A patio (pron.: /ˈpæti.oʊ/, from Spanish: patio [ˈpatjo]; "courtyard", "forecourt", "yard") is an outdoor space generally used for dining or recreation that adjoins a residence and is typically paved. It may refer to a roofless inner courtyard of the sort found in Spanish-style dwellings or a paved area between a residence and a garden.

Patios are most commonly constructed from paving slabs (also known as paving flags). There are two main types of paving slab; concrete or stone. Concrete slabs are cheaper than their natural stone counterparts.

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This is because the cost of production is far lower. Concrete slabs are produced solely within a manufacturing plant unlike natural stone which is extracted from quarries.[1] As well as paving slabs, patios can also be created using other durable surfaces such as bricks, block paving, tile, concrete, natural paving stones or cobbles.