I have a brick patio and walkway laid on sand. The only drawback that I see is having to weed whack the grass and weeds that grown between the bricks. I prefer the more 'natural' look of it. Embarrassing as it needs it now, but here is a small bit of it showing what I mean. I'm in Maine so it goes through freeze and thaw cycles. Bottom pic is after weed whacking. Brown detritus is fallen from trees.

What a wonderful look with grass! I recently went on a few private garden tours in Atlanta and was surprised to see that modern day gardens are mostly hardscaping - lots of stone or concrete, few plants. Having grass find its way through the brick is ... well, a garden.

For me it comes down to the use of the space. If just a place for a chair to sit. I think brick or stone is lovely. If you plan a dining table and chairs on the patio I much prefer the concrete. I just hate the unevenness that invariably happens with brick or stone.

I had a stone patio originally at my house. When I added a deck on I had concrete poured and we now use the patio more than we ever have. Its just like is so much more. Make sure they get the slope and drainage done well and you should be fine.

Stamped concrete can be colored and textured to look like pavers.

We put in a terrace laid in sand over 30 years ago. Downsides:. Alge that grows on the bricks and must be hand-scrubbed with a brush and Clorox to remove - yes, we HAVE tried other less intense ways but they don't work. Upside:. Tree roots have made it unlevel in many places but we can just lift a few bricks, take an ax and trim the root and replace the bricks. If laid over concrete, the roots would have cracked the pad and the brick and the entire thing would have had to be replaced.

We do have to add sand and sweep it into the cracks every few years - no big deal. Yes, I would do it this way again.

Permeable is much better for the environment and for runoff.

Well...here's my retirement back patio: sand sub base with drip irrigation for plants; pea gravel base with natural limestone for patio and stepping stones, filled with larger gravel, and washed river rock on the perimeter planting areas.

Oh yes, and a Spinone Italiano to keep everyone on their toes...

Some maintenance to pick out weeds here and there; an occasional pressure wash for the bird poop! No mowing! :-)

I totally tried to get a "heart" emoji for both your hardscape and your "Spumoni". ;-) More pics please!

Always like to post pictures of Lucy, AKA Lucia de Parma Carter (grandkids call her Lulu!):

Oh yes, the back patio:

Beautiful backyard and dog

There is absolutely nothing impermeable about what you describe. I know environmental issues are not your focus but just need to mention that for other readers.

My opinion - maintenance sucks. When I feel like doing it - it is great. When I don't - well you get it.

Building again and maintenance will be decreased more. I'm ok with a paver patio because that isn't really that much. I do like the feel more of pavers than stamped concrete.

I look at maintenance as an opportunity to work, move, be outside in a world where we are increasingly immobile.

Congratulations! Enjoy every inch of your 80-foot long garden. Do it before you become 75! :-)

Beautiful yard My3Dogs.

Virgil, just the little glimpse of your house and courtyard has me wanting to see more it!

I haven't read all of your responses - but we have a brick patio laid on sand and we HATE it. The weeds are coming up, and as it rains, the bricks need cleaning, whatever...the sand has started washing away, leaving bricks with nothing in between them. We have been tempted to pull all the bricks up completely because they look so bad. We've been in our house 2 years, and it's a 38yr old house and we are pretty sure the bricks are fairly old. It needs to be resanded and we constantly have to spray the weeds down. Just our opinion!

You need to first lay down "landscape cloth" which is permeable, but keeps weeds from sprouting from the ground beneath the brick material.

Whatever you then lay down above the landscape cloth depends on your aesthetic and maintenance preferences. If you scroll up you will see the rock and Texas limestone pieces which I have used. This is a regional vernacular where I live in the Texas Hill Country, and one which I like very much.

That said, there are still weeds which start up in the rock areas every Spring and Summer, and which need periodic maintenance, since I don't like spraying Round-Up.

Landscape cloth my ass. The weeds grow right in the sand, in the cracks. That's why they are weeds. They don't give a sh*t where they grow. Oh yeah, the moss grows there also.

Geoffrey, you shouldn't hold your thoughts back so much. Learn to just turn loose and express yourself, even if you don't read the other postings. :-)

Thank you so much on all your input! I will update you on the final result. :)

Can you even get a permit for a non-permeable patio? For new builds here in Northern California we need to allow rainwater to soak into the soil.