Q: We have a cement patio that is severely cracked, but my husband doesn't want to jackhammer it out because it butts up to the foundation. Is there any way to put a wood or other type of decking ...

Q: I would like to make a wood patio ... put one of those big, light-weight car tarps over it. This may be inconvenient, but it beats the alternative. Q: I had a flagstone walk installed in concrete.

Now, the same cry means time to party, or at least come to dinner, on that organized collection of wood known as the outdoor deck ... alternative to concrete pad and brick patios on new houses.

Patios consist of more affordable materials like stamped concrete or stone as opposed to wood or bricks which are common for decks. Patios also require less labor and maintenance, which can help ...