Part 1 of the How to Build a Deck video series teaches viewers how to design a deck and build deck plans. Designing a deck is the first step in deck construction and Lowe’s expert, Mike Kraft, has all the tips and tricks you need to construct a deck plan for any backyard. The other parts of this 6-part series can be found on iTunes or at www.Lowes.com
Part 1 of the How to Build a Deck video series teaches viewers how to design a deck and build deck plans. Designing a deck is the first step in deck construction and Lowe’s expert, Mike Kraft, has all the tips and tricks you need to construct a deck plan for any backyard. The other parts of this 6-part series can be found on iTunes or at www.Lowes.com
Howard County Master Gardener Lois Wehren shows us the container garden she has on her deck and shares some great tips on how to start one of your own. Read more about vegetable container gardening, click here to view our publication: www.hgic.umd.edu Thisvideo is brought to you by the Home and Garden Information Center, part of University of Maryland Extension. Learn about our Grow It Eat It campaign, which provides resources and encourages people to start their own food gardens. www.growit.umd.edu Check out our facebook page for more gardening advice: www.facebook.com Shot and Edited by: Alix Watson and Emily Heimsoth
When the issue of home shading comes up, the majority of homeowners will think about awnings, tent canopies, and umbrellas. But an equally effective and perhaps more aesthetic way of providing shade is to put a tree to root. With the right conditions and nurturing, some species of trees will sprout up to 5 meters per year.
The Dept of Agriculture of the American government has divided the country into more than 10 Hardiness Zones that indicate the best types of trees that grow in each zone. The zones are divided according to amount of precipitation received every year, length of seasons, and temperatures. Each zone has an optimal set of trees.
The poplar tree serves well as an example of a tree that belongs to the Hardiness Zones 3 through 9. These zones cover almost all latitudes of the US from north to south. Poplars grow in the wild but have been domesticated to grow in front and back yards of homes.
When situated in the middle of the recommended Hardiness Range, the domesticated poplar attains increases of 6 to 10 feet in 12 months. At its peak it is over 50 feet in height which is easily trimmed to become shorter and less dangerous. Poplars are found even in humid, hot places like Florida and dry, hot places like Texas.
An less aesthetic and man-made counterpart to shade trees are the canopies. A canopy is a tent-like shade. The standard construction is a tall self-supported metal scaffold draped with a large piece of shade material. The shading fabric usually covers the top to block out direct sunlight but the walls are not always set-up, as some owners think more with respect to getting fresh air whereas others care more about curious onlookers staring in.
Most exterior shading is made to stop just about all light. Pergolas were created for another purpose. Instead of holding a piece of fabric, the wooden struts of a pergola hold up wood beams that block only part of the sun. Dwarf kinds of pergolas are also available. They are sometimes called arbors, and are simpler to set up but are not good for sheltering many people. Rather, they are guide posts for foot paths.
Should you be motivated on buying shades, come check out our website. Discover the newest research and articles on buying awning material.
Another term for this category of products is instant shades. They are made so that they can be conveniently moved from spot to spot but give shade to a person or object when required. Because of the need for portability they are simpler, lighter and cheaper than their fixed cousins, examples of which include outdoor window shades. The drawback is that they are often more prone to breakage. This is offset by the fact that the portable shade is easier to store and set up.
Portable shades are used for many of the same reasons one would use fixed shades except that they are more versatile in that they can be brought from place to place. The majority of casual use is for recreational purposes, at such events as beach or block parties where people spend extended time outdoors but not near any building structures. Recreational use can also happen at home perhaps when many guests are invited over. Moreover, portables are used for business reasons.
Here we talk about a few kinds of portable shades used in different situations.
Normal awnings are composed of a fixed or retractable frame upon which shade cloth can be stretched and then mounted over a door or window. In a similar fashion bamboo roll up blinds help educe energy costs by preventing solar radiation from passing through the window. The awning then blocks not only light for those who are standing immediately under the awning, but also those who are near the window or door and are inside the house. Similarly, portable awnings are composed of a frame over which a fabric is stretched except the frame is on wheels and thus can be positioned where ever desired.
