How to Build a Patio Wall

Although most people think of patios as being flat, open areas in the yard, you can design and build walls that will help to create effects or enclose your patio partially or fully. Here are some ideas on how to build a patio wall.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Try edging your patio with low walls that can double as edging and seating. You’ll probably want to keep the low walls at a comfortable seating height like 18”. Make a patio wall blend or contrast with the same materials you are using in your patio floor.

2. A variation of the same idea is to build a partial low wall that edges the patio. You can turn it into a planter. This way you can create a slightly enclosed feeling that can be decorative with flowers or productive with herbs or vegetables. Your wall can be straight or curved and can encircle the patio with openings to use for passage, cover just partial edging areas or be built in just one specific area like around a barbecue.

3. Build living walls around your patio by growing hedges or flower gardens around the outside edging of the patio hardscape (floor).

4. Or create an artistic illusion of walls by draping wall hangings, shades, or even suspending real windows from the outer edges of a solidly built patio cover.

5. Creating the feeling of a wall, whether high or low, wide or narrow, short or long, can add a whole new dimension to your patio. You can build a patio wall to be temporary or permanent, living or hardscaped (non-living materials), for effect or practicality. Or you can build a patio wall to be a combination of any of the above. Make your patio special by adding walls!

Resources

• Landscape design and gardening ideas
• Walls and floors in the landscape
• eHow Home and Garden Topic Guide

[LilacGirl]

on 8/11/2009 Excellent article, as always. Your gardening articles are always so inspiring and creative.

[sullysee]

on 8/9/2009 I love all of these ideas to build a temporary or permanent patio wall. 5*