Decision time. It's either a redwood deck or a concrete patio. Which one
is less expensive in your part of the USA?

"Marty" wrote in message
news
Decision time. It's either a redwood deck or a concrete patio. Which one
is less expensive in your part of the USA?



Sorry, meant to add that we're talking about 350 square feet of patio or
deck space.

"Marty" wrote in message
news
Decision time. It's either a redwood deck or a concrete patio. Which one
is less expensive in your part of the USA?


On grade?
30 feet in the air?

In Phoenix on or near on grade is concrete. The maintenance of wood over the
years far out weights the installation cost.

"SQLit" wrote in message
...

"Marty" wrote in message
news
Decision time. It's either a redwood deck or a concrete patio. Which
one
is less expensive in your part of the USA?


On grade?
30 feet in the air?

In Phoenix on or near on grade is concrete. The maintenance of wood over
the
years far out weights the installation cost.



On grade.

"Marty" wrote in message
news
Decision time. It's either a redwood deck or a concrete patio. Which one
is less expensive in your part of the USA?

I don't have a clue about cost, but I'd never put a deck where I could have
a patio. Easier to maintain, no staining or waterproofing, spills easily
hosed off, never rots, no raccoons or skunks make a home under it, no guard
rails needed. Can't think of a single benefit of having a wood deck over
concrete on the ground.

I'd go concrete.. texture and color if you want. Put down a good
foundation.

Wood looks nice for about a year.. then weathers.. and either you have
to cover it or care for it each season.



On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 23:06:41 GMT, "Marty" wrote:


"SQLit" wrote in message
...

"Marty" wrote in message
news
Decision time. It's either a redwood deck or a concrete patio. Which
one
is less expensive in your part of the USA?


On grade?
30 feet in the air?

In Phoenix on or near on grade is concrete. The maintenance of wood over
the
years far out weights the installation cost.



On grade.

Yeah, go concrete. I am spending a lot of time and money this Summer
refurbishing my cedar deck. Not worth the time, effort or cost. Our last
house had a concrete patio and it took 5 minutes in the Spring to hose off
the Winter's dirt and we were ready for another Summer of outdoor enjoyment.
Des




"Marty" wrote in message
news
Decision time. It's either a redwood deck or a concrete patio. Which one
is less expensive in your part of the USA?

Marty wrote:
Decision time. It's either a redwood deck or a concrete patio. Which one
is less expensive in your part of the USA?

Concrete. But that's less expensive in terms of _my_ time and upkeep.


John
--
Remove the dead poet to e-mail, tho CC'd posts are unwelcome.
Mean People Suck - It takes two deviations to get cool.
Ask me about joining the NRA.

wrote in message
...
Marty wrote:
Decision time. It's either a redwood deck or a concrete patio. Which
one
is less expensive in your part of the USA?

Concrete. But that's less expensive in terms of _my_ time and upkeep.


John
--
Remove the dead poet to e-mail, tho CC'd posts are unwelcome.
Mean People Suck - It takes two deviations to get cool.
Ask me about joining the NRA.

Well, between your opinions and my finding how out how extensive the rotting
is in the substructureof the existing deck, and seeing a friends patio, I'm
going to switch the existing, but massively damaged redwood deck to a
concrete patio with color and possibly texture. It will still need a fence
around it to keep the dogs in their proper place.

Thanks

"Marty" writes:

wrote in message
...
Marty wrote:
Decision time. It's either a redwood deck or a concrete patio. Which
one
is less expensive in your part of the USA?

Concrete. But that's less expensive in terms of _my_ time and upkeep.


John
--
Remove the dead poet to e-mail, tho CC'd posts are unwelcome.
Mean People Suck - It takes two deviations to get cool.
Ask me about joining the NRA.

Well, between your opinions and my finding how out how extensive the rotting
is in the substructureof the existing deck, and seeing a friends patio, I'm
going to switch the existing, but massively damaged redwood deck to a
concrete patio with color and possibly texture.

I see everyone recommending concrete and I wonder why.
I just replaced a concrete patio with pavers.

The concrete was very old (maybe 30 years) and the sections
had settled so that they no longer lined up. I saw no way
to repair them other than rent a jackhammer and have the pieces
hauled away.

I would imagine that my pavers will need some adjustments
after 30 years too. However with pavers, someone can just
lift them up, level the sand bed and put them back.
I'd guess those pavers are good for at least a hundred years.

"Dan Espen" wrote in message
I see everyone recommending concrete and I wonder why.
I just replaced a concrete patio with pavers.

The concrete was very old (maybe 30 years) and the sections
had settled so that they no longer lined up. I saw no way
to repair them other than rent a jackhammer and have the pieces
hauled away.

I would imagine that my pavers will need some adjustments
after 30 years too. However with pavers, someone can just
lift them up, level the sand bed and put them back.
I'd guess those pavers are good for at least a hundred years.

