"Those indentations took forever to bounce back, and it got muddy underneath whenever it rained."
Yeah, grass can be tricky like that... I've seen some folks use gravel under their furniture setups—good drainage, stable footing. Did you consider gravel at all before choosing patio blocks?
I considered gravel at first, actually, but the cost started adding up pretty fast when I looked into it. Patio blocks ended up being more budget-friendly for me, especially since I snagged some on clearance at the local hardware store. Gravel does seem great for drainage, but I've heard from a neighbor that it can scatter around quite a bit, especially with kids or pets running around. Didn't want to spend my weekends raking gravel back into place, haha.
"Those indentations took forever to bounce back, and it got muddy underneath whenever it rained."
Yeah, exactly this. My grass was getting destroyed under the chairs after every rainstorm, and it wasn't bouncing back. Patio blocks solved that issue pretty quickly. They're not perfect, but they're holding up well so far. Did you end up going with gravel yourself, or are you still deciding?
Patio blocks sound like a solid choice, especially if you got a good deal. I went with gravel myself last summer, and yeah, drainage is awesome, but you're spot-on about the scattering. My dog treats it like his personal playground, and I'm constantly sweeping bits back into place.
"Didn't want to spend my weekends raking gravel back into place, haha."
Haha, wish I'd thought of that earlier... Anyway, glad your patio blocks are working out—sounds like you made the right call.
Haha, I feel your pain with the gravel scattering. My neighbor went with gravel too, and every time their kids come over to play with mine, it's like a mini gravel migration into my yard. Patio blocks definitely seem like the lower-maintenance choice in that regard.
"My dog treats it like his personal playground, and I'm constantly sweeping bits back into place."
This made me laugh because my cat does something similar with mulch. She thinks it's her personal digging pit, and I'm forever brushing mulch chips off the patio furniture. Pets really do have their own ideas about landscaping, don't they?
I've been considering patio blocks myself for next spring—mostly because I'm tired of dealing with weeds popping up through the mulch. Did you put anything underneath your blocks to help prevent weeds or shifting? I've heard mixed things about landscape fabric versus sand bedding, so I'm curious what worked best for you.
I usually recommend a layered approach for patio blocks—landscape fabric alone rarely does the trick long-term. A compacted gravel base (about 4-6 inches deep) topped with a layer of sand bedding (around 1 inch) tends to provide the most stable foundation. Landscape fabric can help with weeds initially, but honestly, weeds often grow from seeds blown onto the surface, so fabric isn't foolproof.
"Pets really do have their own ideas about landscaping, don't they?"
Haha, absolutely true. I've seen plenty of beautifully laid patios disrupted by energetic dogs and curious cats. If shifting is a concern, consider polymeric sand between your blocks. It hardens after watering, locking everything firmly in place and reducing weed growth significantly. It's pricier than regular sand, but in my experience, the reduced maintenance makes it worth the investment.
