I hope you all are enjoying this fabulous summer.
And with the summer in full swing, we have been enjoying our backyard patio more than ever!
We began with our backyard patio makeover in august of last year, and by the time we were done, the
colder weather was just setting in, so there wasn’t enough time to enjoy it fully.
Before
Back then, it was a really empty canvas. We really could not do much, as we are in a long term rental right now, so investing any money into a permanent fix, was not possible.
It is a very large yard, with a lot of graveled areas. And no real room to place an outdoor eating area. And even though there was a built in fire pit, we really never knew what to do with that space.
Ikea Deck Tiles
So when my husband and I were searching for ideas, I came across these decking tiles that snap together. They are meant to lay on top of a solid floor surface. The problem was, I couldn’t figure out how to lay these properly on a graveled ground, without them shifting, or lying flat and even. So my mind started to go toward an under-flooring. What can we put under the tiles, and would we have to remove all of the gravel to do so? Removing the gravel would definitely NOT be an option, because where would we put all of it temporarily while we lived here? We then took an outing to our local Home Depot, and spoke to a few people there, on what to place underneath the deck tiles, that would be stable, and weatherproof.
After searching around, the helpful employee there suggested a Cement Board, that was mold and weather resistant. They come in 4 x 8 boards, and after we measured our space, we knew that three would do it. So we took them home (they were quite heavy) and tried to lay them on top of the gravel. No good. We did not know what we were doing:P So my husband knew of this handyman, in the area, and when he stopped by, he started smoothing out the rocks and gravel, and making it even. He started snapping the tiles together and voila! A brand new deck! and one that I can take with me at that!
Doesn’t it look awesome?! And so sturdy too!
Friends who help are awesome!
But now what to do with this empty space that wont end up costing a fortune? So after looking for outdoor dining sets at big box stores, we were disappointed, because they were still so expensive.
We decided to look on Craigslist for used outdoor furniture. It took about two weeks but we found this great set for about two hundred dollars! I then bought an outdoor gazebo at target during their end of summer clearance sale! Dining is done!
Now we were on to the fire pit area. I knew I wanted a set that surrounds it somewhat, and I initially thought of Adirondack Chairs. But again, my husband started searching Craigslist for more outdoor finds. And what he found, was just amazing!
It was like it was meant for our backyard. It matched the dining set perfectly and it was a steal at two hundred for the WHOLE set including custom made slipcovers that are not shown!
We were truly blessed! I found the cooler at a thrift shop for $80
And now our backyard looks like an oasis!
Here is a breakdown of the costs:
Cement Board $100
Decking tiles from Ikea $400
Dining set $200
Outdoor Gazebo $250
Outdoor Seating set $200
Ice Chest Cooler $80
Labor Cost $100
So for a total of $1,330 our backyard was complete. These sets would have cost thousands had we bought retail. So always keep an eye out for quality used items at thrift stores and online, because you never know what kind of treasures you will find:)
I would love to know what your most awesome used furniture find? Let me
know by leaving a comment!
*Disclaimer – please note that this post may contains affiliate links, meaning that if you were to make a purchase through one of these links, I would receive a small commission. Please see my disclosure