Concrete Patios in Beaumont, TX

Concrete patios get a lot of use in Beaumont because the outdoor season is long. Average highs in the city's climate table stay above 70 degrees from March through November. The same climate makes patio design trickier than it looks. In a city that averages more than 65 inches of rain a year, a patio poured flat against the back of the house turns into a pond, and the water it holds ends up against your slab foundation or under the back door. We build patios that shed water first and look good second.

How we build a patio

We start by checking where water goes now. On flat Beaumont lots, the yard often drains toward the house or sits for hours after a storm. The patio has to work with that. We set forms so the surface falls about a quarter inch per foot away from the house, and we plan where that water will go once it leaves the edge. Then we strip the sod and topsoil, compact the subgrade, and lay a compacted base. Soft, organic soil is dug out rather than buried.

Reinforcement goes in on chairs, and we tie the patio to the house only when a connection is needed. Most patios are poured 4 inches thick. Where a patio will hold a heavy outdoor kitchen, a hot tub or posts for a cover, we thicken the slab or add footings under those loads. After the pour, control joints are cut in a pattern that fits the patio's shape, and the slab is kept damp while it cures so the surface does not dry and crack in the heat.

Finishes that work here

• Broom finish: the most affordable surface and the most grip when it is wet
• Exposed aggregate: stones in the surface for texture, traction and a natural look
• Integral color: color mixed through the concrete, softer on the eyes than bright gray in full sun
• Stamped: stone, brick or wood patterns, covered on our stamped concrete page
• Light colors: lighter surfaces stay cooler underfoot on summer afternoons

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Extending an old patio

Many Beaumont homes from the 1960s and 1970s came with a small slab outside the back door. Extending it is a common job. If the old slab is level and sound, we dowel into it and pour the new section to match the slope. If it has sunk toward the house or cracked badly, it is usually better to remove it and pour one new patio. We tell you which way makes sense after we put a level on it.

Signs your patio needs replacing

• Water stands on it or runs toward the house after rain
• It has sunk away from the house and left a gap at the foundation
• Cracks have opened and one side is higher than the other
• The surface is flaking or worn rough
• It is too small for a table and grill

Patio care

Rinse off pollen, leaves and mildew, which build up fast in humid weather. Keep gutters and downspouts emptying away from the patio. A breathable sealer every two to three years helps with stains and mildew. HomeAdvisor's sealing guide suggests that interval for most sealers.

Shade, heat and comfort

An uncovered patio in full afternoon sun gets hot in July and August, when Beaumont's average highs sit around 92 degrees. Lighter finishes help, and so does planning the patio for a cover or shade trees later. If a cover is likely, it is cheaper to thicken the slab or pour footings at the post locations now than to cut into a finished patio. Tell us how you plan to use the space, and we will size the slab and its edges to match.