I am calling around for quotes to get a concrete patio. On company that is coming next week asked if I would be interested in a pea gravel patio and claims they look really nice. Do you know anyone with a pea gravel patio? If so does it hold up well? Does it hurt your feet? Does it look better than concrete? 

We have pea gravel decking around our pool. It's okay, but nothing spectacular. I suppose it looks nicer than plain concrete If it were me, I'd do a stained and/or stamped concrete patio 

Make sure you get a quote from Butch Neeham. He did our deck, and was several thousand cheaper than the other 5 people who we got quotes from. We have the plain patio, I have plans on staining it myself. We did not get them to stamp it, because that added some serious money to the quote. 

Thanks for the contact. I will give him a call too. 

We used to have in Fl what they called a chattahochee around our pool.I believe that is similar to pea rock. I hated it, was not nice to walk on and mildewed. Then we had to power wash it. 

Thanks for mentioning power washing Sue. I would imagine that would make the rocks come up eventually too. I think I am over the pea gravel idea now, lol. 

Fallon - do you have contact info for Butch and do know if he would do pool decking? Thanks! 

My mom's house has a pea gravel patio,front porch and sidewalk. It is okay on the feet but it dull looking after 35 years. The new ones get awful rust stains due to the iron in the gravel they use today. I would get a plain patio and have it covered with flagstone later. Or have a paverstone patio laid down. My bro and wife put down 800 sq feet at their house. It is beautiful and easy to maintain. It took them several months of weekend work in the winter when it was cool. Even though they could afford to pay to have it done, they enjoyed doing it themselves. I am thinking about doing it on top of my concrete patio someday when it gets cool. 

We have a textured concrete and we HAVE to pressure wash every spring. Gunk gets in all of the nooks and crannies. Our neighbor just put in a paverstone patio and it looks beautiful! I wish we could do one too. 

I posted this on a separate thread but haven't gotten any responses so I will see if I do on this one... One of the companies that gave me a quote mentioned that they tap into your house's foundation with rebar to affix the patio to the house. He said this is so if there is shifting the patio stays up close to the house. Tapping into the houses foundation seems unsafe to me, but the guy has been in business for 30+ years and claims he has always done it with no problems. What are your opinions on this?