When spring comes and the snow melts away, dirt and grime are bound to be left behind. Pick a sunny day and get outside to give the deck or patio a good cleaning.
Make sure that the temperature is high enough to avoid freezing the diluted cleaning solution.
1) Gently clear away any remaining ice or snow patches on the patio with a broom or plastic shovel. This will remove any heavy debris as well, leaving just the stains and build up from the snow.
2) Buy a concentrated cleaner that works for both wood and concrete for the most versatility. Dilute the solution as per the instructions on the bottle.
3) Using a shop broom or a long handled scrub brush, clean the deck or patio surface. Start from one side and move all of the way across. The cleaning solution will likely foam a little (like soap) and the liquid in the bucket will get dirty faster than you think. Change up to clean solution as you feel the need to. Most brands will clean between 100 - 200 square feet of surface with each mix.
A perfect project for spring, building a planter box for your patio is simple and easy. Customize it to the shape and size you need and compliment your backyard landscape.
Wooden Planter Boxes
For a rustic or sleek look, use wood to build a planter. It's possible to make almost any shape, but boxes in a square or rectangle are the easiest.
Work with deck boards or 2x6 lumber - the entire box shape including base and side can be assembled with these dimensions. A rim or lip can be built with planed 2x6 or you can switch up to 2x4 or 1x6.
Once you've built the box shape, remember to account for drainage and also soil retention. Line the box with heavy duty plastic or landscape fabric stapled into the inside. Poke or punch holes through the liner.
For whatever reason, you may find out that your home needs better accessibility. Stairs are difficult and dangerous when you're in a wheelchair. Tackle the problem yourself by building a simple wooden ramp up to the entrance way.
Wood is much cheaper and more convenient than a poured concrete ramp. A wooden ramp can be removed easily or adapted if the situation changes. The frame, surface and railing on a wooden ramp are also easy to build in no time.
Even on a large deck or patio, railings can make you feel closed or boxed in. Think about the beauty and open-look of tempered glass railings and break out of that box.
Installed in a wood or aluminum frame, tempered glass railings are the ultimate to provide safety and maintain the view of your beautiful backyard.
Many homeowners are looking to vinyl decks for a true maintenance free solution. PVC (or Polyvinyl Chloride) will last for decades without a drop of stain. But will your deck become dangerously slippery in the rain?
A completely flat vinyl or plastic surface would surely become a hazard with any kind of moisture. But thankfully, vinyl deck boards are not made that way.
Manufacturers have perfected the technology of creating vinyl decking that mimics a wood grain. Those grooves and swirls not only look more interesting and natural, but they provide a non-slip surface when moisture puddles on top are broken up with a rougher texture.
Everyone knows we need to stay out of the sun to avoid skin cancer. Or do we need to get more sunshine exposure to increase our vitamin D? Huh. Confused yet? Either way, it's a good idea to create an area of shade in your backyard. A spot for relaxation, entertainment and maybe even a nap - shade is essential.
1. Take a look at your yard. Unless you're planning a full deck or patio reno, you will likely have to create shade out the structures and hard landscaping that you already have. Some situations are easier than others.
2. Pre-fab shade. If you have a wide open, fairly flat patio space you can purchase a pre-fab shade structure (often called a patio cover). They come in lots of different sizes and designs, as well as a variety of price tags. Look around in the spring and you'll probably snag a deal. Be sure that you have a method to secure the cover to your patio - either permanently or temporarily. You don't want the wind picking it up and throwing it into the neighbor's yard now, do you now?
We pulled this video from Extreme-HowTo which gives a quick look at what it takes to replace your wood decking with a composite decking such as Fiberon, TimberTech, or Trex.
It's a fairly easy process but can be a bit labor intensive and will go much faster with help from a friend.
If you're going to build your own deck one of the first considerations after you've laid out your posts is how deep your footings should be set. This is determined by the frost line in your area and the map above (courtesy of Home Depot Outdoor Projects) should give you a general idea of how deep you need to go.
The bottom of your footings should sit 6 inches below the frost line so the posts won't shift as the ground freezes and thaws. You should also check your local building codes and call the city and speak to someone in the engineering department just to be certain of how deep do dig.
This backyard deck is a bit too much for us. It's a great concept designed by Thom Faulders and it's obvious a lot of work was put into designing and building it but we prefer a calmer atmosphere when relaxing in the yard as opposed to one that makes you dizzy.
The optical illusion is amazing and tree literally looks like it is going to be swallowed up.
This sun room remodel that we found on CasaSugar is awesome. No major changes but an update to the paint, flooring and walls created a much more inviting space to spend lazy afternoons. Some different window treatments and the room would be finished.
