements by a freestanding pergola. Sliding glass walls make it easy to move from the open kitchen and living area to the back patio and dining area.
Designer: Lane Williams Architects
Location: Seattle
Size: 168-square-foot (16-square-meter) paved area under the pergola, plus the extended patio area
A covered outdoor dining area in Seattle allows the homeowners to spend more time in their backyard, protected from the elements by a freestanding pergola. Sliding glass walls make it easy to move from the open kitchen and living area to the back patio and dining area.
The clever drainage detail: Hidden downspout. The detached pergola complements the architecture of the remodeled 1950s home while also concealing some of the home’s drainage. The extra steel column (the one closer to the house) on the corner of the structure is a drain for the house roof.
Water from the gutters on the house drain into this pipe, which drains into a subdrainage system beneath the gravel base. Water from the patio and pergola drain into the perimeter landscaping.
Water from the gutters on the house drain into this pipe, which drains into a subdrainage system beneath the gravel base. Water from the patio and pergola drain into the perimeter landscaping.
Other features of this patio. 18-by-36-inch CalArc precast concrete pavers by Stepstone are installed over a compacted crushed rock base. The compacted subbase means this hardscape is not permeable.
The pergola has a steel frame with a wood roof structure. Translucent polycarbonate sheets by Polygal cover the wood frame.
See more of this contemporary patio in the Pacific Northwest
The pergola has a steel frame with a wood roof structure. Translucent polycarbonate sheets by Polygal cover the wood frame.
See more of this contemporary patio in the Pacific Northwest
3. Party Patio With Free-Draining Pavers
Designer: T. Dustin Hauck of Hauck Architecture
Location: La Jolla, California, just north of San Diego
Size: 200-square-foot paved area under the pergola, plus the extended patio area. The entire rear patio area plus yard and pool is 6,100 square feet (567 square meters).
The renovated outdoor entertaining space and converted detached garage invite the owners of this San Diego-area home to relax outdoors nearly year-round, taking in an ocean view that’s visible through the house.
The clever drainage detail: Free-draining pavers. The patio floor is made up of 12-by-24-inch CalArc precast concrete pavers by Stepstone with poured-in-place accent pavers with a pebble finish. The pavers themselves are not pervious, but architect T. Dustin Hauck spaced them so water drains between the gaps directly back into the landscape, containing all stormwater on site.
Other features of this patio. The freestanding pergola is made of black-painted steel tube with a western red cedar cover. Outdoor lights, patio heaters and a gas fire pit enable the outdoor space to transition seamlessly from day to night. An outdoor kitchen makes it easy for the party to keep going outside, with colorful red furniture creating a bold and inviting opportunity to lounge.
Finn dining chair, Montego dining table, Boyd ottoman, Montego sofa and Montego lounge chair: Room & Board
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Key Measurements for Designing Your Perfect Patio
How to Move Water Through Your Landscape
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Designer: T. Dustin Hauck of Hauck Architecture
Location: La Jolla, California, just north of San Diego
Size: 200-square-foot paved area under the pergola, plus the extended patio area. The entire rear patio area plus yard and pool is 6,100 square feet (567 square meters).
The renovated outdoor entertaining space and converted detached garage invite the owners of this San Diego-area home to relax outdoors nearly year-round, taking in an ocean view that’s visible through the house.
The clever drainage detail: Free-draining pavers. The patio floor is made up of 12-by-24-inch CalArc precast concrete pavers by Stepstone with poured-in-place accent pavers with a pebble finish. The pavers themselves are not pervious, but architect T. Dustin Hauck spaced them so water drains between the gaps directly back into the landscape, containing all stormwater on site.
Other features of this patio. The freestanding pergola is made of black-painted steel tube with a western red cedar cover. Outdoor lights, patio heaters and a gas fire pit enable the outdoor space to transition seamlessly from day to night. An outdoor kitchen makes it easy for the party to keep going outside, with colorful red furniture creating a bold and inviting opportunity to lounge.
Finn dining chair, Montego dining table, Boyd ottoman, Montego sofa and Montego lounge chair: Room & Board
See more of this outdoor entertaining space
More
Key Measurements for Designing Your Perfect Patio
How to Move Water Through Your Landscape
Find a landscape architect near you
Designer: Jennifer Horn of JHLA
Location: Kalorama neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
Size: 860 square feet (80 square meters)
This contemporary Washington, D.C., garden space for entertaining also accommodates the homeowner’s large black Labrador. Landscape architect Jennifer Horn kept her design simple and streamlined, incorporating the homeowner’s request to have a backyard inspired by his travels to Asia while ensuring that the design didn’t overwhelm the yard’s size.
The clever drainage detail: An integrated trench. Seasonal torrential rains mean drainage is an important feature for this mostly paved backyard. Horn installed a custom trench drain that runs the length of the bluestone patio next to the water feature. She left a joint open between the pavers and installed a slotted PVC pipe with a screen over it. Individual stone pieces were cut to fit into the slot.
All water drains toward this trench, into the PVC pipe and out through underground pipes. “It’s a lot more attractive, and it’s less expensive” compared to installing a metal trench drain, the architect says.