Patio Improvements to Do While in Quarantine

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Patio Improvements

With uncertainty and quarantine driving everyone indoors, there’s a good chance you may need to spruce up different areas of your house to extend the living spaces for your own mental and physical well-being.

If you’re blessed with a patio or garden space, that means you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor area to stretch those muscles, play some ball, or even take your office outside for a nice work-from-home day out in the sun. 

Having a patio or garden calls for general maintenance work. If you’ve been holding up on your patio improvement projects, now is the time to get those hands dirty and do a little DIY and cleaning to make your outdoor area clean, comfortable, and cozy. 

Starting Off 

1. Trim the hedges and cut the grass.

Some spring cleaning is definitely needed before you do any heavy lifting. It starts with sweeping your patio area off of any garbage and broken items, cutting the grass, trimming your hedges, and getting rid of any animal poop. You want to work on a slate that’s as clean as possible. 

2. Assess your space.

How big is your patio, and how much garden space do you have? Take a good look around and take measurements, so you have an idea. If you don’t have a measuring tape, use your smartphone’s built-in measuring app if you have one to measure. It will give you an idea of how big your space is, and you can take photos with the measurements on it. 

3. Draw up a layout.

Once you have your space cleaned up and a good idea of how big it is, you can draw up a simple layout to decide what items go where, what you’d like to change, keep, discard, or repaired. Knowing your space also helps you decide if you need to purchase anything new. While it may seem tempting to purchase new items for your patio, knowing what you already have helps you save money and avoid waste or unnecessary or double items. Plus, since this is a DIY, you can also repurpose your old items to make them new. 

4. Know your regulations.

If your state or town is in quarantine, check what regulations are in place. This will help you decide where and how to get your tools and equipment. Can you travel to your nearest Home Depot? Or, is it better to purchase it online? Always remember to wear your mask and stay safe. 

DIY Improvements

Here are ten ways you spruce up your outdoor spaces on your own or with the help of your family.

 1. Spruce up your garden furniture.

A must-do upgrade for any patio. Sprucing up your patio can be done by cleaning, dusting, and moving to sand your patio furniture for a smoother surface. Then, give it a good primer and another coat of your color of choice. This upgrade works well only if your furniture isn’t rotten or broken. If it’s broken, make sure to mend it first if you can. Otherwise, it’s better off recycled. To give your patio furniture a further upgrade, purchase wooden garden parasols that can provide excellent shade during the summer. Parasols also give some protection to your furniture. 

2. Add in a fire pit.

This is another classic upgrade if you have space. Fire pits also enable your patio to be used during cooler weather, or even in summer, when toasting marshmallows are the order of the day. Learn to make a fire pit for your garden. It’s a fun project that will result in spending more time outdoors for the entire family. 

3. Outdoor bar

Speaking of more outdoor fun, how about adding an outdoor bar? Patios that extend to the garden are the perfect spot to host gatherings, barbecues, and intimate celebrations. Why not add in an outdoor bar that you can use when the time calls for it? Check out this DIY outdoor bar using crates you can easily put together yourself. 

4. Update your patio chairs.

Give your patio chairs some love, too. Redoing your patio chairs to fit your newly spruced up space’s ambiance and theme is a must. Giving it a paint job can totally make a difference, taking it from dull and lifeless to vibrant and attractive. Here’s a quick tutorial on how you can paint your rusty patio chairs. 

5. Add in natural elements.

Nature brings forth unique designs with different textures, curves, spirals, and circles. For quick spruce-up, add in elements like natural rock or even border flower beds with white river stones. You can also purchase patio pavers to extend the patio space, so you have more ground to walk around your garden without stepping on grass or plants. 

6. Upgrade your BBQ experience.

Having a patio means grill, right? Upgrade the BBQ experience by running a natural gas line to your outdoor grill. This way, you don’t have to worry about running out of propane or charcoal. You can grill anytime without having to worry about fuel. That said, this isn’t a DIY project. It’s best to get a licensed professional to help you run the gas line. 

7. Install planter beds.

Whether it’s a tiered raised planter bed or a block planter for an industrial chic look, a planter with a trellis, or even a self-watering raised planter, there are plenty of ways to make these on your own. Planters give you the opportunity to plant flowers and herbs, as well as plants that will keep pesky mosquitoes and gnats away. It’s a great way to add some color and transform your patio into a comfortable gathering spot for the family. 

8. Mosaic-top patio table

Make a statement by creating your very own mosaic-top patio table. It not only adds some class to your patio, but is also affordable and easy to do, plus tough enough to withstand the weather elements. If you have time during the weekend, here’s how you can transform your plain table top into a mosaic one. 

9. Add lights.

No patio upgrade is ever complete without adding patio lights. Patio lights are easy to install, such as LED string lights, swag lights, or even DIY chandeliers. Lights are some of the easiest ways to add lighting to trees, the patio steps, or near pathways. It truly turns your space into something magical. 

10. Outdoor rug

Finally, adding some area rugs to your patio can definitely pull the whole look together, adding a sense of decorative element to your space. If you’re planning to get some outdoor rugs, make sure they are durable to withstand weather elements, such as the sun and rain, as well as easy to wash. 

There you have it – easy DIY ways to spruce up your patio.

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