Concrete Patios in Denver, CO

Patios, stamped and plain, and the drainage decisions that keep them from moving.

A patio looks like the easiest concrete on a property and is the one most often placed in a way that causes problems elsewhere. It sits directly against the house, which makes it part of how water behaves around your foundation.

Slope is the whole game. A patio must drain away from the building, and keeping that fall is more important here than almost anywhere, because the claystone under much of the Front Range swells when it takes on water. Wetting and drying is the trigger for most foundation movement in this region, so a patio that ponds against the wall, or that has settled backwards over time, is actively feeding the problem it sits next to.

That also means a patio should not be rigidly tied into the house. An isolation joint where the slab meets the foundation lets the two move independently, which they will.

On finish: a broom finish is the default for good reason, since it keeps grip when wet. Stamped and coloured work looks better and costs more, and has one practical caveat in this climate. Sealers used to protect decorative finishes can trap moisture if applied too heavily or too early, and a sealed surface can be slick when wet or icy. Ask what sealer is being used, when it will be applied, and what resealing will cost in three years, because that cost is part of the real price.

Size it honestly before pricing it. People consistently build patios too small for the furniture they intend to put on them, then extend later with a second pour that never quite matches in colour. Concrete poured a year apart from a different batch will differ, and no amount of care at the joint hides it.