Concrete Patios in Mesquite, TX

A concrete patio is the most common way Mesquite homeowners add living space without adding a room. Many houses here came with a small slab under the back door or a narrow covered porch, sized for a couple of chairs. A new or extended concrete patio gives you room for a table, a grill, a fire pit and some shade, and it costs less per square foot than most other patio materials.

Why patios crack and sink here

Backyards in Mesquite take a lot of water. Gutters drain onto them, sprinklers run along the edges, and spring storms soak the lawn. The Dallas County Master Gardeners note that the area's black clay swells when it is wet and shrinks and cracks when it dries. A patio poured straight onto that clay, without a base and without slope, moves with it. That is why so many older patios tilt toward the house, hold puddles, or have split along the old porch edge.

Building it right

• Slope away from the house. We set forms so water runs off the patio and away from the foundation, never back toward the door.
• Base and steel. Compacted crushed stone under the slab and rebar in it keep the patio level with the house over time.
• Tie-in to the old slab. When we extend an existing porch, we drill and pin the new concrete to the old so the two do not drift apart, or we leave a clean isolation joint if the old slab is moving.
• Joints. Control joints divide the slab into panels so shrinkage cracks follow straight lines.
• Downspouts. We look at where your gutters drain and suggest extensions or a drain line if water is aimed at the patio.

Thinking about heat and shade

With average July and August highs near 97 degrees at Dallas Love Field, a sunny patio can get hot. Light-colored concrete stays cooler than dark stains. Plan the patio size around the shade you have or the cover you plan to add. If a pergola or patio cover is coming later, we can thicken the slab where the posts will land so it is ready for footings.

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Finishes

A broom finish is simple and grips well when wet. A smooth troweled border frames it nicely. Stain or integral color warms up plain gray, and exposed aggregate shows the stone in the mix for a rougher, slip-resistant surface. For a stone or brick look, see our stamped concrete page. HomeGuide puts plain, stained and stamped patios at about 30 to 50 years of life when they are built and kept up well.

Signs you need a new patio

• The patio slopes toward the house or holds water after rain
• A wide crack or step along the old porch edge
• Sections that have sunk away from the foundation
• The patio is too small for how you use the yard
• Surface flaking or exposed stone across the slab

Care

Rinse the patio and sweep off leaves and grass. Seal stained or colored concrete every few years to protect the color. Keep sprinkler heads aimed at the lawn, not the slab edges, and seal cracks before water gets under them.