Refinishing an Outdoor Deck

If your deck has seen better days and is starting to fade, get fuzzy, or even splinter then you should consider refinishing your deck which consists of chemical stripping, power washing, sanding, and finally staining your deck. Here are some great resources for approaching this project and take precautions when dealing with decks built of pressure-treated wood as they contain arsenic which is highly toxic.

    July 31, 2008 | Comments ()

Build It Yourself: Outdoor Deck with Rounded Corners

There is nothing better than stepping outside and enjoying the outdoors on a summer day. A proper deck can make this experience even more serene but it achieving a deck that is both functional and stylish is sometimes difficult when all you see are square deck designs that aren't always the most appealing.

    July 30, 2008 | Comments ()

Vertical Grain Wood Flooring

This houseblogger is going through the process of using salvaged flooring for their back porch. They will be using vertical grain fir tongue and groove flooring, like the original floor.

    June 25, 2008 | Comments ()

Inspect Your Deck

The weather's heating up and you're primed for a summer BBQ on the deck with family and friends. But before you send out the evites for your memorial day bash, you should inspect your deck. There are five warning signs you should look out for.

    May 21, 2008 | Comments ()

Popular Patios

More proof that concrete patios are becoming a great alternative to outdoor decks.

Popularity of the patio rebounds [Kansas City Star]

    August 14, 2007 | Comments ()

Decorating a Deck - in NYC

We've got some precious outdoor space that consists of a landing and a small balcony that serves as the entrance to our 2nd floor apartment. We get about 2-3 hours of direct sunlight in the summer and maybe 1/2 hour in the winter and there is barely enough room to fit one folding chair.

    June 6, 2007 | Comments ()

Fold-out Balcony

Personal outdoor space is hard to come by in most urban environments but the Bloomframe from Hofman Dujardin Architecten in Amsterdam has created a solution that not only allows for an impromptu balcony but also serves as a window when closed.

    March 1, 2007 | Comments ()

Brick Patios

A popular outdoor upgrade is installing a brick patio. The color and texture that brick provides will bring warmth to your patio and will always contrast nicely with a lawn or woodchip landscaping. A brick patio can be installed over a weekend after you've decided on type of brick, setting, and layout.

Create a Brick Patio [Better Homes and Gardens]
Laying a Brick Walkway or Patio [Easy2DIY]
Brick Patios [AOL Home]
How To Build an Elegant Brick Patio Without Brick-Cutting [About.com]

    July 31, 2006 | Comments ()

Build Your Own Deck

Matt Haughey, a contributer to Lifehacker, has put together a step-by-step for building your own deck. He includes great photos, sources for inspiration, and a tools list. As great tip for DIY newbies he suggests first building a practice deck as a test for new tools and materials. If you've already got the hang of your miter saw and power drill then go to work and you'll save time and money and may even have a deck to enjoy the fireworks from this weekend.

How to build your own backyard deck [Lifehacker]

    June 29, 2006 | Comments ()

LED Decklights

Wow - these decklights from Phillips are sharp. For safety purposes alone they could serve as a nice border for a railless deck as well as assist in illuminating stairs.

Philips Aurelle LED Decklight [Uncrate]

    June 20, 2006 | Comments ()