How Big Should a Patio Be? Sizes for Tables, Grills & Lounging

Most patios are built too small. A 10 × 10 ft patio sounds roomy until a table, four chairs and a grill are on it. The simple rule is to measure the furniture, then add 3 feet on every side, so chairs can be pulled out and people can walk behind them. This guide gives you sizes for common set-ups, and the concrete or paver quantities for each.

The 3-foot rule

A person sitting at a table needs about 3 ft behind the chair to push it back and stand up, and a path of 3 ft is the minimum to walk past a seated person. So the patio should reach 3 ft past the edge of the furniture on every side where people sit or pass. For a table that is 4 ft across, that is a 10 ft wide patio (4 ft + 3 ft + 3 ft).

Patio size by use

With a 4 inch concrete slab (10% waste) or 6 × 9 in pavers (10% for cuts). See the concrete calculator and the paver calculator to change either.

The 12 × 12 and 10 × 10 sizes have their own pages with more detail: concrete for a 12×12 slab and for a 10×10 slab.

Add the grill, fire pit and walkways

• Grill: allow a 4 × 4 ft zone, and keep it at least 10 ft from the house, siding, eaves and overhangs. The distance is set by the grill's manual and local code.
• Fire pit: a 36 to 44 inch pit needs a 10 to 12 ft diameter circle for seating and safe clearance from anything flammable.
• Walkway: a path to the door is at least 3 ft wide, and 4 ft is more comfortable.
• Steps and landings: doors usually need a landing at least as wide as the door, and 3 ft deep.

Practical tips

• Lay it out first. Mark the patio with stakes and string, or garden hose, and put your actual furniture in it. Walk around it. Make it larger if you hesitate.
• Slope away from the house by about 1/4 inch per foot, so rain does not run toward the foundation.
• Think about the sun and the wind. A patio that faces west can be too hot at dinner time. Shade, a pergola or an umbrella may change where the table should go.
• Base and thickness matter more than the surface. A concrete patio is normally 4 inches on a compacted gravel base, and a paver patio needs a 4 to 6 inch compacted base. See the paver base guide.
• Plan for later. A slightly larger patio costs a little more now, and avoids an expensive extension later.

Concrete or pavers?

• Poured concrete is the cheapest per square foot, smooth and quick. It can crack, and it is hard to repair, but control joints and a good base reduce this.
• Pavers cost more and take longer, but are easy to repair (lift and replace single units), come in many looks, and handle ground movement better.
• Gravel is cheapest of all and suits a casual seating area or fire pit, but is awkward for furniture with small feet and for wheelchairs.