Brick Patio Design Tools
Patios provide a pleasant spot to get together, enjoy cocktails, barbecue, or just relax in the outdoors. Brick patio design is actually fairly simple once you have the right tools to work with. You do not have to be an expert or a professional to create a unique and interesting design. As you begin the process of designing your brick patio, consider what you and your family would most like to do there and design a brick patio that works for you.
1. Experts
Professional bricklayers and masons, with their expertise and specialization in brick patio design, can be a very helpful resource. Seek out suggestions and guidance from your local specialists and contractors, and ask lots of questions. If you are planning to purchase most of the materials needed for your patio from one particular retailer, ask them to come out and help you draw the detailed patio plan. Speak with people who sell bricks, too. They can prove to be a wonderful source of information. Visit several showrooms and scrutinize the displays for design ideas.
2. Books
Research is a primary tool for any project. Visit your local library and look at books and materials on brick patio design. Review magazines, home and garden books and of course the internet to get ideas as to what you like. As you peruse these informative sources, pay attention to color, texture, line, form, repetition, and scale.
Create a specification sheet for your project by simply measuring the space where your patio will be built. Sketch your measurements out onto graph paper and use a predetermined size scale. For example, one grid might equal a foot of space. Sketch out the shape of your patio right onto the graph paper, adding in special features that you intend to have and their dimensions. Special additions might include a brick barbecue, a brick seating area, a brick fireplace, brick planters, a stone fountain with running water, a pond, lighting fixtures, or a patio roof. This sheet of paper will ultimately become a very important tool for designing your brick patio. You can use it to determine the area of your patio, the number of bricks you will need, and even the cost of this project. All information should be noted on this one sheet of paper, such as brick dimensions, color, cost, and the material the bricks are made of, as well as the same information for all other items you intend to include in your patio design.
3. Computer Software
There are a number of software programs that are uniquely designed to help with patio design. These programs can help you lay out your design, and to create an actual blueprint that you will be able to work from as you begin your project. These programs have professional templates that will allow you to view your patio in three dimensions as you create it online. You will be able to make and save multiple designs and print realistic, full-color renderings. To get the most out of these design tools you may need to know the dimensions of the brick patio that you intend to create, the slope of your land, and the size of the bricks you intend to use.
The right tools are the key to any job and when designing a brick patio, professional advice, information for planning, and perhaps the aid of computer software are the tools you need for a successful project.
