Designing your deck

by Cheryl L. True

Your balcony, deck, or porch is possibly one of the most important places in your home. You or your family probably use it as frequently as your living room or television room. They are great places for having breakfast or dinner in the spring and summer, perfect for sitting out to read, play games, or sew. They are also wonderful for hosting parties and barbeques, and even work well as a romantic location for you and your loved one to spend time together.



These places deserve a lot of attention and intricate planning. But often they are overlooked in building, remodeling, or decorating.



First, and foremost, clear away the clutter that is often thrown onto your back porch or deck. Beyond furniture, outdoor toys and items, and grills, your backyard does not need to be the home for trash, junk, or storing items. Sift through everything in your outdoor living spaces, throw away what is unneeded, sell or donate the things you don't use, and you've got yourself a great start.



When designing a deck, prepare something that is level to the ground by using concrete slabs in four corners. If it's just a big pallet sitting on the ground, the slightest soil erosion below will result in a rocky deck. The only way to make a deck design that you can be proud of, that will stand the test of storms and wind, and that you can build onto as years go by, is to prepare a firm foundation before you start to build up.



A ground level deck design should not just sit flat on the ground. Raise the deck frame off the ground to allow for drainage and to protect the wood. However, keep in mind that the top level of your deck should not be higher than the entrance to your home - so that the rain doesn't run off your deck design and through your back door.



Make use of a blank space of your garden by planting around it, decorating it with tall and leafy plants, or growing vegetables. Not only is it visually appealing, but it creates a useful and positive area to spend time in. Many people plant bamboo to differentiate between different parts of their balconies and deck.



If you have a Jacuzzi in your backyard, consider using bamboo as a privacy shield around it. You can hang up lanterns, string or rope lights, and paper lights to produce a beautiful and sultry ambiance.



Candles can be used all around your deck or balcony as well. Don't forget, you can purchase candles infused with citronella for a beautiful look with a useful effect- keeping the bugs away.



Adirondack chairs are also popular. They are frequently seen at beach houses and in southern homes, and are a beautiful touch for any backyard furniture.



For award-winning deck designs, great gazebos and well-crafted conservatories, visit Cleveland construction leader Patios Cleveland.

About the Author:

Cheryl L. True is a Manila-based freelance writer who writes on a variety of topics.

Building a brick patio

by Cheryl L. True

Here's a simple plan to make laying brick patios easy. This brick patio design is easy to build yet elegant; laying the bricks in a striking pattern that requires no cutting.



What you need are a shovel, rubber mallet, level, crushed stone, landscape fabric, mason's line, plywood to kneel on, a broom, garden hose, one long 2x4 for screed.



First measure the desired area. Rectangular design plans are easier to execute than curved designs. To ensure that you have a perfect rectangle, measure the two diagonals: they should be of equal length.



Dig out the area, to a depth of 8 inches. With a level, check that your excavation's floor slopes (1/4 inch per running foot) away from the house for drainage, so water will run away from the house and patio.



Do a test run by laying your brick pattern to check your measurements. This way, if your initial measurement was off, you can correct it now. There should be about a two-inch extra all along the perimeter.



Remove the bricks that you laid as a test run in Step #3 (but keep the brick edging that you laid in Step #4 in place). Pour crushed stone into this framed area to a depth of 4 inches.



Tamp down the stone. Lay landscape fabric down over the stone to suppress potential weeds later. Now pour two inches of sand over the landscape fabric. Use a long 2x4 as a screed.



Starting at one end of the rectangle, run this screed along the sand, leveling the sand out. You want the sand's level to end up two inches below the tops of the edging bricks.



Excess sand in Step #7 will be redistributed to low areas, and you'll end up with an even surface. Tamp the sand down. Now it's time to begin laying the brick patio flooring -- for real.



Begin in a corner, pressing the bricks down into the sand. Make them as close together as possible. Strike the bricks with a rubber mallet to settle them into the sand.



