Create a Pebble Stone Mosaic for Your Outdoor Patio

Plain cement patios are the norm for backyards everywhere. Less expensive than stone or tile, cement is easy to work with and provides a smooth, attractive finish. But what can you do if you want something more stylish that plain cement? Consider creating a pebble stone mosaic in your cement outdoor patio.

Pebble Stone Mosaic Patio - Materials Needed

To create the pebble stone mosaic patio in your own backyard, you first need mixed cement. Read the information on the bags of cement you purchase to figure out how many you need to create the size patio you want. You will also need water, a shovel or trowel to mix the cement, something to mix it in, and spreader tools. For the pebble mosaic, you will need different colored pebbles and a plan.

Pebble Stone Mosaic Patio - Planning the Design

It is easiest to plan your patio mosaic design on a piece of graph paper. The design can be geometric or freeform, but it should not be too complicated. Be sure that you have enough different colors of pebbles to complete your design. Sketch out your mosaic design on the graph paper or in a large grid. Each square should coincide with an area of the cement patio you can easily work on by reaching.

Pebble Stone Mosaic Patio - Cement

The first step in actually creating the patio itself is mixing and pouring the cement. Read the instructions on the bags of cement to learn how to mix it the correct way. If you are going for a smooth-edged cement patio, you will need to construct some sort of box, or mold for the cement to be poured into.

If the patio is large, you can pour the cement in sections and work the mosaic in each spot before adding more cement. You will have to act fast, however, in order to make the cement smooth over the entire patio.

Pebble Stone Mosaic Patio - Mosaic

After you have your slab of cement neat and smooth for your new patio, it is time to create the mosaic. Start in the middle of at one edge and work your way to the other. If you have a complicated design, you might like to stretch strings above the cement to show your grid structure. Then you can work each section of the mosaic more easily.

The pebbles for the mosaic design should be washed and completely dry before you use them. Separate them into bins or piles based on their color and size.

Create the mosaic pattern by pressing each pebble into the cement separately. The pebbles should stick out of the cement just a little bit if they are smooth. If they are jagged in any way, it is a good idea to stick them in further so they are not painful underfoot. The cement should surround each pebble like mortar to hold the entire patio together.

With careful planning and quick placement of pebbles, you can create a designer pebble stone mosaic patio in your own backyard. This design will impress your garden guests and provide interest and value to your home.