The moment you start decorating your front or backyard, your patio or poolside, you have all the ideas in mind. These are all the cool ideas but often people forget about flooring. Perhaps, being outside immediately makes you think that you don’t need any floors at all.
But that is where you are wrong!
You do need to consider a flooring option for your patio while making the rest of your yard look like a paradise. It will simply be easier to clean and maintain and this is where you will spend most of your time outside. Therefore, we’ve composed some of the best flooring options for your patio (or it can be your poolside/backyard in general) and we’ve listed them below:
1. Polygonal Plates
Perhaps polygonal plates are not the first idea you get for your outdoor flooring. And that’s why we want to surprise your right from the start.
These plates are made from different natural stones with some of the most common ones being limestone, marble, quartzite or basalt. Of course, there are some other options as well, but the companies that integrate these into your patio often work with these materials.
These plates are often used in gardens for pathways, but they can be used for the interior as well. According to HETA-Naturstein, a majority of people who choose polygonal plates say that’s it has been one of the best decisions in their life when it comes to outdoor decoration. Often, if they work on some other project they come back for more.
The reason is that they are very robust, durable and quite easy to maintain. Once installed these plates will endure every type of weather and will not get damaged. Furthermore, they are all irregularly shaped and they look pretty awesome when they are set up.
2. Composite Wood-Looking Patio
Another common choice is composite wood-looking decking. If you’re in between two minds of what to do, choosing composite wood is something you cannot go wrong with. Having a wood-looking deck gives your home and your backyard a homey and warm feeling and it also makes it a bit of rustic.
On the other hand composite wood in combination with some modern outdoor furniture can make your patio look modern! The options are limitless.
What you get with this flooring option is versatility and since these are wood-looking tiles, the installation is quite easy and they will not get damaged quickly.
Unlike real wood, which does look better, composite decks and patios are simply easy to clean and there isn’t any of the wood rot, you won’t encounter termites, and you will need to resand it after a couple of years to keep the fresh appeal.
3. Porcelain and Ceramic Tiles
Keep in mind that most of the materials used for patios and decks are tiles with slightly different characteristics. Wood tiles and not real wood, stone tiles and not real stone, and so on…Not only is this less expensive, but it is much easier to manufacture, deliver, install and maintain. And yet, durability and quality remain high. Plus you get that look you’ve always wanted.
Porcelain and ceramic tiles aren’t the exceptions. It might be odd to you to have ceramic floors, but this isn’t as uncommon as you may think. This gives the entire area an upscale look and compared to some other alternatives, porcelain tiles are more durable!
4. Artificial Grass
If you want to make the entire back of your home greener, perhaps you should use artificial grass for your patio. This might not be a perfect solution if you often plan to dine outdoors, because cleaning the artificial grass can be tricky. However, with it, you will get something you cannot have with any type of stone and wood tiles.
The grass makes everything look more beautiful. If you have some flowers around your backyard, you will simply enjoy it more. Although it does get warm in the summer, it will not get as hot as stone.
Artificial grass also means that you will no longer have to mow that part of your backyard. While it is definitely evident that the grass isn’t real, that shouldn’t worry you that much as it does look quite cool – and it is always green.
For families with kids, this can be a perfect solution. Kids can play in this area without making them itchy!
5. Fieldstone
Last but not least, we would like to mention fieldstone. In case you are in favor of the rock, this might be the right combination for you. In case you have a patio made of fieldstone, it will add value to your home and makes everything much more soothing. These are large rocks or various shapes and sizes placed one next to another and there is a visible gap between them.
They look amazing, although bits and pieces might fall between the two stones, making it slightly more difficult to maintain.
Furthermore, the installation may be more complicated than with polygonal plates, for example. You might even need to hire a professional designer to decorate your patio. This might be a more expensive option compared to some of the alternatives we’ve mentioned in the article.
But once you finish it, you will realize that every penny’s worth it. Fieldstone patios are easily one of the best-looking patios out there. This is a great flooring option no matter what your plans for the rest of your backyard are.
Conclusion
Hopefully, we’ve helped you with these flooring options, but at the end of the day, it is you who needs to make the decision. Any of these options is quite good and each has certain benefits and downsides. If you still don’t know which way to go, you can always look for reviews online and see what people think about each flooring option.
Also, make sure to contact several companies and compare the prices, once you opt for the definitive style. That will help you hire the best company at the best price for you!
Nina Smith 
Kim Marks