If the original patio was done correctly, there would be no adjustments
needed. I know of some that are 50 years old, walks at are pushing 100 years
and in excellent condition. Your idea does have merit though. Pavers can
look very nice.

SQLit wrote:
"Marty" wrote in message
news
Decision time. It's either a redwood deck or a concrete patio. Which one
is less expensive in your part of the USA?



On grade?
30 feet in the air?

In Phoenix on or near on grade is concrete. The maintenance of wood over the
years far out weights the installation cost.



shouldnt all homes have ground area the slopes away from the foundation
and thus not be on grade?

Just wondering as _all_ homes I ever saw in detroit did not have any
slope, but I keep reading that I am supposed to have a slope!?

My new home has a slope, my wife wants concrete/bricks, but with the
slope I think wood would be easier. We have high water table as well.


--
Respectfully,


CL Gilbert

"Edwin Pawlowski" writes:

"Dan Espen" wrote in message
I see everyone recommending concrete and I wonder why.
I just replaced a concrete patio with pavers.

The concrete was very old (maybe 30 years) and the sections
had settled so that they no longer lined up. I saw no way
to repair them other than rent a jackhammer and have the pieces
hauled away.

I would imagine that my pavers will need some adjustments
after 30 years too. However with pavers, someone can just
lift them up, level the sand bed and put them back.
I'd guess those pavers are good for at least a hundred years.

If the original patio was done correctly, there would be no adjustments
needed. I know of some that are 50 years old, walks at are pushing 100 years
and in excellent condition.

This particular patio consisted of a bunch of 4x8 concrete sections
separated by redwood 2x4s. It looked like they anchored the
2x4x in place by driving nails thru them and embedding the
nail into the concrete.

After living in the house about 10 years I had to replace the
redwood. It does eventually rot. I used pressure treated instead.

Eventually I replaced the whole thing because there was up to a 2 inch
diffference in height between the sections.

I guess the sections were migrating due to frost heaving
and the wide separation between the sections. They were
out of alignment even before I pulled out the rotten redwood.

"CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert" wrote in message
shouldnt all homes have ground area the slopes away from the foundation
and thus not be on grade?

Just wondering as _all_ homes I ever saw in detroit did not have any
slope, but I keep reading that I am supposed to have a slope!?

Most with concrete have a slight pitch away from the house. You need only a
very small amount for the water to run. Ground is not a smooth an dirt also
will absorb water so you'd want a bit more.

"Dan Espen" wrote in message

This particular patio consisted of a bunch of 4x8 concrete sections
separated by redwood 2x4s. It looked like they anchored the
2x4x in place by driving nails thru them and embedding the
nail into the concrete.

After living in the house about 10 years I had to replace the
redwood. It does eventually rot. I used pressure treated instead.

I've seen thing like that. In most cases, they do not have a lot of
reinforcement or are very thick. More like oversized patio blocks. May be
a OK in mild climates, but now where you'd have frost heaves.

I opened this thread to rail on decks and tout the benefits of masonry
in all its forms (no, I'm not a Mason !), and lo and behold, a thread
of pro-concrete posters. My faith in mankind is restored.

Decks tend to look like crap after a few years. My slab has been there
50 years, yes it's a mottled dark gray, but it looks sort of rustic and
requires no maintenance.

"Edwin Pawlowski" writes:

"Dan Espen" wrote in message

This particular patio consisted of a bunch of 4x8 concrete sections
separated by redwood 2x4s. It looked like they anchored the
2x4x in place by driving nails thru them and embedding the
nail into the concrete.

After living in the house about 10 years I had to replace the
redwood. It does eventually rot. I used pressure treated instead.

I've seen thing like that. In most cases, they do not have a lot of
reinforcement or are very thick. More like oversized patio blocks. May be
a OK in mild climates, but now where you'd have frost heaves.

Since I broke it up, I know what was there.

No steel. About 4 inches of concrete. Pretty much put
directly on central NJ clay soil. Just a bit of gravel
in some places.

There were definitely chipmunks living under the slab,
but not any obvious signs of dirt being washed out or
excessive tunneling.

I do think that despite the way the nails tied the
redwood to the cement, each slab pretty much moved
on its own. When the ground expands, that stuff
just has to move.

wrote in message
...
I'd go concrete.. texture and color if you want. Put down a good
foundation.

Wood looks nice for about a year.. then weathers.. and either you have
to cover it or care for it each season.



On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 23:06:41 GMT, "Marty" wrote:


"SQLit" wrote in message
...

"Marty" wrote in message
news Decision time. It's either a redwood deck or a concrete patio. Which
one
is less expensive in your part of the USA?


On grade?
30 feet in the air?

In Phoenix on or near on grade is concrete. The maintenance of wood over
the
years far out weights the installation cost.



On grade.



My neighbor with a nice patio, you should see her patio furniture, mentioned
that they were going to stain the patio. This is new territory for me.
Does color come from mixing something with the concrete before pouring or
does it come from staining after? Pro's and con's?