You want "paving" bricks for this project. In the measurements that I'm giving, I'm assuming 4" x 8" bricks, about two inches thick. Brick pavers come in other sizes; but this size is easiest to work with.



For a design pattern, I'm suggest the "basket weave" The basket weave pattern is elegant yet simple, requiring no cutting of bricks. Avoiding cutting will save you in time, money and frustration.



Run a mason's line across your forms as you proceed, row by row, in laying your bricks. The mason's line will serve as a guide for evenness.



After laying the bricks, spread some sand over them. With a broom, work this sand into the cracks. Then, with a garden hose, gently spray the bricks so the sand will settle between the cracks. If the cracks aren't totally filled, just do it again until they are. Now you're brick patio is done.



For award-winning deck designs, great gazebos and well-crafted conservatories, visit Cleveland construction leader Patios Cleveland.

About the Author:

Cheryl L. True is a Manila-based freelance writer who writes on a variety of topics.

Tips on Replacing Basement Windows

by Dan Meadows

One of the biggest concerns about replacing basement windows revolves around the sort of material to make use of, detaching the old frames, affixing the new frame to the wall, and to use either cement caulk or screws for mounting it. To give you a good idea, some tips are provided here:



In most cases, wood widows are probably the best choice. Aside from the fact that old homes have these kinds of frames, they're easy to restore too. But, wood is much more pricey than the most common vinyl windows.



Detaching the frames will not be much of a problem. Still, you have to be certain that the replacement is the best alternative. Sometimes after a thorough examination of an expert, it turns out that all that is needed is for the frame to be repaired.



Detaching the frames will not be much of a problem. Still, you have to be certain that the replacement is the best alternative. Sometimes after a thorough examination of an expert, it turns out that all that is needed is for the frame to be repaired. However, if you are sure about removing it, by all means do it.



As for securing the window frame to the wall, it is recommended that you buy windows that include a nailing fin. It truly depends on the dimension of the vinyl window but if there's a nailing fin on all the sides, then all you have to do is just contour the cement opening with wood.



After you've finished working on these things, you can now run a bead of caulk at the precise spot where the nailing fin will be placed, and then proceed to place the new window in.



Rest assured replacing windows seems much more difficult than it really is. Just make sure you follow the manufacturers instructions to the letter and you will be done on no time.



Lastly, there may be times when the window will not fit into the opening, to avoid this, you have to test fit all the sides of the new window first. In this way, you can formulate a way to resolve that problem before you start with your installation. By making sure that it fits perfectly, your installation will be a breeze, plus lots of time is saved.

About the Author:

Before choosing or Intsalling Replacement Basement Windows visit the Replacement Basement Windows for more resources and information This and other unique content '' articles are available with free reprint rights.

Vinyl Flooring: Getting a New Look

by Ezra Plank

Say vinyl flooring and you'll probably think linoleum. Take another look at vinyl tile flooring today, it's not what it used to be. In fact, you might be surprised at how far vinyl floors have come.



What is Vinyl?



Vinyl tiles are composed of layers to create long-lasting floors. First comes a thick backing, then a printed design showing a realistic pattern, and a protective layer to give the tile durability. Better tiles have an additional protective wear layer made of urethane.



Choosing the Right Flooring



Alternative flooring options are available. You can choose laminate, slate, rubber, bamboo, concrete, linoleum, hardwood, and carpet. What you pick depends on how the room is being used. Today's vinyl tiles can go in nearly any room of your home including bathrooms, the kitchen, or the laundry room. But don't install them in rooms that maintain moisture for long periods.



How Much Does It Cost?



Vinyl tiles cost from $0.29 to $4.00 / sq ft. Choosing better quality tiles, of course, will cost more depending on the thickness, printed design, and color. If you have a professional install it for you, expect to pay as much as $0.75 to $2.00 per square foot.



Can I Install It Myself?



