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Two days ago, a home improvement company called me up asking if I wanted to put a patio in. This morning, I stepped out on my porch to enjoy my forest before I left for work.
I really don't see a point of a patio, prefer to think of the house as this sophisticated habitat that was set down in that foot print and only that foot print to observe and enjoy the forest.
So the questions are, why do people have patios? What's the difference between those and porches? Are patios more of a thing when there is more of a house and less of surrounding botanics?
Last edited by TamaraSavannah; 03-05-2020 at 08:02 AM..
Not everyone can live in a forest. Patios with covers provide shelter from the hot sun and rain. It allows you to sit outside and enjoy the back or front yard without being sun burned and being uncomfortable. It's a big country out there with weather conditions varying from location to location. Can you even imagine having a home in the desert SW without shelter from the sun when outdoors? The temp in the shade from a patio cover could be 20 degrees cooler.
Patios and porches basically perform the same function. Newer homes have patios and old homes have porches. Porches were designed with the house and are often part of the house structure. Patios are many times add ons because newer homes are often built without any such shelter.
I'm in a two story home with the bedrooms upstairs. Where is this deck (I'm assuming you mean deck when you say porch) leading to? A bedroom?
I know some people who built a deck that had stairs leading up to it from their sliding glass doors or french doors, and all it did was put people on a stage for the neighbors to observe. No privacy.
You're assuming everyone has the same set up you have without thinking that homes and neighborhoods are all different.
Most people aren't surrounded by botanics. They have a defined back yard. In order to use the space according to one's lifestyle, a patio could be nice and useful.
I'm in a two story home with the bedrooms upstairs. Where is this deck (I'm assuming you mean deck when you say porch) leading to? A bedroom?
Those are popular here in Northern New Enland, usually as a second story "3 season porch" attached to the master bedroom. Adds less to property taxes than a fully-conditioned space, and usable anytime outdoor temperatures are above freezing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TamaraSavannah
I really don't see a point of a patio, prefer to think of the house as this sophisticated habitat that was set down in that foot print and only that foot print to observe and enjoy the forest.
So the questions are, why do people have patios? What's the difference between those and porches? Are patios more of a thing when there is more of a house and less of surrounding botanics?
I own several aces of forest, and my house has a porch (deck) but I put in a paver patio as well, in part to push back the boundary between "curtilage" and "botanics".
For me, the patio is a DMZ between the house and the forest, a clean flat area that I don't need to mow and can easily keep tick-free with minimal maintenance. And unlike the deck, safe to have a big grill/fireplace/firepit out on the stone patio.
Due to fire code here, had to locate the "fixed wood-burning appliance" at least 25 feet away from the wood deck, and install a proper chimney and spark arrestor. The closest tree behind it is 15' away.
Last edited by Nonesuch; 03-05-2020 at 09:17 AM..
Reason: Photo is worth 901,000 words
.........I know some people who built a deck that had stairs leading up to it from their sliding glass doors or french doors, and all it did was put people on a stage for the neighbors to observe. No privacy.......
That is one of the thing that the forest does.
Back when I was building the house and posting here, someone noted that given the surroundings, I didn't have to worry about people looking in my windows.
And you can have both on one house (we do). Same with a patio, which is just a hardscaped ground cover. I've seen homes with all three: a front porch, a back patio and a raised deck.
OP, many suburban and urban homes use a patio instead of a deck out back with the back door at ground level. A sliding door or french door onto a ground level patio is nice for entertaining and being able to safely put fireplaces and grilles on if you have a flat property and flat back yard. A deck is better for uneven property and back yard or if the back door is not at ground level.
Someday, I will get a barrel grill, but it is more from the standpoint of having a fall back cooking approach....but that's another project.
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Patio has it's place
