Whether you’re laying out brand new plans or planning to revamp your existing outdoor space, your flooring choices know no bounds. Making the final decision always comes down to some determining factors. Personal preference earns the number one spot, however, you may realize the need to tweak your first choice after considering a few other prominent matters, such as price and maintenance.
We’re sharing some of the pros and cons of popular flooring choices that Florida homeowners use. You may find the information helpful as you draw up the plans for your backyard oasis.
Concrete
If you’re looking for something that goes easy on the budget, concrete is one of the more affordable flooring choices. Once you get your forms laid out, it goes down quickly and within hours, your pool deck or lanai floor is ready to go. Adding dyes to change the color of the concrete and using stamps to mimic stones or tiles completely transforms the look of the concrete. However, you should be aware that the color tends to fade over time in highly trafficked areas.
Left in its natural state, surface cracks—which tend to be inevitable—are more apparent to the eye. To be honest, the repaired cracks are too, though.
Brick pavers
Likely to be more costly than concrete when all’s said and done, brick pavers are the most popular outdoor flooring option. They come in a wide variety of colors, surface finishes, and shapes allowing you the possibility of turning your floor into a work of art!
The joints between the pavers allows for expansion, contraction, and pressure which strengthens their integrity. Brick pavers provide maximum durability for years. They’re more resistant to normal wear and tear too. Should one be damaged, you can easily pop it out and replace it with another. No unsightly patch areas to mar the aesthetic appeal.
Just a word to the wise, in order to completely match the color and texture, it’s a good idea to purchase extra tiles when you are putting the floor down. Store them away should the “just in case” moment arise.
Stone or Flagstone
Stone floors enhance the visual appeal of your outdoor family area with their natural coloring and design. Using the same stones to create walkways from the lanai or pool area enhances the feel of a private getaway spot. Considering stone or flagstone as possible flooring choices when you’re ready to replace a concrete floor works well because you can overlay the concrete with your natural stone pavers for an instant upgrade! Way easier than breaking out the jackhammers and dealing with all the rubble.
Stone pavers are available in many colors, and since nature provides them, it will be extremely hard to find an exact match. Grab some extras to tuck away in case you should ever need to replace one or two.
Protect your investment
Adding a screen enclosure to your design plan not only protects your beautiful floor and furnishings from the elements but will provide you and your family with several benefits to enjoy all year long.
Enhanced privacy
Screen enclosures provide you and your family with an enhanced sense of privacy that allows you to truly relax. Spending time together becomes more enjoyable as normal neighborhood distractions seemingly become white noise in the background.
Bug-free environment
Living in Florida, it may be hard to envision what it would be like to be outdoors and the area around you not be teeming with bugs. We want you to try though because enclosing your outdoor space is going to provide you with just such a spot. We’ll help get the brainwaves stirring.
Imagine dining outdoors without shooing away a single fly. And what about this one—night swims and no mosquitoes!
The finely woven screen allows you to catch every breeze that passes your way. Bugs, such as flies, mosquitoes, and even noseeums, on the other hand, aren’t getting through, no matter how hard they try! Put away the bug repellant and fly swatters because you won’t be needing them anymore.
Added UV protection
Even though screen enclosures don’t completely block the sun, as ultraviolet (UV) rays pass through them, they lose their intensity. That means you won’t be applying sunscreen as often when you’re at the pool. Your stuff isn’t going to fade as quickly, either!
A worthy investment
In addition to adding privacy to your life, some UV protection, and living life bug-free, screen enclosures keep your outdoor living area clear of storm debris. No more sweeping up or cleaning off your seat before you sit down after a rainstorm passes through. Mold and mildew won’t become an issue either because air circulates freely throughout the entire structure.
Wandering wildlife is presented with a barricade that prevents them from coming to close for comfort too. That’s saying something around here, yeah? It can seem momentarily heart-stopping to come upon a coiled snake, or even an iguana or another species of lizard, when you least expect it.
You might want to check out some images of customized screen enclosures. Some companies, like ours, for instance, use digital imagery and UV-enhanced dyes to envelope you in whatever surroundings you choose!
The results are nothing short of stunning.
Add personal flair as far as furnishings and other decor, and badda boom, badda bing! You’re ready to enjoy your backyard oasis this summer straight on through to next. Don’t be surprised if your family decides the enclosure is their favorite room in the house. Friends may suggest hanging out at your place on the regular too.
It’s all good. The more, the merrier, right?