Your deck, patio, or porch is a great place to spend time outside when the weather is nice. If you enjoy your porch or patio, warm up your outdoor living space to enjoy it year-round. Here are some tips to make the patio or backyard deck more comfortable in cooler weather.
Use an Outdoor Heater
The most obvious way to warm up your outdoor spaces is with a heater. Consider purchasing an electric or propane-powered standing heater. These appliances only heat a small area around the device but can provide enough warmth for a small patio or enclosed porch.
Fabrics Help Warm Up Your Outdoor Living Space
An easy way to improve the deck or patio is to add decorative pillows, cushions, and throw blankets. Fabrics provide insulation and warmth. In the winter, use warmer fabrics like thick canvas, polyester fleece, and velvet to make your outdoor living spaces cozy and inviting.
Install Curtains
Outdoor curtains add color, personality, and warmth to an area. Use curtains to help block cool breezes and to trap the warmth provided by a space heater. Gauze curtains look cool and breezy in the summer, but when cooler weather arrives, change them out for heavier canvas, linen, or thermal drapes.
Define a Boundary to Warm Up Your Outdoor Living Space
To block winter winds, build a privacy wall around the side of your deck that gets the most direct wind. A wall helps contain the heat and to block cold winds from your outdoor living spaces. Another option is to create a fabric windscreen. A windscreen also offers privacy and helps keep the area warmer.
Build a Fire Pit
Enjoy the warmth of a fire when you install a fire pit on your deck or patio. A fire pit is easy to build from materials you can find at your local hardware store. Make sure you have plenty of room to use the fire pit safely. Place it at least 15 feet from buildings, patio furniture, canopies, and other structures. Don’t install your fire pit on an enclosed porch or under a covered patio or awning.
Outdoor Rugs Help Warm Your Living Space
Another idea to boost warmth and add a bit of insulation is adding outdoor rugs. These are designed to withstand weather and UV rays. On a deck, a rug will help block cooler air from circulating up from beneath the decking boards. Rugs also provide warmth on concrete patios and porches.
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