How to Build a Covered Patio

A patio will be your special place to relax, have a barbecue or have an intimate social gathering or birthday party. Building one may seem complicated. However, with a little know-how and time, you too can build your own special place. For the utmost in weather resistance and durability, you will want to build a fiberglass patio cover that will be sturdy and solid in any weather and at the same time will offer you real protection from the wind, rain, snow and sun.

Things You'll Need

• For the patio:
• 4-by-4s, treated
• 2-by-6s, treated
• Joist holders
• Deck screws
• Screw gun
• ½-inch strip of plywood
• Level
• Quick-set concrete mix
• Bucket and water
• Tape measure
• Post hole digger
• Circular saw
• Wood stain
• For the cover:
• Fiberglass roof panels (available at any building or hardware store)
• 2 10-foot treated 4-by-4s
• 3 treated 2-by-6s
• 1 treated 1-by-2
• Box of galvanized roofing nails
• Hammer
• Box of self-threading 3-inch screws
• Protractor
• Jigsaw
• Pencil
• 6 ½-inch carriage bots, with lock washers and nuts
• Adjustable wrench
• Drill with a ½-inch bit

Instructions

Building the Patio

1. Lay out the four corners that span where you want your patio to be. Make sure that the sides are even and straight.

2. Dig a post hole at each corner to approximately 24 inches deep. If the ground is very wet or very dry, you may need to wait to start your patio until the ground is more amenable to digging.

3. Mix the concrete mix in the bucket. Usually, this involves adding water and stirring.

4. Plant 4-by-4s in corner holes. Pour the concrete into a hole and fill halfway. Plant the post in the partially filled hole, then level it off so that it is completely straight. Fill the rest of the hole with concrete and move on to the next hole.

5. Create the patio frame. Attach all corners together on the outside with 2-by-6s, making sure to level each one. It is your choice to go as low as the ground or as high as is comfortable. If you are attaching your patio to a house or home where you have patio doors, the attachment boards should be 1½ inches lower than the doorway.

6. Attach 2-by-6s to the inside of the corner posts. This will provide extra stability for the patio.

7. Trim the corner 4-by-4 posts flush with the connecting 2-by-6s. This completes your patio frame.

8. Mount the joists to the framework. Depending on which way you want your floor boards to lay, the joists that support them must be attached in the opposite direction. Every 24 inches, attach a joist holder to the frame and then attach a joist inside the joist holder.

9. Lay down the patio floorboards. Using your screw gun and deck screws, attach a patio board running the opposite way that the joists run. Take your plywood strip and rest it next to the attached patio board. Slide another board that butts up against the strip, and screw it down. Remove the plywood strip, and you will have a perfect ½-inch gap between the boards. Repeat this procedure with each patio board you put on.

10. Finish off the edges. If there is any overhang, cut the boards flush with your circular saw, and there is your new patio.

11. Stain or seal the patio. If you prefer a weathered, natural look, then you do not have to do this. However, your patio will not endure the elements as well if it is not protected.

Covering the Patio

1. Mount a post on each outside corner of the patio. At the corner of your patio, trace a pattern of a 4-by-4 directly next to the corner post. Using your jigsaw, cut out the square for your 4-by-4. Take your 10-foot 4-by-4 and insert it through the square hole. It should be butted up against the corner post and will be between the first two patio joists.

2. Fix the posts to the patio. Drill two ½-inch holes through the joists and the 4-by-4. Insert the carriage bolts into the holes, thread on the lock washer and nut and tighten down both with the adjustable wrench.

3. Create the outside frame of the patio cover. Calculating a 20-degree angle with your protractor, attach the treated 2-by-6 to the 4-by-4, run it to the building at the angle specified and attach it there using 3-inch screws.

4. Stabilize the frame. Use one 2-by-6 across the side of the building connecting both ends of the 20-degree mounted boards together. Secure that to the building as well as to the adjoining boards. Use the other 2-by-6 and attach it to the 4-by-4 support poles, for added strength and a stable frame for the roof panels.

5. Lay the roofing panels. Lay out the fiberglass roofing panels on the frame, and with roofing nails, secure them to the boards. The 20-degree slope will make sure that snow literally slides off during the winter, and the fiberglass itself will last the lifetime of the building to which it's attached. Now, you are ready to enjoy your patio in any weather.

Tips & Warnings

• You can personalize your patio with flowers or a trellis in addition to the covering.

• Work with a partner while you are mounting the roof panels.