Lori Plumley

PROJECT: Faux slate patio

TIME: Two to three days because of paint-drying time (eight hours total)

COST: $60 for three gallons of paint

HOW SHE DID IT: "Years ago, we had a 20-by-20-foot cement patio put in to accommodate an aboveground pool and later used for a basketball court. Then our children grew up and we were left with a big empty slab of concrete in the backyard. No amount of outdoor furniture or number of plants could seem to dress it up.

"The solution? Decorate the patio itself. This was an easy, inexpensive and fun way to accomplish our goal.

"First, the patio needs to be clean of dirt and grease (see prep instructions on paint can). I applied two coats of slate-colored satin latex porch, floor and deck paint using an extension pole with roller and brush along the edges. If your surface seems slick, you can stir in a package of non-skid additive to the paint for the final coat. After the last coat has dried to manufacturer's recommendations, use chalk (sidewalk chalk worked well) to draw "slates" in various shapes, sizes and directions. Start in a corner and work out. Make your design look random, not contrived. Next, paint in between the slates with cement-colored exterior satin latex paint. One coat makes the "cement" look more natural. I broke this up into several afternoons of about two hours.

This was truly the most fun and rewarding home-improvement project I have attempted.

TELL US HOW YOU DID IT: Share your home improvement or garden project in 250 words or fewer with Julie Young, Home & Garden, I Did It Myself, P.O. Box 85333, Richmond, VA 23293, or e-mail jyoung@timesdispatch.com. Include your name, address, phone number and, if possible, high-resolution photos. The project must be one you actually did yourself.

ONLINE ARCHIVE: Read about others' projects on inRich.com. Keyword: Home.