A patio (Spanish for 'courtyard, forecourt, yard, little garden') is an outdoor space generally used for dining or recreation that adjoins a structure and is typically paved. In Australia, the term is expanded to include roofed structures such as a veranda, which protects from the sun and rain. Patios are most commonly paved with concrete or stone slabs (also known as paving flags). They can also be created using bricks, block paving, tiles, cobbles, or gravel. Other kinds of patio materials these days include alumawood, aluminum, acrylic, and glass. Other options include concrete, stamped concrete, and aggregate concrete.

Source: Wikipedia