Replies

1. 
   Piffin | Aug 11, 2008 04:30pm | #1

   I don't know the code, but the proper pitch is 1/4" to th efoot

    

    

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1. 
   DanH | Aug 11, 2008 04:57pm | #4

   And, based on most of the patios I see, that's TOWARD the house.
   It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way. --Rollo May

2. 
   Dave45 | Aug 11, 2008 04:41pm | #2

   I doubt if either code specifies a maximum pitch and I don't think that I've ever seen a minimum specified for patios. 

   You may need to experiment a little.  If your patio is next to the house, you definitely need enough slope to ensure drainage away from the foundation, but not so much that it feels like your chairs are trying to tip over. - lol

1. 
   carloa007 | Aug 11, 2008 04:53pm | #3

   Didn't think so, but thought I would ask.

   Buddy of mine had a stone patio put in last Friday and the contractor pitched the patio 1/2 - 3/4" per foot.

   He's not happy with the slope and asked what the norm was. I've seen 1/8 - 1/4" but thought 1/2 - 3/4" was a lot.

1. 
   DanH | Aug 11, 2008 04:59pm | #5

   Stone must be pitched more than smooth concrete, to assure drainage will occur. However, 1/2-3/4 sounds like an awful lot.
   It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way. --Rollo May

1. 
   Piffin | Aug 11, 2008 05:22pm | #8

   3/4" would be uncomfortable!
   But 1/2" is negotiable/acceptable.At 1/8" even a sheet of glass will have water puddle because gravity is not enough to overcome surface tension until full floor coverage. Then it breaks and starts running. Crete and stone are more rough and uneven 

    

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2. 
   Dave45 | Aug 11, 2008 05:03pm | #6

   That sounds like way too much slope.  It will certainly drain, but it cheats everyone out of a full glass of beer since the "downhill" side of the glass limits how much it can hold. - lol

   When I built my deck, I pitched the 10' stringers at 1/4" per foot (2.5" total drop) and it drains well but is virtually unoticeable when sitting or walking on it.  And, I can fill my beer glass. - lol

1. 
   Piffin | Aug 11, 2008 05:23pm | #9

   In my mind, there is a different issue yet with raised wood decks.That is ice build up in winter. 

    

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1. 
   DanH | Aug 11, 2008 05:29pm | #10

   An important detail on a wood deck is whether the planking is tight or spaced. If spaced then very little (if any) slope is needed.All the slope in the world isn't going to prevent ice buildup.
   It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way. --Rollo May

2. 
   Piffin | Aug 11, 2008 05:35pm | #11

   I guess I wasn't clear - my concern with ice is that too much slope is more critical on wood decks subject to ice buildup.In other words, if I had a wood deck, I would ideally never accept more than 1/2", but a patio on the ground would not scare me with 3/4" slope 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

3. 
   DanH | Aug 11, 2008 05:38pm | #12

   Yeah, it doesn't take very much slope to make an icy surface doubly dangerous. One reason to to keep it below 1/2 inch in snow country.
   It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way. --Rollo May

4. 
   Dave45 | Aug 11, 2008 06:24pm | #13

   Ice!!??  What ice??

   I'm in San Jose, CA, dude.  The closest ice is ~200 miles away in the Sierra's. - lol

    

5. 
   DanH | Aug 11, 2008 06:26pm | #14

   So what do you put in your drinks?
   It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way. --Rollo May

6. 
   Piffin | Aug 11, 2008 08:08pm | #15

   Oh yeah! There it is stenciled into your forhead!;)You probably don't even need to grade away from the house down that way no more than it rains, eh? 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

7. 
   Dave45 | Aug 11, 2008 10:09pm | #17

   Actually, we do need to pay attention to drainage.  We get ~15" of rain every year and it generally comes between late November and early May.  If it rains during the summer, it's headline news and people talk about it for days.

   One big problem here is people who landscape by bringing in "good" dirt to till into the clay and that brings grade up to (or past) the siding which then becomes a freeway for termites.  People also grade everything flat (or even pitched toward the house) and seldom put in any kind of gutter downspout drain.  Then they get pizzed when they get termites or have rot problems.

   When we bought this house in '79, I spent the first several months grading for good drainage, installing downspout drains, etc, etc.  We had the place inspected in '95 before doing some semi-serious remodeling and the inspector was blown away by the lack of any termite damage or rot.  Almost every house on our street has been tented at least once. - lol

8. 
   JohnSprungX | Aug 11, 2008 08:40pm | #16

   Here in non-freezing but heavy raining southern CA, I've got 1/4" per foot on the concrete where we have the patio furniture, and 1/2" per foot or a little more on the flat rocks that are only used as a walkway. 

   The thing to do is set up examples of the various slopes you're considering using scrap plywood and shims, and try them out with your patio furniture.  From that you can decide what range you're comfortable with. 

    

   -- J.S.

    

3. 
   Piffin | Aug 11, 2008 05:19pm | #7

   Better too much than too little. I was quoting minimum. 1/8" will leave you with puddling. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!