Dream terrace

In summer the terrace becomes the room you spend most time in. You don't need a big footprint. You need a floor that won't sink, shade between noon and four, and a light for the long evenings. It's a long-weekend job, as long as you don't rush the base layer.

What you'll need

Timber decking tiles or outdoor porcelain slabs
Sand and gravel for the base layer
Level and straightedge (Profi MAAN, in several lengths)
Linseed oil or exterior wood stain
Outdoor furniture
Outdoor string lights or solar lamps

Step by step

1
Set out the string lines
Mark the area with string and pegs. Leave a slight fall away from the house, around 1–2%, so rainwater drains by itself. Skip that and you'll get puddles against the wall every downpour.
2
Dig and compact
Dig 10–15 cm and tamp the soil down properly, then gravel and a layer of sand on top. Level with the straightedge. This is where you decide whether the terrace stays flat, so don't skip the compacting.
3
Lay the tiles
Work from the house outwards. Leave 3–5 mm joints, because timber moves in summer. Use the level often, not just at the end.
4
Protect the timber
Two coats of linseed oil or stain, each fully dry before the next. Repeat once a year in spring. Miss two years running and it shows.
5
Shade, light, furniture
A parasol or shade sail for the midday hours. Lights around the edge, and the furniture gathered round a low table. That's how people actually sit, not in rows against the wall.