Asked on Jun 06, 2012

$100 quick patio fix

Leslie D
by Leslie D
We've been so busy with the inside of our house that we've completely neglected the equally trashed exterior. With a visit from the Mother In Law looming, we had to do something. A little paint, sewing some straight lines, some electrical conduit for curtain rods, painting a design on a $19 outdoor rug, and a few plants, it turned this trashed space into a nice place to sit for about $100 in a day's time.
  24 answers
  • JP S JP S on Jun 06, 2012
    VERY nice!!
  • Miriam Illions Miriam Illions on Jun 06, 2012
    What a difference. Great job!
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jun 06, 2012
    Looks great...job well done! I know you will have a great visit with your MIL and for years to come!
  • Eleanor G Eleanor G on Jun 06, 2012
    Wow! That's awesome!
  • Mitzi G Mitzi G on Jun 06, 2012
    love this!! u go girl!!!:)
  • Alice H Alice H on Jun 06, 2012
    One of my next projects is a painted sisal rug for the patio.
  • Leslie D Leslie D on Jun 06, 2012
    Thanks, all! We have a LOT of work to go in the backyard, including a non-working waterfall/water feature and a peeling stucco wall, but the pool is great! The people who owned this house before us did NO maintenance. I'll be looking for advice from all the great plant people here in the future because it's so barren right now, but this at least helped make it a little more attractive.
  • Sandy G Sandy G on Jun 06, 2012
    love this!! I find it difficult to keep the patio clean due to wind & birds...and then there always is a swarm of flies in the center...we don't eat outdoors; any idea how to get rid of the flies? I have a couple fly strips that are round & they work, but are gross looking...but still have this constant swarm in the center....help??
  • Becky H Becky H on Jun 06, 2012
    Wow Leslie, quite a conversion! This has to make you feel really good, and now you can honestly enjoy the space. Nice work!
  • Vicki L Vicki L on Jun 06, 2012
    Would you explain how you painted your rug? What kind is it, etc? Thanks. Great job!
  • D P D P on Jun 06, 2012
    I love this and I sure get the mother in law rush! Here is what I did the last two weekends in front of my little condo. I am out there enjoying it daily now! I did all the work myself, ugh, my back ! I spent 90.00 on the wood for deck 76x80 at Home Depot and about 50.00 for the dirt, peat, manure for the raised flower bed. Another 20.00 for the table and chairs at a garage sale and 50.00 for the flowering pear tree and the bush. The small plants were moved here from my other gardens out back.
  • Miriam Illions Miriam Illions on Jun 06, 2012
    D P your patio is awesome! You should post it again to the main page so that more people will see it!
  • Leslie D Leslie D on Jun 06, 2012
    I found the rug at Home Depot. They have them online and in stock and it's a thin outdoor carpet for under $20. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-25ecodZ5yc1v/R-202042697/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=outdoor+rug&storeId=10051&superSkuId=202556847. I grabbed some leftover exterior off-white trim paint and then purchased a sample size of a Chinese Red Exterior paint, got a large stiff-bristle brush and went to work, almost "scrubbing" the paint into the rug. I just searched the internet for a simple, graphic and organic design that I liked and copied it. It's stiff in the painted areas, but I was going for impact more than barefoot comfort, and for the outside area, that was fine. It was such an easy thing to do. .It holds up great, even through weekly pressure washing because my dog treats the rug like his own person grass patch...LOL
  • Leslie D Leslie D on Jun 06, 2012
    DP, I love what you did! I'm a big believer in fixing things up on a budget and it just goes to show you don't have to spend a fortune, although it does take some work!
  • Bernice H Bernice H on Jun 06, 2012
    wow! What a difference ! Lovely! Looks very inviting!Not bad for 100. Very nice in fact!
  • Kelly S Kelly S on Jun 06, 2012
    Leslie and DP you both did great things on a limited budget. Way to go ladies!!
  • Bernice H Bernice H on Jun 06, 2012
    DP I noticed you are from Michigan..and you have a pine tree in a planter. What do you do in t he winter? Do you put it in the garage or something?
  • Becky H Becky H on Jun 06, 2012
    Not only have you addressed the aesthetics, but you have focused upon structure. Good girl; this will last quite some time for your enjoyment without having to go back and address maint. and/or correction. Kudos to you. Your MIL will love it.
  • Melissa W Melissa W on Jun 06, 2012
    looks amazing! Great job!
  • Kendra R Kendra R on Jun 07, 2012
    Were did you pick up a $19 outdoor rug from? Love the look and would like to paint one for my patio!
  • Leslie D Leslie D on Jun 07, 2012
    Kendra, I picked it up at Home Depot. They have them in store and online. It's a very thin indoor/outdoor rug, but works great if you're gong for asethetics and not "comfort". The link for the rug is http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-25ecodZ5yc1v/R-202042697/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=outdoor+rug&storeId=10051&superSkuId=202556847
  • D P D P on Jun 07, 2012
    Bernice, I bought that evergreen for 3.00 two years ago from the "almost dead area" at Home Depot and planted it in this planter for some green outside my living room slider over the winter. I just gave it water and sunlight and it filled in nicely quite quickly. It has stayed in the planter since. I move it around ( I am addicted to change and variety) so it gets sun in the summer to keep it healthy and have trimmed it once. Have a great weekend!
  • Kendra R Kendra R on Jun 08, 2012
    Thanks so much for the info!
  • Sherry L Sherry L on Jun 30, 2012
    Didn't do quite as well on the rug as you did. Found them on sale at Walmart for 34.00. Still better then the 70. original price. This is the time to buy furniture, outdoor rugs and yard art. Everyone is putting those things on sale as it is getting to hot to spend time working outside. August will be even better but the pickings will be slim.