Make the Most of Outdoor Living!
Summertime is here and it's time to move to outdoor living. The neighborhood smells like barbecue, children laughing and playing, the sun shining, what more could you ask for! There is so much you can do to your yard anymore it's like having your own little paradise without leaving home. With the price of gas this summer, that's a good thing. You can add decking, ponds, fountains, comfortable furniture, fun garden decor and outdoor firepits (just like at summer camp). Add some friends and family for a cookout or potluck and get your summer started off on the right foot. Share your
outdoor living
tips and ideas. I'll post them on the website for all to share. Have a wonderful summer and enjoy the outdoor living lifestyle!!!!!!
How to Prepare Your Outdoor
Living Space for Summer
(ARA) - Memorial Day and Labor Day are traditionally viewed as the unofficial beginning and end of summer. Between holidays, life shifts outdoors as many homeowners make the most of the season. To enjoy as much time outside as possible, homeowners are increasingly taking advantage of their decks and patios to create true outdoor living spaces.
Now more than ever, homeowners view their outdoor living areas as extensions of the home rather than as separate, rarely-used spaces. As the outdoor living trend continues to grow, homeowners are expanding the look and feel of their home’s interior, including the design, furnishings and entertainment features, outside.
The evolving outdoor living trend also enables homeowners to enhance one of the most valuable investments they have -- their homes. By creating yard space, and adding or upgrading deck and patio spaces, many are seeing a return on their remodeling and renovation investments.
No matter how you choose to embrace the outdoor living lifestyle, there are a few things you can do to prepare for and make the most of your summer. For those who already have an outdoor living space, like a deck, it’s time to prepare for the season.
Beyond cleaning, organizing and sprucing up, you should also evaluate your deck or patio’s overall condition and determine whether or not you need a replacement -- or even an upgrade. A few things to consider are: the condition of the current material, the size of your space and if it meets your needs, the amount of maintenance your current deck or patio requires and whether or not you have the time it takes. If you decide that you need a new deck or an upgrade, start planning now.
If you’re already planning to build a new deck, first decide what material you prefer -- composite decking, wood or other materials. Many homeowners are opting for composite decks because high-quality composites offer the look of real wood, but don’t require a lot of maintenance. Because it doesn’t require sanding, painting or staining, composite decking enables homeowners to spend more time actually enjoying their decks instead of caring for them. In fact, according to a recent consumer survey conducted by national research firm Synovate for TAMKO Building Products, four out of five homeowners prefer decking materials that: don’t need to be painted, stained or sanded; don’t cause splinters; have a warranty of 25 years or more and are slip-resistant. Composite decking materials, like EverGrain and Elements from TAMKO, have all of these features as well as a true-to-life grain. For additional information about composite decking materials, a deck building checklist and more decking ideas, visit www.evergrain.com.
If you’re starting from scratch to prepare your outdoor living space, begin by determining desired uses for the space. For example, do you want it to be functional for entertaining often or more for relaxation? Once you determine desired uses, you can begin to create a space that suits your lifestyle. For ideas, check out magazines, home and garden TV shows, home décor catalogues and friends’ projects. Keep an ideas folder of designs, fabrics and looks that you like and then take your time finding just the right combination for your outdoor living space.
So you can enjoy your outdoor living space as much as possible this summer, make sure your chosen materials and features suit your lifestyle and tastes. And as with many things, a little up-front planning and care will ensure that your outdoor living space will be an increasingly important and enjoyable part of your home for many years.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Tips for a Safe Summer Season on Your Deck
(ARA) - Gas prices are on the rise again, the number of people traveling is down and families are choosing to spend more time at home enjoying their decks. And with so many accessories available that make the yard an oasis -- from solar fountains and fire pit tables to stainless gas grills -- the deck extends the living space and creates an at-home vacation spot.
Whether for entertainment, family time or just quiet enjoyment, a well-built deck offers a safe haven for outdoor living. A deck offers increased square footage and better pay back than a kitchen or bath remodel. As with any sound investment, it’s important to do proper maintenance to preserve the integrity of the deck.
The number of deck failures and resulting injuries has been increasing at an alarming rate. Between August 2004 and December 2005, the U.S. news media reported 225 injuries and one fatality from deck collapses caused by ledger connection failures. Many more deck failures -- with and without injuries -- went unreported in the media.
In an effort to save lives and prevent injuries, the North American Deck and Railing Association, Inc. (NADRA) declared May as the first Deck Safety Month in 2006. Now in its second year, the purpose of the promotion is to increase public awareness of the necessity for regular inspection and maintenance of existing decks, and proper installation of new decks.
