How To Clean Up And Repair Your Patio In Time For Summer

There is nothing like grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting out on the patio, waiting for the sunrise to peak over the horizon. If you are more of a night person, you could argue that sipping on a cool drink and watching the sun go down for the night is the way to go. Either way, you will need to clean and repair your patio in time for summer before you can hope to enjoy it.

You should already have your patio designed and set up from previous years, so that will not be covered here. Instead, today’s discussion will be on how to refresh and prepare the patio for your time on it. So, let us jump right into it.

Remove the Debris from the Patio

Fall and Spring are times of the year when debris from the trees, fields, and the neighbors, end up piled up on your patio. Your first step in preparing yourself for the upcoming summer is to clean it off. You can use a push broom or a hose to get it cleared. If you need to move the furniture or any other outdoor items out of the area before cleaning, do so before sweeping or spraying.

Once you have the main areas of debris cleared away, you can take the time to scan the patio. Look for any weeds coming up through any cracks and note any damage you find. If you plan to spray the weeds to kill them before pulling them out, make sure that you follow the specific directions on your product.

Repair Your Patio

No matter what material you have used to create the patio, you will need to make any repairs that you noticed while removing the debris. Depending on what you have, you will need to get some filler or a repair kit and use it to fix any issues. Repairing is not a step that you should leave for next year.

The sooner that you catch and repair any damage, the less likely it is to spread into a bigger problem that will cost a significant amount more to repair. If it is above your knowledge level, or you do not have the time to do it, hire a professional to come in and get the patio repaired as soon as they can schedule you.

Clean or Replace Patio Furniture

Since you have all your patio furniture out of the central area, it is the perfect time to check their condition. If the furniture is still in good shape, you will need to clean them off and put them back into place. If they need a minor repair or some fresh paint, figure out what you need for the job and get it done.

If the patio furniture is no longer in good shape, or if you want to change the look and create some new conversation sets for people to discuss, buy some new outdoor furniture, and dispose of the old ones. It would be best to give them away rather than haul them to the dump because there will always be people in need. Plus, it reduces the waste that is overloading the landfills.

Design Your Patio

If you have decided to go with a new design this year, or if you have decided to try a few different things to change it up a little, do it as you move the outdoor furniture back onto the patio. If you do not like how things look after getting everything set into place, move items around until you do.

You never want to convince yourself to leave the task for another day because you will more than likely be stuck looking at the way it is throughout the summer. Place everything where you want it now to enjoy it for the rest of the year.

Patio Decorations and Outdoor Lighting

Before the winter months set in, you should have removed all the decorations from the patio and put them into storage, so they did not get damaged. If you are using the same ones this year, dig them out, clean them up, and set them where they belong. If you are going for a new look, buy what you need and put them into place.

Outdoor entertaining is hard to do without the proper outdoor lighting. If you do not have any in place, it would be good to install them. If you prefer to use lanterns and solar stick lighting, you would have removed them for the winter, so dig them all back out and get them working. If you are using security lights for the area, you may want to turn them off while using the patio unless you do not mind the spotlights lighting everything in the yard up.

Refresh the Landscaping Around the Patio

Once you have the existing patio set up and ready to use, you will want to look around the outer edges. If you have flower beds or planters, you will need to dig in and remove the weeds. Rocks or wood chips should be raked and leveled back into place, adding more materials to the old if required.

Some people prefer privacy, so they plant shrubs around the outer edges. If you are part of this group, you will need to dig out the trimmers and shape the bushes, so they offer you a private area that is not overcrowded by shrubbery.

Final Thoughts

It may seem easier to leave everything set up from the previous year, and you may be right. It would be easier, but it would not be a clean, stylish, refreshed patio if you did. You put the hard work into making everything perfect for your outdoor enjoyment, so why let it deteriorate over time.

Keep your patio in top shape, catch and repair any damage you see before it becomes a huge problem, and always keep your eye open for the newest design trends to stay ahead of your family and friends.