Fountains, decks and patios add life to your outdoor rooms FORT COLLINS, CO (KUNC) - Hardscapes

Hardscapes are the walls, floors and accents that create our outdoor rooms. These features blend in as functional parts of the landscape.

Most hardscapes are structural parts of the landscape. They need to be thought out and designed properly. These are the things that support and hold things. They must be designed to do a job and function safely.

Walls function in a lot of different ways. They hold back soil like in a terrace retaining wall. These walls are designed and constructed for strength. Walls around raise gardens lift the planting areas for easier access. Depending on the material and placement, these walls also become seating areas.

Screens and fences create rooms by surrounding areas like courtyards. These decorative walls need special design and construction considerations because they are free standing.

Decks are the floors of our outdoor rooms. They add living space at ground level or stories high. Multi-level decks add different rooms at different levels.

Decks are constructed of wood or wood-like materials. They must be designed, engineered and constructed to hold loads. Ten adults enjoying an evening on a deck adds up to a bit of weight. A hot tub plopped on any old deck probably won't work. Decks need to be built to hold these heavy loads.

I grew up with a huge slab of grey concrete as a patio. It wasn't pretty but it was functional and we used it a lot. Now patios are made of beautifully colored and patterned concrete. There are a myriad of paving stones to choose from for patio construction. Native flagstones offer a wide choice of patio colors and pattern styles.

Regardless of the material they're made from, patios create versatile outdoor space. A south facing patio becomes a sunning space in the winter. An east patio is the cool place to entertain in the summer. A patio on solid ground supports the largest of hot tubs.

Water features are the creative accents to our outdoor rooms. They offer tranquil sounds year around. They are a habitat for exotic plants and fish. Water features create special planting and seating areas. But they also need to be designed and constructed properly to create an attractive and functional accent.

What function and space is your next outdoor room going to create?

tomthrogmorton@mywdo.com
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