Author: Alan

by

Why you may want to consider a new decking for summer 2022

We’ve all been through uncertain times over the past year, with so many events, holidays and social gatherings cancelled, with many of us working from home and experiencing life in lockdown.

It’s been turbulent, to say the least, but it’s allowed us all to focus on the things that matter — family! How often do you spend time with your family these days? We need to get back to summer barbecues and evenings under the stars, but to do so you need a decking. With a high-quality deck, you can have a place that’s ideal for entertaining!

But with so many decking board choices out there, how can you be sure the one you choose will help your family the most?

Know your function

It all depends on what kind of party or get-togethers you plan to host, but generally speaking if it’s a lot of foot traffic then go for a hardwood option. If you’re looking at something classy and more nature-inspired, maybe try wood-look composites — all are great options!

Spare a thought for your unique style

Will you be hosting friends and family on a daily basis? Then go for something brighter. If you’re looking at it more for special occasions, pick an exotic wood to really impress your guests.

Build your deck to last

It’s not just about the initial outlay, it’s also about how long you want something if you plan on using it every day. Hardwood will be strong but can warp or fade with heat and moisture over time. Wood-look composite is great for outdoors, but not quite as resilient against tough conditions. For best results (and maybe even a few free drinks) go for something that lasts like aluminium!

Know your options

When it comes to decking you have a few different options available. The cheapest and least durable is timber, which is what you generally see in homes. It can be very beautiful but needs to be stained or treated regularly and takes a long time to recover from damage. Timber-look composite wood replacements will look great and take less upkeep than genuine timber but may need replacing in years time when the material starts to warp. Of course, you could always go for something that really lasts like steel or aluminium – just budget accordingly!

Materials and positioning

The final aspect you need to consider is how visible your decking will be from the inside? Will it just sit below window level or will passers-by be able to see it? If they can see it then you might want something a bit less tacky than untreated timber which is extremely prone to rotting. There are various options to reduce this impact – including using a non-wood alternative for the decking itself or applying special treatments to the timber while it is being grown. Otherwise, you could try changing your internal decor!

by

What will a decking bring to your garden?

A decking can give your garden character and increase the value of your home, but in terms of functionality and lifestyle, what are the key benefits? Well, you can entertain more, enjoy meals under the stars, relax in the summer sunshine and have a place to sit back whenever you need five minutes to recuperate after a hard day’s work. A decking can drastically enhance your home and lifestyle, and we’re going to discuss some of the key advantages in this blog.

Entertain your friends

When the weather is nice, your decking provides an excellent location to entertain your friends. If you want to offer food to guests at your home, consider creating a decked area as an entertaining room. You’ll be able to invite more people than if you were restricted to the indoor space. When the party spills out onto your new patio area, it will almost always be the star of the show.

Boost property value

Decking can improve the value and desirability of your property. If you’re looking to increase the value of your home, adding decking is a good idea. Decked terraces are frequently among the most desired features in terms of aesthetics and functionality. When a potential buyer is down to their final choices and getting down to specifics, decking typically wins out. This outdoor area allows them to visualize themselves living in and using the space.

A healthier lifestyle

If you want to improve your health, a new decked area may be the answer to all of your questions. Families who spend more time outside in pleasant outdoor areas such as decks eat more home-cooked meals. This activity promotes more active living.

Extra space

Decks are a fantastic location for bird feeders, potted plants, and other decorative elements that you may not have space for in other areas of your house. You don’t have to be concerned if there’s no place in the garage for the patio furniture and barbecue since that’s exactly what your decking is designed for!

A new room

Decks can be a lot more than just a place to relax outdoors. They can serve as an outdoor living room, dining area, or office space. For those who love the heat of the sun and being outside year-round, this is a perfect addition to your home. You’ll love spending time on your decking during pleasant summer nights and cool winter mornings.

