My patio hadn’t been cleaned for 25 years so I transformed it for £50
A green-fingered Brit reveals how he transformed his 25-year-old patio for just £50.
According to Garry Hartgrove, his outdoor tiles had not been cleaned for a quarter of a century and were in urgent need of a ‘facelift’.
2
2
He shared his impressive transformation – which now consists of a pattern of gray plates in varying shades of dark – on the Facebook group Gardening On A Budget Official.
“I wanted the end result to match the character of the old bungalow without looking too new,” the DIYer wrote.
He found all the information for his project – which was dubbed “amazing” by his fellow green-fingered Brits – through some clever Google searches.
The whole project cost around £50, and some parts took just 30 seconds to complete.
To start, Garry pressure washed the entire patio, which houses his dining area and some planters.
He then repaired any dents in the plates with a mixture of soft and sharp sand, cement and water.
“Before you start painting, the plates must be completely dry… that is, there must be no rain for at least a few days,” Garry instructed.
“Use only the best brand of paint.
“Dulux, Sandtex – these allow the boards to ‘breathe’ and allow trapped moisture to escape, but keep rain out.
“I used masonry paint.”
The first layer of paint was light gray, diluted with 10% water. That water soaked into the concrete.
He covered all the plates, including the joints, with this paint.
The second coat of paint was undiluted and adhered “much better” to the plates than the first coat.
Garry chose to make some panels darker than others, using diluted black masonry paint.
Outdoor cleaning tips
Want to get your garden ready for summer? Check out this article.
ALGAE: If your fence is covered in stubborn algae, Mrs. Hinch fans swear by white vinegar to make it look like new again.
MOSS: If you are bothered by moss, soda crystals are the solution.
PATIO: IF your patio tiles have seen better days, bleach may be the solution for you.
“Color the boards with black masonry paint with a water ratio of about 1/15, so that it looks like black water,” he wrote.
“It is best to apply this with a small dishwashing sponge.
“Drag the paint over the plate, avoiding the joints.”
He described this process as “very easy,” claiming it takes only 30 seconds per blow.
You can apply a second coat to make it darker, or even a third coat if you’re feeling adventurous.
According to Garry, he still hasn’t decided whether to apply a sealant over his homemade paint job.
“I haven’t done that yet,” he wrote.
“I think if the colors eventually fade, I can recolor them pretty quickly.
“If I seal it, I can’t – although sealing it does help prevent fading.
“I haven’t decided yet.”
Garry was inundated with people telling him how “awesome” his DIY project had turned out, with many commenting enthusiastically: “What a transformation.
