Concrete Patios and Outdoor Slabs in Novato, CA
Flat, durable patio slabs sized for how you use your yard.
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A good concrete patio or outdoor slab gives you a level surface to sit, cook, work, or store things.
The slab has to sit at the right height, slope away from the house, and tie into the rest of the yard.
At Nexus Concrete Novato, we pour concrete patios and outdoor slabs for homeowners in and around Novato.
We handle layout, base prep, forms, concrete pour, finish, and clean up.
What are concrete patios and outdoor slabs?
A concrete patio is a flat slab that gives you a solid outdoor living space. It might sit right outside a back door, under a patio cover, or near the pool. Most people use it for a table and chairs, a grill, and a place to sit without dealing with dirt or mud.
An outdoor slab is any other concrete pad around the home that isn’t the driveway. That can be a pad for a shed, a hot tub, a small shop, an AC unit, trash cans, or storage along the side yard.
Even though they get used differently, patios and outdoor slabs are built the same way. You need a compacted base, forms set to the right height and slope, concrete at the right thickness, and a finish that matches how the area will be used. The difference is the purpose. A patio is for people and furniture. Other slabs are for equipment, storage, and heavier items.
We build both with the same care for base prep, drainage, and long term use.
How we build a patio or slab in Novato
A concrete patio or slab project starts with the yard and the house, not with the truck. We look at the layout, the grade, and how you want to use the space so the slab ends up in the right place and at the right height.
We walk the site with you and mark out the rough shape. We check door heights, siding, and nearby steps so the finished concrete doesn’t trap water against the house or create an awkward step up or down. Once that looks right, we tighten up the layout with string lines or spray paint and set a target height and slope.
Next, we remove whatever is in the way. That can be old concrete, pavers, grass, or soft soil. We add base rock where needed and compact it so the slab sits on firm support. Then we set forms at the planned height and slope. If the slab will carry more weight, or the soil needs it, we add rebar or mesh and size the thickness to match the job.
When the prep is ready, we pour the concrete. We strike it off, float it, and apply the finish you chose. We also place control joints at steady spacing so cracks follow clean lines. Edges get tooled and finished so they hold up better and don’t chip as easily.
After the pour, we let the slab cure. Then we pull the forms, backfill the edges, and clean up the work area. We also tell you when it’s okay to walk on it and when it’s safe to move furniture, grills, or heavier items onto the new concrete.
Common patio and outdoor slab projects
Homes in Novato use patios and slabs in all kinds of ways. Here are a few setups we see a lot.
Backyard dining patios usually sit right outside a sliding door or back door. Many of them tie into a step, a small stoop, or an existing walkway. For these, we aim for a finish that feels good under bare feet and a slope that carries water away from the house.
Side yard pads are common too. They run along the house and hold trash cans, storage racks, AC units, or yard tools. These slabs are often long and narrow, so the layout matters. They need enough slope to drain, but not so much that it feels tight or awkward to walk between the house and fence.
Shed slabs and hot tub pads usually sit in back corners or near the main patio. They carry a lot of weight in a small area, so we pay closer attention to thickness, steel, and base compaction. The goal is a slab that stays flat under the structure.
Many yards end up with a mix. A main patio near the house, a small landing at a side door, and a utility pad farther out. When that’s the case, we line everything up so the paths between slabs make sense and water doesn’t end up pooling in the gaps.
Surface finishes and decorative concrete options
Broom finish (most common)
A broom finish gives grip in wet weather and works well for both patios and utility slabs. It’s a good fit when you want a clean look and solid traction.
Accordion Item: Exposed aggregate (more texture)
Exposed aggregate has a rougher feel and a different look. It still handles water and foot traffic well, and it can help break up glare in sunny areas.
Accordion Item: Simple decorative concrete (borders and saw cuts)
If you want more design on a main patio, we can add a border with a different finish or use saw cuts set in a pattern. It adds detail without turning the whole slab into a heavy pattern.
Accordion Item: Stamped concrete (select areas)
We install stamped concrete in select patio areas when the pattern fits the house and yard. Many homeowners use it as an accent area rather than stamping the entire slab.
Accordion Item: Picking the right finish
Each finish type has a place. During the estimate, we talk through how you plan to use the space and match the finish to that use.
Heights, drainage, and tie-in to the house and yard
Patio height and slope affect both comfort and the health of the house.
Set a slab too high and water can push back toward the door or siding.
Set it too low and you end up with odd steps or trip spots.
On each job we check:
The height of door thresholds and siding
How the yard falls away from the house
Where water can move without pooling
We set a gentle slope away from the house and toward lawn, rock, drains, or swales.
If the patio ties into an existing walk, driveway, pool deck, or retaining wall, we match height and plan joints to keep movement under control.
The goal is a patio or slab that feels natural to walk across, drains water, and does not push moisture against the structure.
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Plan a patio or slab project in Novato
If you want a new concrete patio, a side yard pad, or a slab for a shed or hot tub, we can walk the yard and mark out a plan with you.
We talk through layout, height, slope, finish, and how you plan to use the space, then we write a clear estimate.
You deal with the contractor who plans and oversees the concrete work on site.
Call Nexus Concrete Novato at (415) 798-9715 to set a yard walk and get a concrete patio or outdoor slab estimate for your home in Novato.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
"How big should a concrete patio be for normal use?"
For a small table and a few chairs, many yards work well with a patio that is about 10 by 12 feet.
If you want a grill, larger table, or seating on more than one side, the slab often grows to 12 by 16 feet or more.
During the visit we mark out a rough size on the ground so you can see how much room you will have to move around furniture.
"Do all patios and outdoor slabs need rebar?"
Not always.
Some small slabs on good soil do fine with a standard thickness and no steel.
Larger patios, hot tub pads, and shed slabs often benefit from rebar or mesh.
We look at slab size, soil, and load, then explain in the estimate where steel makes sense and where it does not.
"How soon can I walk on and use a new concrete patio?"
You can usually walk on the surface after the first cure period, as we explain on site.
We like you to wait longer before setting heavy grills, furniture, sheds, or a hot tub on the slab.
We leave you with clear time frames for light foot traffic and for full use so the concrete has time to gain strength.
Our Service Area
Novato, CA is our main service area.
Most of our concrete work sits inside the city and nearby neighborhoods.
Central Novato and downtown streets
San Marin
Ignacio and South Novato
Hamilton area
Bel Marin Keys and nearby pockets
LOCATION
Novato, CA
HOURS
Mon-Sat: 8am - 6pm
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