People who spend a lot of time near a pool appreciate the use of perennial outdoor umbrellas for shade. However, umbrellas typically are inserted into the middle of a table making it hard to relax or stretch out. The solution is the pool cabana which is a small house structure that can fit one or two people underneath. Furthermore, a pool cabana can be used for privacy, for example when people need to switch into a bathing suit or out of their regular clothes.
The outdoor canopy is typically a medium to massive structure that can house dozens of people at once. Placed onto a patio it becomes a deck canopy. It is supported by strong steel poles, a system of ropes to hold the wall and room fabric together. The portable canopy is much simpler, consisting of four poles, an overhead frame and a top fabric piece only. This makes it easy to carry around and many businesses use them when the sales force is out on the streets and need shelter. The top fabric can serve as an advertisement with the company’s logo.
People often travel around in cars and need to set up a temporary shade, for example a sales representative that hawks goods outside or a tailgate party goer. Such people would benefit from a portable umbrella mounted onto a car. The key point is the hitch that attaches to the bumper and body of the vehicle which can hold onto the umbrella.
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www.woodworking-4-home-tips.blogspot.com How to build a deck. Part 4, by http Q-Deck — Preparing your site for decking.Part 4 explains how to go about preparing your site for the timber deck by carefully mapping the area with strings and wooden pegs in the first instance. The use of string allows you to create perfect right angles using the 3-4-5 measuring technique. Holes can now be dug should you require deck support posts. The area beneath the decking is now ready to cover with weed suppressing fabric and pea shingle. To find out more about Q-Deck visit www.qualitydecking.co.uk you will be sitting on your very own garden decking relaxing in the sun.
During the last 50 years of the 20th century before the profusion of synthetic materials, the great proportion of awning material for patio shades was a material known as canvas. Canvas is very well-known for being a strong, tough material used in sails on ships, a painting surface that can be reused, and bags or sacks for transport of raw materials.
A large number of companies manufacture synthetic shades that have come to take over the patio shade fabric market. A few examples are Texilene and Coolaroo. These products are marked by several kinds of improvements over canvas which we detail below.
Foremost is that the fabric should be protected against ultraviolet (UV) “rot”. UV rot is basically what happens when UV light strikes and breaks down the organic fibers in canvas. Over time the fibers degrade and the material starts to fall apart. Modern synthetics do not suffer from this problem or do so to a much lesser degree. A near top quality that consumers demand is a denser fabric weave which helps stop regular light for improved shade properties.
An attendant quality that is desired by consumers and satisfied by synthetics is ease of cleansing to keep the awning material free of microbial infestation. Many modern synthetics are naturally resistant to micro-organism growth.
Awning material are used in patio shades that are connected to a house. In contrast to shop awnings, the units for houses are constructed for leisure and relaxation of homeowners. The newest type is the retractable awning. Both hand-powered retractables and automatic retractables are obtainable. The powered kinds are controlled by motors, often activated by remote control. High-tech sensors self-retract in case of buffeting wind or intense rain.
An outdoor canopy can be considered an oversized tent. People find it useful to have at least the top of a canopy shielded with awning material. The walls on the side are optional, since some owners care more about circulation whereas others are worried more about privacy. If the canopy owner goes ahead with adding sides, the presence of window flaps and wide entrances may improve air circulation through the structure.
Awning material is also the same fabric used for pergolas, which are an interesting type of outside shading in that they do not supply total shade. A number of support beams are put into the ground which support a number of roof beams. These overhead slats block out a portion of the light. A related outdoor shade to the pergola is the garden arbor. The arbor is smaller in size, much simpler in construction, but cannot shade many people at once. In recent times it’s largely a decorative element of the garden.
This site talks about how to select outdoor shade. The writings provided for will be informative to many.