The price may surprise you (in a good way)

As with most DIY projects, a decked area doesn’t need to cost a fortune if you’re building it yourself. Just remember that while some supplies may not cost much individually, the labour costs will quickly increase their combined total. Of course, it depends on the quality of the products you buy and how competitive the costs are from suppliers in your local area or online. Before you buy any materials, take a look at your garden and think carefully about what colour will work well with existing plants in the area. For example, if you have a lot of yellow flowers surrounding your decking areas then it would be wise to try and match this with a warm oak finish.

by

Garden Design – What You Must Consider

There’s no doubt about it, when we are living in our dream home, all we can think about is having our dream garden. Constantly thinking up design ideas on how we can make the garden we have the perfect garden for our lives.

So, what must you consider when designing your dream garden?

Firstly, you must consider the size of your garden. You always need to take into consideration the canvas that you have to work with. You do not want to overcrowd a small garden, making it unenjoyable. But you also do not want to leave a large garden looking too bland or bare. You need to consider the size of your garden and know how to work your canvas to its best potential.

Another important consideration that you must make when designing your dream garden is your budget. Setting a budget is a must for any garden project as it is super easy to go over budget. When designing your dream garden you will not always think about the cost of materials, which makes it so easy to overspend. Set yourself a budget and work in this, and no, there is never a no-budget option, everyone needs a budget to stick to or you could spend millions.

Finally, you really need to take into consideration your time. It will be extremely fun designing your own garden. But designs can take up all of your time, and remember someone is going to have to work to make this design a reality, this will more than likely be you. You do not want to design something that will take up all your time. So remember to factor in this when designing your dream garden.

So, these are our top three things that you must consider when designing your dream garden. Do not get carried away and remember to work your canvas perfectly!

by

What decking boards are best?

One of the first things you learn when you’re interested in DIY home renovation is that different types of materials come with different price tags. So it’s no surprise that decking comes in many varieties; most popularly, cheap softwood boards and expensive hardwoods like teak or treated pine. There are also composite decking boards which are made from a composite of recycled plastics, so there are lots of types for us to explore in this article.

We’re about to give an opinion on which solution might be best for your decking project, but before I do, let us quickly go over some background info. When using wood (instead of synthetic decking boards), one reason why people choose softwood over hardwoods is that they assume it will be cheaper. This can be true for certain projects, but not always. It really depends on where you buy your supplies from and what quantities you buy. A really big advantage of using hardwoods though is that they are naturally more weather resistant than softwoods.

What must be considered before you begin shopping for your decking boards? If you plan to use composite products, make sure it’s a good one with no plasticisers added. Do not buy any product containing more than 1% polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Some companies might claim their product contains only small amounts but if anything over 1% has been used there will be stability problems long term and this usually shows up as cracks in the end product which means the finish will start flaking off after about 3 years or so. You should also try and stick to either European or North American brands when buying composites.

What about oak?

Oak decking can be a great choice in some situations, however, you need to understand that it can warp. It’s also very susceptible to weather changes and it accepts stains differently than other wood types. If you want to be absolutely sure about no cracking or warping, make sure you choose a product that is specifically advertised as ‘protected’ (which basically means the top layer of the product has been infused with resin).

Oak can look great though and if done properly will last for many years – not only that but its main benefit is that it will be much cheaper than most premium decking materials. Make sure you are ready for this though because even protected oak takes at least 14 months before it looks finished!

If money isn’t an issue then go with composite or pressure-treated pine. They are both easy on the eye, tough enough to withstand most weather. So there you have it, these are just a few of the main types of decking products available on the market. With all products, it’s best to choose a high-quality decking supplier with plenty of experience delivering top quality products.

by

Are Patio Firepits Beneficial?

Having a patio fire pit in your garden comes with a range of all-year-round benefits. Today, we are going to share with you 4 of the main benefits of patio firepits.

1- Adding Ambiance
Firepits are an amazing piece of garden furniture for adding ambience to your garden. With them bringing a beautiful crackling sound as well as the glow from the fire itself.

2- Wood Disposal
A firepit is an excellent place for you to dispose of any wood that is suitable for fires. Meaning, if you are someone who has a lot of wood going spare with no way to dispose of it.

3- Adding Heat
A fire pit is a great piece of furniture that offers you a way to bring extra heat into your garden. This is good for summer evenings when it starts to become cooler. Or in the cooler months when you still want to sit and relax in your garden. Making it possible for your garden to be used all year round.