Skip The Concrete: A Stylish, Fast, And More Affordable Alternative For Your Patio

When you're planning a patio, there are going to be two things on your mind: material and cost. Concrete is one of the most popular patio paving materials available, and it's easy to see why. It's highly durable and can be stamped into a wide array of attractive designs. However, concrete is also expensive and prone to a number of different faults, including cracking. So, if you'd rather skip the concrete for your patio, check out decomposed granite for a stylish, fast, and affordable alternative.

Decomposed granite (DG) is a byproduct of eroded granite rock that has been crushed either into 3/8 inch pieces, or fine grit. Though DG can mimic the look of gravel, it is much more stable and won't be nearly as messy as a gravel patio. DG for patios and driveways can be purchased with a resin stabilizer already mixed in. This will harden and keep the finer grit from moving. 

As for style, DG comes in an array of grays, browns, whites, reds, and golds. It's highly permeable, meaning water will pass through it and drain instead of pooling as it tends to do on concrete. As granite is one of the sturdiest building materials there is, DG is going to be strong enough to withstand any amount of foot traffic you're planning for your patio. That, and it is also really easy and fast to install.

Stabilized decomposed granite (DG) costs $185 per ton, which will cover about 90 square feet when laid at a 3-inch depth. The average patio is between 200 and 300 square feet, meaning you'll be spending $400 to $550 in materials for your DG patio. Compared to the average concrete patio cost of $3,200, DG offers great savings.

Another benefit is that the DG can be laid down quickly and easily. Mark the edges of your patio with some kind of barrier, like dynamic pound-in edging. Next, dig to the depth you want — between 2.5 and 3 inches — and compact the earth into a level surface. Pour in your DG, level it out, and compact it to the desired level. It's a project that can easily be achieved over the course of a weekend.

Now, aside from the benefits, there are some downsides to DG. It can stick to shoes and can easily travel inside, where it will scratch your flooring, especially hardwood. As such, when using DG material for a patio, make sure you use a softer edging material as a barrier between the patio and house, and have a doormat where shoes can be wiped off before entering. DG will also need to be reapplied after a few years, as it will continue to compact and break down with time. However, as we've seen, adding more DG is exceptionally easy and won't cost too much money.