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The best part of summer is spending time outdoors and enjoying the warm weather with family and friends.
When the summer sun calls your name, you can answer it on your own backyard patio. Patios provide an incredibly versatile space in your yard. There are countless ways you can get the most out of your patio this summer. Here are just a few of them.
Relax
Your patio can be a great place to unwind after a long day. You can turn your backyard into an oasis of relaxation with just a few simple additions.
Lounge Furniture
Nothing beats a comfortable chair when you’re trying to de-stress. Luxurious chaise lounges or even simple wooden benches add elegance and ambiance to your patio, while giving you a peaceful spot to sit and meditate, or read a book.
Hammocks are a backyard staple, and you don’t necessarily need two trees to hang one up. You can buy a free-standing hammock and put it right on the patio. If you need shade, add a patio umbrella, canopy, or an awning.
Reading Nook
Once you have comfortable chairs, you might as well add an outdoor lamp with a weather-proof shade to make a cozy reading area.
Fire Pit
A fire in the evening is a great way to set the mood for a relaxing night. The whole family can roast marshmallows, make s’mores, or just watch the flames.
You can build a fire pit yourself or buy one ready-made from a home improvement store.
Bird Feeder
Birds can be fun to watch, and they enhance your backyard’s atmosphere. If you hang a bird feeder near your patio, you can attract all types of winged guests. If you want to go all out, add a birdbath and birdhouse as well.
Entertain
Your patio can be the perfect spot for an outdoor party. The paved surface provides the perfect space for a variety of games.
Hopscotch
All you need to make a hopscotch court is a piece of sidewalk chalk. Draw the court right onto the surface of your patio and use a small bean bag as a marker.
Corn Hole
You can make your own corn hole set using old wood for the boards and fabric scraps for the bean bags. You can also buy ready-made corn hole sets for instant fun.
Letter Game
You can play a patio version of Scrabble with jumbo-sized letters. Make as many letter tiles as you want using almost any material. You can draw with a marker on cardboard squares, or go all out by painting thin wooden panels white and adding black vinyl letters.
Tower Game
Similar to a giant Jenga set, you can make a tower game by cutting 2×4 boards into pieces roughly 27cm long. You’ll need about 54 pieces altogether. Stack them up on the patio, and try to remove pieces without knocking the whole thing over.
Bowling
You can make a patio bowling set with a small heavy ball, water bottles, and some glow sticks. Stick the glow sticks in the water bottles (with the water still inside,) to make them light up. Then arrange them like pins and knock them over with the ball.
Grill
The summer barbecue is a hallmark of the season. Your patio is the perfect place to grill all kinds of delicious seasonal dishes.
Get a Good Grill
To get started with your barbecue, you’ll need to invest in a grill. It doesn’t have to be fancy as long as it’s high quality.
Cook Outside
Grilling food is not just healthy, it’s convenient. The mess stays mostly outside, and the cooking process is usually pretty simple.
Cook out on the patio as much as possible over the summer. You’ll eat well and create treasured family memories.
Eat More Than Meat
Grills are usually associated with thick steaks and classic hot dogs. However, you can cook much more than just meat. To spice up your family’s appetite, explore grilling with vegetables and even hard fruits. Grilled peaches and pineapples caramelize during cooking and taste like dessert.
Prepare
Before you start your patio summer fun, make sure everything is prepped and ready for activity.
Check the Pavement
Inspect the paved surface of your patio before you start adding furniture and appliances. If you haven’t used it for a while, there might be damage you’re unaware of.
Broken bricks, stone, or concrete can be a safety hazard and you should fix any problems before you start using the patio more frequently.
Check the Door
You might not think much about the patio door when you’re breezing in and out of your house for various activities. However, a lot of use means more wear and tear. Make sure your patio door is in good shape and meets your needs. If your current patio door is old or inconvenient, you should consider upgrading to a sliding door, or even French doors.
Contact RetroTeck for patio and sliding doors in Vancouver today!
There is an endless amount of fun to be had on your patio this summer. Just check that your property is in good condition, and let the good times roll!