Temporary solution for terrace / courtyard

Hello everyone,

do you have any tips/tricks for inexpensive interim solutions (until next year in spring) for our gravel-covered terrace / courtyard?

What have you placed on the gravel or soil during your transition periods before the outdoor area is finished to still be able to enjoy the sunshine on the terrace and carry as few stones into the house as possible?

Of course, everything should cost as little as possible since the outdoor area work is supposed to start in spring 2023.

I am grateful for any advice

Courtyard simply compacted with 0-32 grain size Terrace I would either do the same with 0-32 grain size and compact or use paving gravel and an outdoor carpet on top. The gravel sticks to the shoes and you otherwise carry a lot of it into the house.

If the ground is still too low, you can also put OSB boards on EUR pallets and then place the carpet on top. Some people live like this for years.

It should of course all cost as little as possible, since the work on the outdoor area is supposed to start in spring 2023.

Free concrete slabs from eBay Classifieds for self-pickup. If necessary, they can later also serve as the base for a wooden terrace.

Concrete slabs given away on eBay Classifieds for self-pickup. If necessary, they can later serve as the base for a wooden terrace.

I had also been considering concrete slabs - but currently none can be found in my area...

We still have about 70cm height difference from the terrace door to the terrace, so we will probably bridge this area with pallets (possibly with an OSB board on top) and then cover the area where the table is supposed to stand with outdoor rugs - I think this is the most affordable option.

The gravel is actually already very well compacted and the small stones at the back of the terrace are limited. With rugs, it will certainly be sufficient.

The front yard is a bit tricky... The effort required there will certainly be somewhat higher. We currently have a few wooden planks lying around.

We still have about 70cm height difference from the terrace door to the terrace,

70cm height difference is amazing. You’ll have to build stairs for that.

I had also considered concrete slabs – but at the moment they can’t be found anywhere around here...

Really not? The internet is full across all of Germany with people who want to give away their slabs for free.