Reasons for a deck collapsing range from age of the deck, poor maintenance, exceeding load capacity to improper building methods. Deck failures can be avoided. It’s a matter of making the consumer aware of the necessity of choosing a professional deck contractor, regular maintenance and inspection, and knowing the limits of the deck structure.
Mike Beaudry, executive vice president for NADRA states, “A simple, annual deck inspection doesn’t take long or require special tools, but it’s a great investment. It can help prevent unnecessary accidents, and keep a deck a safe place. Each May, we will encourage homeowners to get an annual deck inspection, with the goal of reducing the number of deck injuries suffered each year.”
“May is a great time to make a deck-check,” Beaudry continues, “especially in locations where there’s a lot of snow and ice, as a deck could develop a trouble spot over the winter. A professional inspection will examine every inch of a deck, evaluate the deck’s capacity limits, identify problem areas and provide a map of what to keep your eye on in the future.”
Researchers at Virginia Tech University in cooperation with the International Code Council have produced a “Manual for the Inspection of Residential Wood Decks and Balconies.” The manual is intended for use by homeowners, home inspectors, contractors, engineers and builders interested in the inspection of residential wood decks. Frank Woeste, a deck-safety expert of Virginia Tech, who helped develop the inspection manual, notes, “I’m aware of deck collapses with no one on them, further demonstrating the need for homeowners to get involved and interested in their deck’s structural integrity.” For more information or to purchase the inspection manual, go to www.nadra.org.
Complete a deck check every May for Deck Safety Month, and you’ll have the peace of mind that comes from knowing your family and friends can safely enjoy your deck all summer long. NADRA’s 10-Point Deck Inspection Checklist is available at www.nadra.org
For extra safety, check out any deck accessories you use. As with any source of fire or heat, such as grills, fire pits, heaters of any kind and candles, make sure they are safely placed away from flammable surfaces, use caution and follow manufacturers’ directions. Make sure steps and pathways are well lit and all lighting, electrical outlets and appliances are up to code, in good condition and childproof if necessary.
Test all deck furniture for sturdiness. Childproof storage boxes and benches. Store all dangerous products safely away from children, including barbecue lighter fluids and matches. If you have trees surrounding your deck, look for decaying or broken limbs that could fall on the deck.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Fire Pits and Your Outdoor Decor
A great place to organize a get together is the backyard. If the mood is for a sunny outdoor party during the summer or a cozy one during the fall or the spring, the backyard is the first place that comes to mind, providing enough space to organize such event. If you have a nice and spacious backyard and want to bring a touch of holiday home, you can easily throw a simple party at home.
Outdoor fire pits are fun and provide a great spot for relaxed conversations between friends. Fire pits can be kept in the backyard, garden or even on the patio. It is convenient to leave fire pits when not in use and usually simple to move since most fire pits have wheels or don't weigh much. It can be setup in minutes when required and if handled with care, can be great fun to quickly add a special touch to a party.
Outdoor fire pits come in many shapes and sizes and are a nice addition to any outdoor living. Most fire pits made of copper. The simpler and the most popular fire pits are shaped like a big wok, and sit on a metal stand. They normally come with a bubble shaped removal steel or metal cover. Wood or logs can be placed inside the tray and the tray acts as a fire pit to hold the burning logs or coal pieces.
Chimney shaped models are also available where the heat radiates out through the narrow chimney. These fire pits look nice based on old modeled stoves, but cannot provide warmth to many people at once, compared to the open designs. Custom design and ornate fire pits are available with special designs and shapes and can become more expensive as you move away from traditional, massed produced fire pits.
Fire pits add an extra advantage when they come with a grill, which you can place on top of the fire pit and convert it into a barbeque grill. These can be used to cook steaks, hot dogs among many other foods.
A lot of other outdoor living items are available to make your garden or backyard look nice and attractive. Several items like statues, planters, busts, animal and angel figurines, props, and casts are available to add color and interest to your garden. Outdoor decor like statues can used to reflect different themes of decorations such as religious statues, gargoyle statues or classic ones and . These statues are also available in varied material like metal, clay or plaster of Paris. Cherubs, animals and other items are normally used to add some appeal to the garden.
Other kinds of outdoor decor consist of outdoor furniture like benches, patio umbrellas, chairs or stools to make the backyard more inviting and functional. A lot of different kinds of soft pots, vases and urns are also available to add to the garden and outdoor living.
Beautiful and artful outdoor decor is available online. Metal pieces that are bent into artistic shapes are available. Specialized outdoor decor consists of musical sculptures like garden wind harps. These are special wind harps, where the harp is played by the wind and not by the hand. As the wind moves through the garden or outdoor, it moves through the strings of the harp, which vibrate and make a subtle and enchanting sound. These are very subtle even compared to a wind chime and create a peaceful atmosphere.
Source: http://www.articlecircle.com/ - Free Articles Directory
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