6 Jobs that will Prepare your Patio for Winter

Starting with Spring, for three seasons of the year, your patio will get a bell curve of use. Sadly come winter, there are fewer opportunities for sitting outside. November is a good time to pay a little attention to your patio, so that you know it will be in tip top condition when you fire up the barbecue again next year. Here are 6 jobs for you to do that will prepare your patio for winter:

1. Pack Away Wooden Furniture. To get the longest life out of wooden furniture it is best to store it in a shed or cover it with a tarpaulin for the winter months.
   
2. Deal with Leaves. Attack those fallen leaves, but what will be your weapon of choice: blower or broom?
   
3. Remove Moss and Lichen. Scrape off any vegetation that has grown up and spray any small weeds that are poking through with weedkiller.
   
4. Wash Your Patio. Give your patio a good hosing down and brush away the wet debris with a stiff bristled broom.
   
5. Fill Gaps with Sand. A small bag of polymeric sand (available from your local DIY store) should be sufficient to fill any gaps between the slabs that have been created by burrowing insects or dandelion roots.
   
6. Gently Sweep. The final sweep should be with a soft broom. A stiff broom will dig up all that sand you just laid before it has a chance to bed in.

That’s it, now you can relax for the winter safe in the knowledge that your patio will be ready for use just as soon as the sun comes out again!

If, whilst you are putting in all of this hard work, you notice any cracked or wobbly slabs, then your patio might need some professional attention. Remember that Knight’s Paving and Landscaping offer a complete paving restoration service. For more information, call us on 01603 360548.