Why a Brick Paving Patio Is A Better Choice Than a Wood Deck? Does the popularity of outdoor living spaces have you debating between a wood deck and a brick paving patio? Here are some points to ponder:
1) Cost:
The cost of a wood deck depends on the type of wood used in its construction. Research site KompareIt.com finds that decks made of pressure-treated Southern yellow pine run from $15 to $25 per square foot with installation included, while more durable redwood or cedar decks cost $30 to $40 per square foot including installation. A 16′ x 20′ deck of yellow pine would cost between $4,800 and $8,000, while a deck of cedar or redwood would cost $9,600 to $12,800. A basic wood deck at the lower price range would not include built-in benches or a railing.
By comparison, brick costs $7 to $8 per square foot with installation included, so a 16′ by 20′ brick patio would cost $2,240 to $2,560. Even though you may have additional costs if any groundwork or leveling is required to prepare the space for your patio, installing a patio is generally much less expensive than building a deck.
2) Location:
Unless they are very near ground level, wood decks, as elevated structures, usually attach to your house for support. Also, either a door must be at the location chosen for the deck, or an opening for a door must be cut to provide access to the deck. These requirements limit your choice of locations.
You can choose any level location on your property for your brick patio. This freedom makes patios more versatile than decks.
3) Building Permits
Because a wood deck usually is attached to your home, it is considered a home addition, and a building permit will be required. After paying for the permit, you also may be required to wait a certain period of time before you can begin building.
You would not need to pay for a permit and wait to begin building your brick patio unless, for example, you were to screen in a portion of your patio, and the roof and the two-screen panels at each end were attached to the house.
4) Maintenance
A wood deck should be washed and sealed within three to six months after completion, and then it should be power washed or scrubbed annually. Decks built of pressure-treated pine must be stained and resealed every two years. Redwood and cedar resist decay, but still require sealing, clear coat, and painting or staining for protection from UV rays and moisture. Pine, cedar, and redwood can all splinter, warp, and split. Sanding your deck before resealing reduces splinters. Also, be on alert for nails coming loose from the boards.
If your brick patio has a sand base, keep it edged, and apply weed killer regularly. Pull any weeds that survive the spraying. Clean your patio with a spray from your garden hose. You may occasionally need to level a brick that becomes uneven or wobbly. Should a brick become damaged, simply replace it.
5) Design
The shapes of decks are limited by the shape of the boards. While boards can be cut to varying lengths and shapes to create parquet patterns for interior floors, and while the ends of boards can be cut at an angle for a herringbone pattern, the elevated nature of a deck may limit some of these design options.
Bricks used for a patio can be placed at angles to each other, and patios can be made of whole bricks, or a blend whole bricks and broken pavers, known as half bricks. Combining whole bricks and half bricks of different colors can produce uniquely shaped patios and patios with a variety of mosaic-like motifs.
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6) You Can Have an Outdoor Kitchen, a Fireplace, or a Fire Pit With Your Brick Patio!
An elevated deck cannot support the weight of an outdoor kitchen or fireplace. Open flames and sparks also present dangers near wood and flammable sealants.
There is no problem with the weight of either an outdoor fireplace or kitchen on a brick patio. In addition, the danger of sparks and open flames are minimized by the brick surface.
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7) Hot Tubs
Elevated wood decks require extra support to bear the weight of a hot tub. Further, the hot tub serves as a source of moisture that could damage the wood.
Neither the weight of a hot tub full of water nor the water itself is an issue with a brick paving patio.
8) Railings and Stairs
Railings around the edge of an elevated deck are necessary for safety. Stairs and handrails are necessary if you want to be able to move between your deck and your yard.
Neither stairs nor railings are necessary with a brick patio.
9) Child Safety
Be certain that deck and stair railings are built so that children cannot climb up on top of them or find a way to get between them.
A brick patio eliminates worries about children falling off of a deck.
10) Lighting
If you intend to use your elevated deck at night, then you will need to install lighting along your deck railing and stairway.
While lighting your patio sets the mood for a party, if you want to sit out under the light of the moon and stars, you can do so more safely on your patio, as long as the individual bricks are kept level and secure.
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11) Handicap Accessibility
Unless you add a ramp to your deck instead of stairs, either the deck or the lawn will not be accessible to guests with mobility issues. A brick paving patio is easily and equally accessible to anyone.
It can be a few more advantages of choosing a brick paving patio instead of a wood deck such as a traffic flow. If you use both – your yard and your elevated deck when you entertain, then your guests must negotiate the deck stairs to pass from one area to the other.
If you grill and serve guests on the deck, those who want to eat on the lawn must carry their food and drink down the deck stairs and return up the stairs when they want seconds. With a brick patio, guests can easily move from the lawn to the serving area and back again. If you entertain on a brick patio, guests move much more easily to activities on your lawn.