To change the look of your flooring, this is one of the easiest do-it-yourself projects. There are three methods: glue-less ( adhesive tabs or spray-on adhesive ), peel 'n stick ( the tiles already have glue on the back ), and luxury vinyl, for which you will need adhesive and a trowel. Read the instructions carefully and be sure that the floor has been properly prepared to avoid problems.



How Long Will It Last?



Cheaper vinyl tiles should last at least 5 years; better quality tiles up to 20 years. Proper maintenance can extend their life. Remember, one advantage of having vinyl tiles is that you can easily replace a tile that becomes damaged.



Caring for your floor



Caring for your vinyl tile floor should be one of the easiest things you'll do. Wipe up any spills, and sweep up anything that falls on the floor, to protect it from damage. Read the manufacturer's instructions for the best way to maintain your floor; then follow their instructions. Doing so could add years to your floor's life.



You have a wide variety of flooring to choose from when you're planning to replace the floors in your home. But you should seriously consider installing a vinyl tile floor. They are inexpensive to install and easy to maintain. Once you see the beauty of the finished floor, you'll be glad you did.

About the Author:

Would you like to install quality flooring, but don't have an unlimited budget? Ezra's website on cheap flooring will help you to locate good discount flooring for your home decorating project. Discover where to buy quality vinyl flooring at the lowest price.

Measure and build stairs

by Larry Angell

Let's learn how to make a beautiful and precise stairway. Building stairs seems challenging, but it's really rather simple if you use the right formula. This is how you measure and build professional-looking stairways with exact accuracy.



Before we get started on the process of building stairs, we'll need to take some important measurements of the staircase area. Well think of it like this: we have a certain amount of height from floor to ceiling that we need to reach and we need to do it within a certain distance. The part of the stairs that helps us accomplish the height is the stair riser. This is a vertical slab. The length part is the stair tread. Its a horizontal slab. The part of the stairs that will hold all of the weight is called the stringers. The stringers are the critical part of the stairway.



The treads are usually standard-sized boards around 10-inches. The size of the risers depends on the measured height from the bottom floor up to the top floor.



We will need to get a really close measurement from the bottom floor to the top floor, including the thickness of the particle board on the second floor. Now, we use the magic formula for calculating the height of each stair riser. Lets say that the distance from bottom floor to top floor including the thickness of the second floor (including particle board) is around 9 feet or 108 inches.



108 divided by 7 equals 15.428. That tells us that 15 risers will be needed. Next, let's divide 108 by 15 and we'll get right around 7 inches or the exact height each riser needs to be. The treads need to be right around 10 inches. The amount of treads will be one less than the amount of risers, so to find the total run or length of the stairs, we just multiply 10 by 14 and that tells us that our stairway will be 140 inches long.



Now, select a knot-free 2 X 12 stringer. We can get prefabricated wood or a cheaper selection can be a strong softwood like Fir or pine. It needs to be about one foot longer than your stair distance. This would need to be 120" or twelve feet long.



Next, laying the board flat, measure up the board about 8 inches to mark the first stair tread. You can use a carpenter's square to measure 10-inches over (the tread) and 7-inches up (the riser). We'll do this on each step. When that is done, we can go back to the bottom of the board to measure and cut out the first riser. The carpenter's square helps to make the stair cut exactly 7-inches.



When weve finished marking the stringer we can cut out the stairs with a handsaw or a Skilsaw. We will cut really close to the inside corner, but we'll need to complete the cut with a handsaw to get completely into the corners. When we finish that we can use the stringer as a pattern or a template for the other stringers by it on top of the other boards and tracing in the steps.



Once everything is all cut out and the stringers are identical, we can stand them up and secure them with screws or nails. Once the stringers are screwed or nailed securely in place well put the tread plates on and then the riser plates if we want enclosed stairs. There are special tread boards available that are rounded in front. Theyre made for carpeted stairs. Many people like to have hardwood stairs that are exposed; in that case we would want to use high quality oak or some other quality hardwood. That's how we make stairs for our home interior or our decks.

About the Author:

For lots of free info about stair construction and other house construction kindly see our house construction site www.make-our-own-house.com