Backyard Concrete Patios in Pittsburgh Without the Frills
When you need a patio that works, not one that shows off, plain broom-finish concrete is the answer. We build a flat, properly sloped slab on a solid base, sized for your furniture and grill, finished to shed water away from the house. No patterns, no premium finishes, just a durable backyard surface at the lowest cost per square foot. Free written estimate, firm schedule.
A backyard patio has one job: give you a flat, stable place to set furniture, grill, and move around. Plain broom-finish concrete does that better than anything else at the price. It skips the decorative cost and delivers pure durability.
The foundation is what matters. We excavate to depth, compact the base, set forms to the right slope away from the house, and pour air-entrained concrete that resists freeze-thaw cycles. Control joints are saw-cut on a grid to manage cracking. That same care goes into every patio, whether it is plain or stamped. The difference is finish, not structure.
If you want colour without the cost of exposed aggregate, we can add integral pigment to the mix. The slab stays plain and functional; it just arrives in warm grey, tan, or charcoal instead of standard grey. For most Pittsburgh homeowners, that is the sweet spot.
Recent work
The pour sequence
How a Plain Patio Gets Built in Pittsburgh
Site walk and layout
We visit the backyard, mark the patio footprint with you, confirm the slope direction away from the house, check truck access, and nail down the finished size that fits your furniture plan.
Excavate and form
The area is dug to depth, a compacted granular base is installed, and wooden or metal forms are set to the finished grade and slope. Accuracy here prevents settling later.
Place and finish the slab
Air-entrained concrete is delivered and placed into the forms, screeded flat, floated to consolidate, then broomed for traction. You choose the broom direction.
Joint and cure
Control joints are saw-cut on a planned grid to control cracking. The slab cures to schedule, and we give you the dates when it is safe to walk on and when furniture can go out.
Plain versus the alternatives
How Plain Patios Stack Up
Plain wins on cost and durability per dollar spent. Stamped concrete adds pattern and colour but costs more and needs more frequent resealing. Exposed aggregate sits in the middle, more decorative than plain, less maintenance than stamped.
If you have an existing patio that is sound but tired, patio resurfacing can refresh it without a full tear-out. Plain concrete also pairs well with sidewalks, steps, and other outdoor living surfaces, creating a cohesive backyard.
Cost, durability, sealing and where plain patios make sense in Pittsburgh.
Yes, on a per-square-foot basis. Plain concrete skips the integral colour, release agents and wash-back steps the decorative finishes need. The mix and labour are standard, so the price is the baseline a quote starts from.
Functional, not boring. A clean, flat, broom-finished patio looks intentional, especially when the slope is right, the joints are crisp and the edges are formed cleanly. It blends in instead of competing with the rest of the yard.
Yes, just like any outdoor concrete in Pittsburgh. Sealing every couple of years keeps water and salt out of the surface, which is what prevents spalling and prolongs the life of the slab.
Yes. Integral colour can be added to a plain broom-finish patio, giving you the lowest-cost finish in a custom tone instead of standard grey. The texture stays plain; only the colour changes.
Most plain patios are placed in a day once prep is done. You can walk on the slab within 24 to 48 hours; furniture goes out after about a week. The full cure schedule is in the handoff.
Homeowner reviews
What Pittsburgh Homeowners Say About Their Plain Patios
Plain broom-finish patio off the kitchen. Affordable, drains right, and we put the table and grill on it without a second thought. Exactly what we needed.
O. K.
Pittsburgh
★★★★★
They asked which broom direction we wanted and got the slope dead right. The patio is the best-functioning surface in the backyard.
F. Y.
Aliquippa
★★★★★
Integrally coloured a warm grey to match the house. Same low-cost plain patio, custom colour, exactly what we wanted without the cost of stamped.
U. L.
Beaver
★★★★★
Honest about why plain made more sense than stamped for our use. Saved money, the patio is dead flat, and the kids skate across it in winter.
G. D.
Mckeesport
From the blog
Concrete Guides & Articles
Practical reading on planning, finishes and caring for concrete in Pittsburgh.
Tell us the backyard size and layout, and we will visit, measure, confirm access for the pour truck, and send a written, itemised quote within one business day.
