Whether it’s college basketball or patio construction, the road to the final four is an exciting one!

Choosing the best design elements is a tough game. It’s best to approach it with a strategy in mind and a good knowledge of all the players. We’ve pulled out the Sweet 16 of the following categories to help you narrow down your options through the Elite Eight and down to the Final Four, including one in each of the following categories:

Download our Patio Bracketology PDF to discover which patio options will make it to your Final Four.

Take your patio options through these elimination rounds on the road to the final four to discover which options will come out on top!

The Brackets

Flooring

The flooring you select sets the stage for your outdoor living space. Pavers and tile give a good showing with predictable patterns. Natural flagstone brings home the Texas Hill Country look. A stamped overlay gives a lot of versatility on the floor. It is flexible enough to look like random natural stone, patterned tile or even wood. Based on its performance, it is a favored pick among homeowners. Some flooring options that did not advance to the Sweet 16 are plain concrete (which is the base for almost all of our flooring options) and acid stained concrete. Both options are virtually maintenance free and durable.

Your choices in column options can help your patio blend seamlessly with the architecture of your home or make a powerfully contrasting statement to bring interest to your outdoor living space. A full brick column easily ties into a home, especially if the back of the home is all brick. Many homes in our area have hardie siding on the back, so the combination of masonry and Hardie® does a nice job of reintroducing the stone or brick from the front of the house again in the backyard. Masonry and cedar gives a rustic, Hill Country look. Full stone is a popular option for pool owners, who have a lot of stone around their pools and also for home owners whose facade features a lot of stone work. Stucco and decorative fiberglass column surrounds are column alternatives that didn’t make the round this time, but are fantastic options on stucco or very traditional homes, respectively.

Ceilings

In the design process, the ceiling is often underestimated in its ability to bring the entire project together. A ceiling, done right, can make an outdoor living space project a slam dunk. Let’s take a look at the contenders. A painted Hardie® ceiling is a good option to match an existing patio cover, as many builders choose this option during construction. Tongue and Groove Wood (spruce, pine or cedar) adds richness and warmth. Reclaimed wood brings a rustic, old-world charm. Tin tiles can give a unique, vintage flavor to the ceiling.

Roof Shape

The roof shape brings new definition to the architecture of the entire home. For most homes, a hip roof, one that slopes on all sides, will allow the patio cover to blend seamlessly into the architecture of the home and provide plenty of shade. A shed roof is a great fit on a two-story home with windows above the patio space, because it is a single-sloped roof with vertical sides. The loftiness of an open gable roof provides height and a soaring view. When the existing roofline and windows present tie-in challenges, a combination hip and gable roof is a solid and versatile player.

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