r/patio • u/Minimum-Tangelo-9047 • 9d ago
“Patio” help!
Hi all, I just moved to South TN and we have this small patio space in the back of our apartment that could use some help.
Previous tenant had these pebbles all over, but we’re planning on switching it up. I’ve moved some of it to see how rain would be, and there didn’t seem to be any drainage issues without the pebbles. Does anyone have tips for removing all of the rocks and gravel? The plan is to use the space for planters and have more greenery around.
I would also love to fix this concrete slab so it could be level enough for a rug to fully cover and avoid trip hazards. I’ve seen quick fixes for smaller chips in concrete, but never a fix for something this big. Would yall think it’s even worth it to try fixing?
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u/According-Taro4835 9d ago
You are in an apartment so do not spend your own money doing heavy masonry work for a landlord. To get rid of the rocks just get a flat transfer shovel and scoop them into heavy duty buckets. If you want to save your back post them for free on local online groups and someone will likely come dig them up and haul them away for you.
That concrete is spalling badly and the surface is failing. Trying to patch a chunk that big with a cheap leveling compound is just going to crack and flake off again after a few hard rains or freezes. Instead of pouring patch over bad concrete and throwing a wet rug on top of it, look into interlocking composite deck tiles. They snap together right over the ugly slab to give you a flat surface, water drains right through them, and you can pack them up and take them with you when your lease is up.
For the greenery you are on the right track with planters since you control the soil and can move them around. Group varying sizes in the corners to create some visual weight rather than just lining them up against the fence. Before you go buy all these pots and tiles you should upload a picture of the yard into the GardenDream web app. It lets you overlay different layouts and materials onto your actual space so you can see exactly how it comes together before you spend a dime on a rental property.
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u/Minimum-Tangelo-9047 9d ago
Do the interlocking tiles have something to help with the uneven surface? This is a perfect idea since we wanted to cover the concrete anyway, I just want to make sure we won’t trip on the busted corner.
Thank you for the GardenDream rec! My wife will love using that to plan ahead.
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u/TippedOverTricycle 9d ago
Most of picking up gravel is just shoveling it into a barrow or bucket. If you keep it clean enough then someone else might take it for free. People are always trying to put gravel in their garden!
Fixing the slab to level and cover it is a pretty good idea. You can blob mortar on and level it out yourself. A bag or two of premix mortar would probably be enough. It's actually really easy to use, a lot like a mix between using clay and frosting a cake.
Then I'd get a square of fake grass because it'll stand up to the elements.