Plain Concrete : Plain concrete sometimes also known as cement is probably the easiest material in terms of upkeep and maintenance. Plain concrete is the most affordable material available. You can begin with plain concrete for your patio and when you are ready for a change, you can basically lay new patio materials over the existing the concrete flooring. Hence, you can treat it merely as a foundation layer for other patio materials discussed within this page. Furthermore, plain concrete can be a strong foundation and certainly prevent surface cracking.
Consider the long term practically and maintenance of patio materials carefully....Most people only think about materials in terms of the cost but that should not be your only consideration. You don't always require the cheapest patio material. On the contrary, you also need to think about what patio materials are going to last for a long time and what kind of maintenance each type of material needs.
Capacity of the patio : The patio needs to be large enough to accommodate the correct size of table with room for chairs to be pulled out and for people to move around easily when others are seated. A guide is to allow 1m width for the table, 500mm width on either side of the table for each chair when not pushed under the table, 300mm between chairs down the side of the table, and 700mm width to pull each chair out and sit down comfortably.
When you are choosing the material to use as a foundation for the patio, think about the long-term practicality of the material before you make a final decision. Here are some common patio materials you can choose from.