If you are thinking of holding a party or other event in your backyard, consider adding outdoor patio shades. It is true that people like to feel the warmth of the sun on their skin, but excessive exposure is usually not desirable, and many people are quite sensitive to sun.
A party is not the same without a barbeque grill. But one disadvantage of the grill is that it gives off fabric-staining fumes and smoke. This exhaust can stain the fabric of your expensive shades. Be sure to grill a little bit aways from both the guests and the shades.
Outdoor shades suitable for parties come in a variety of types, styles, sizes and configurations. Picking the right one depends on how big your backyard or patio is, and how many guests you would like to cover.
Awnings remain a common thing to see for most people who have taken a stroll on a sidewalk arrayed with shops. They are the fixed-structure shades that shield store entry ways and display glasses. Unlike store front awnings, the units for private residents are built for entertainment and comfort of customers. The most recent type is the retractable model. There are a number of retractables. One is opened with a manual mechanism. Another uses a lateral swing-open configuration which is pushed in or drawn out. Finally the motorized types automatically open at a push of a button.
An outdoor canopy is essentially a tent with standing room. The configuration a consumer usually finds at a store is a tall self-supporting metallic frame covered by a large piece of shade fabric. The shade fabric invariably is stretched over the top to block out direct sunlight but the walls are sometimes left off, a decision that hinges on whether one would like to give up a little privacy for a breath of fresh air. Supposing one attaches walls to the canopy, small cut-out window portholes and entry ways will solve concerns with stuffy air under the canopy.
A pergola is an atypical wooden outdoor shade lacking fabric but is supported by four or more beams in a rectangular layout. Without shade cloth, it uses the wood beams that provide partial shade and incomplete sun. Pergolas are found arching over patios and occasionally in gardens. An undersized variant of a pergola is sometimes called an arbor. Arbors have been installed as entry points to garden paths.
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Get started quickly by choosing pre-arranged garden beds to place into your design
Choose from over 3,700 realistic plants; import photos of your own plants – view a sampling of plants
Plant Chooser to quickly locate and learn detailed plant information
Plant Hardiness Zone maps – North America, Europe and Australia
Advanced plant searching by sun, shade, watering, deer resistance and more
Chief Architect Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer 8 – Windows Product Description Plan and design your perfect outdoor living space! Landscaping & Deck Designer makes it easy to quickly design the virtual look and feel of your backyard, deck, patio, pool or any outdoor project. Just point-and-click to add pre-arranged landscaping beds and any of over 4,000 Library items to your design. Create beautiful landscapes, terrain features, gardens and decks for your perfect outdoor living spaces. Landscaping & Deck Designer makes it easy to design your next outdoor project. Use valuable resources like Plant Chooser to learn more about plants, the Design Planning Center with design tips, and choose from over 3,700 plants, trees and shrubs to place and arrange in your outdoor living space. Create the Virtual Look and Feel Before You Build! Plant Growth slider tool – visualize how your plants will look in 3, 5, or even 20 years from now Quick Startup Options Guide will help you begin with How-To tutorials based on the type of your project Select from the pre-designed Landscaping, Deck and Pool Templates Exclusive Design Planning Center for up-to-date How-To and Design Tips from the experts to help in your design process Includes Step-by-Step Tutorial DVD Packed with over 40 easy step-by-step tutorial Make your deck or patio ideas come to life with built-in 3D visualization tools Experiment with your design and take a virtual tour Use the Deck Designer tools to quickly design the layout of your deck Design single or multi-level decks including free-standing, tiered and post-and-beam Deck foundations automatically generate to match sloped lots Automatic deck framing tools Use the Replace from Library to choose a group of plants and replace with another Import your digital photos and add landscaping features such as fences, trees, flowers, shrubs and more! Drag and drop thousands of items from the Library Browser. Choose plants, pavers, windows, doors, outdoor ac Chief Architect Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer 8 – Windows
