Concrete Work
Concrete Patios
A properly poured concrete patio lasts decades — no heaving pavers, no rotting boards, no annual refinishing.
Concrete Patios in London & Southwestern Ontario
Poured concrete is the workhorse of outdoor living spaces in Southwestern Ontario. Unlike interlocking brick that shifts in London's clay soil or wood decking that needs recoating every few years, a well-formed concrete patio stays level, drains predictably, and handles the punishment of road-salt runoff without crumbling. Master Decker has been forming and pouring residential patios since 2014 across London, St. Thomas, Strathroy, and Woodstock — and we do it right the first time.
- Excavation and compacted granular A sub-base
- Rebar or 6×6 wire mesh reinforcement
- 2.5–3.5 inch 32 MPa air-entrained concrete pour
- Control joint tooling or cutting
- Choice of broom, brushed, exposed-aggregate, or colour-through finish
- WSIB coverage and workmanship guarantee
Zero Annual Maintenance
Unlike wood or composite decking, a sealed concrete patio needs nothing more than an occasional pressure wash and a fresh coat of sealer every two years.
Handles Ontario Winters
Air-entrained 32 MPa concrete resists freeze-thaw spalling and road-salt damage that destroys cheaper mixes within a few seasons.
Fully Custom Size and Finish
Any shape, any square footage, any finish from plain broom to tinted exposed-aggregate — formed to fit your yard and budget.
The Detail
How we approach your concrete patios
Tap any section to read more about our process and materials.
Why concrete patios matters in Ontario's climate
Every patio we pour is reinforced with rebar or wire mesh on a compacted granular base. We grade the slab away from the house foundation, install proper control joints to manage cracking, and finish the surface to whatever texture the homeowner wants. A standard broom finish gives traction without fuss. A brushed or exposed-aggregate finish adds visual interest. Colour-through concrete or a surface-applied tint turns a functional slab into a genuine backyard feature.
How We Form and Pour Your Patio
We start by excavating to frost depth on the perimeter, then grade the sub-base with compacted granular A. Forms are set to the agreed dimensions and pitched slightly for drainage — typically a quarter-inch per foot away from the foundation. Rebar or 6×6 wire mesh goes in next, supported off the sub-base so the steel ends up embedded in the middle third of the slab rather than sitting on the bottom where it does nothing.
On pour day we use a pump or chute to place the concrete without over-working it, screed to thickness, and finish by hand or with a power trowel depending on the desired surface. Control joints are cut or tooled within 24 hours to dictate where the slab relieves stress — keeping any future hairline cracks invisible at the joint rather than wandering across the middle of your patio.
Thickness, Mix, and Ontario Freeze-Thaw
Patios in our region take a beating. London averages over 30 freeze-thaw cycles per winter, and the clay soils that dominate Middlesex and Oxford counties hold moisture right against the slab edge. We pour patios 2.5 to 3.5 inches thick using a 32 MPa air-entrained mix — the air entrainment creates microscopic bubbles that give water somewhere to expand when it freezes, dramatically reducing surface scaling and spalling over the slab's lifetime.
Thinner, non-air-entrained slabs look fine for the first winter or two and then begin to flake at the surface because Ontario concrete contractors cut corners on mix design. We don't. The concrete we order meets Ontario Provincial Standards for exterior flatwork, and we specify the right slump so crews aren't adding water on site to make placement easier at the expense of long-term strength.
Finishes, Colour, and Sealing
A standard broom finish is our most popular choice — the light texture provides traction when wet and the cost stays down. For homeowners who want more character, a brushed finish or an exposed-aggregate look achieved by seeding pea gravel and washing back the surface cream creates a tactile, stone-like appearance. Integral colour pigments are mixed through the entire batch so the colour doesn't depend on a surface layer that can wear off.
We recommend sealing all patios within 28 days of the pour with a penetrating silane-siloxane sealer, then re-sealing every two years in Ontario's climate. Sealing slows water and chloride ingress, protects against staining from barbecue grease or tannins from nearby trees, and maintains the surface finish. We offer sealing as an add-on at the time of installation — one less contractor to coordinate.
Common Questions
Concrete Patios FAQs
How soon can we use the patio after the pour?
We ask homeowners to stay off the slab for 48 hours after the pour and avoid placing heavy furniture or planters for at least 7 days. The concrete reaches its design strength at 28 days, but it's safe for normal foot traffic well before that.
Do you handle permits for patios in London, Ontario?
Most residential ground-level concrete patios do not require a building permit in London, Hamilton, or Kitchener-Waterloo. We'll flag any exceptions when we do your site visit, and we're familiar with the setback and lot coverage rules in each municipality we serve.
What causes concrete patios to crack, and how do you prevent it?
Cracking comes from shrinkage, settlement, or freeze-thaw movement. We control shrinkage by tooling proper control joints, prevent settlement with a well-compacted granular base, and combat freeze-thaw damage with an air-entrained mix. Most cracks you see on older patios are the result of skipping one of those three steps.
Can you pour a concrete patio against an existing foundation wall?
Yes, and we do it regularly. We install a 1/2-inch isolation joint — a compressible foam strip — between the patio slab and the foundation so the two can move independently. Without it, a heaving patio can exert lateral pressure against the foundation or crack at that joint and allow water infiltration.
In Our Network
Looking for a dedicated single-trade specialist? These partner sites in our network may be the right fit.
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