Concrete Patios in New Orleans, LA

What Concrete Patio Work Covers in New Orleans

A concrete patio job starts with a site visit to confirm dimensions, access, and how the slab drains relative to the house foundation. From there, the work covers excavation, subgrade preparation, forming, reinforcement, the pour, finishing, joint cutting, and sealing. Pergola footings can be formed and poured in the same mobilization when the layout is finalized before forming begins.

What concrete patio installation does not include: landscaping restoration around the slab edge, electrical conduit runs, or decorative overlays applied after cure. Those are separate scopes quoted separately.

What Does a Concrete Patio Cost in New Orleans?

Concrete patio installation in New Orleans runs $12 to $18 per square foot in 2026, installed and finished. A 200 sq ft patio costs $2,400 to $3,600. A 400 sq ft patio with a pergola footing package runs $5,500 to $8,200 depending on footing count and depth.

Four variables move the number on any concrete patio quote.

• Subgrade condition. Organic fill or soft saturated clay requires over-excavation and a deeper limestone base, adding $1.50 to $3.00 per square foot.
• Finish type. A standard broom finish is the base price. Exposed aggregate, stamped concrete, or a smooth trowel finish with color adds $3 to $7 per square foot.
• Slab thickness. A 4-inch slab is standard for pedestrian use. A 5-inch or 6-inch slab for heavy planters, a hot tub, or a permanent structure support adds $1.50 to $2.50 per square foot in material and forming labor.
• Access and demolition. Removing an existing slab or working in a yard with no equipment access adds $500 to $1,800 depending on size and conditions.

How Is a Concrete Patio Installed, Step by Step?

A concrete patio is built in eight steps, each of which directly affects how the finished slab performs over time.

1. Site assessment. Grade and drainage patterns are confirmed. The finished slab elevation is set 1.5% to 2% below the door threshold and sloped away from the house at that same grade.
2. Excavation. The area is excavated 8 to 10 inches below finish grade to make room for 4 inches of base and 4 inches of concrete.
3. Subgrade preparation. Loose or organic material is removed. Compacted limestone base is installed in 2-inch lifts and compacted to 95% proctor density before forming begins.
4. Forming. Dimensional lumber forms are set to the finished grade, confirming the drainage slope with a level.
5. Reinforcement. Number 3 rebar on 18-inch centers or 6x6 welded wire mesh is placed on 1.5-inch chairs to keep reinforcement at mid-slab depth. Pergola footings are formed and tied to rebar cages at this stage.
6. Pour. A 3500 PSI concrete mix is poured, rodded, and screeded to the forms. Water is never added to the mix on site.
7. Finish. A broom finish is applied after bleed water dissipates. A standard broom texture runs perpendicular to the direction of foot travel.
8. Joint cutting and sealing. Control joints are cut 1 inch deep every 8 to 10 feet within 12 hours of the pour. A penetrating acrylic sealer is applied after 28 days when the slab reaches full design strength.

What Do New Orleans Ground Conditions Change About Patio Work?

New Orleans sits on soft alluvial clay and organic silt, and the water table in Orleans and Jefferson parishes sits within 2 to 4 feet of the surface in most neighborhoods. That combination creates two problems for concrete patios: consolidation settlement and hydrostatic moisture migration through the slab.

Consolidation settlement happens when clay beneath the base compresses slowly under slab weight. A 4-inch limestone base compacted to 95% proctor density distributes load and slows that process, but the base is only as stable as the material under it. When the site assessment reveals fill soil or organic material below 8 inches, excavation goes deeper and the base goes thicker, sometimes 6 to 8 inches, before forming begins.

Moisture migration is managed with 6-mil polyethylene sheeting placed over the compacted base before the pour. The sheeting keeps ground moisture from wicking into fresh concrete during cure and reduces efflorescence on the finished surface over time.

Drainage slope is not cosmetic on this soil. A concrete patio that drains flat or back toward the house will pond within one season. The 1.5% minimum slope is built into the form setup, not applied after the fact.

How Long Does a Concrete Patio Take, and When Can You Use It?

A standard 200 to 400 sq ft concrete patio takes 2 to 3 days from excavation to finished surface. Day one covers excavation, base compaction, and forming. Day two is the pour, finish, and joint cutting. Day three is cleanup and edge detailing if the layout requires it.

Cure and use times are fixed by the chemistry of the mix and cannot be shortened.

• Foot traffic: 24 to 48 hours after the pour.
• Furniture and planters: 7 days.
• Full design strength of 3500 PSI: 28 days.

Sealer application waits until 28 days. Applying sealer before full cure traps moisture and reduces long-term surface hardness.

How Do You Tell Good Concrete Patio Work From Bad?

A properly installed concrete patio has 5 checkable qualities that any homeowner can inspect before the crew leaves the site.

• Joint spacing and depth. Control joints appear every 8 to 10 feet. Each joint is cut at least 1 inch deep, one quarter of the slab thickness. Joints that are shallow or spaced more than 12 feet apart will not control cracking.
• Edge thickness. Look at the slab edge where it meets the grade. A 4-inch slab is 4 inches thick at the edge, not tapered to 2 inches. Feathered edges crack within one winter season.
• Drainage fall. Set a ball or pour a cup of water on the finished slab. Water should move away from the house. Any pooling near the foundation is a drainage failure built into the slab.
• Surface texture. A broom finish has consistent parallel lines with no trowel burns or smooth patches. Smooth patches indicate the surface was worked after bleed water had risen, weakening the top layer.
• Subgrade compaction evidence. Ask to see photos of the base before the pour. A contractor who documents compaction with a photo is one who actually compacted it.

New Orleans Concrete Contractors provides free on-site estimates for concrete patio installation across Orleans, Jefferson, St. Tammany, and St. Bernard parishes. Contact the office to schedule a visit and get a written scope and price range for your specific lot and layout.