Gordon Warre our expert of the day, writes:

Patios that hold a lot of weight, such as driveways, require stronger foundations than those that are designed for light use. After falling out of favor for a couple of decades when decks were all the rage, patios are back. Building a brick patio using brick pavers can be a chore. A simple design plan to make laying brick patios easy for do-it-yourselfers. Imagine what you can do in the comfort of your new patio room or sun-room. You should pay just as much attention to decor on the patio as you do inside.

Patio

But now, patio awnings are included as part of a houses or buildings architecture not only for its primary purpose, but also to add charm and create a statement. This brick patio design is easy to build yet elegant, laying the bricks in a striking pattern that requires no cutting.

You can’t beat the benefits of cast aluminum patio furniture. Aluminum frame strap vinyl and sling mesh in an array of finishes which combined with a vast range of baked on powder coated colors and designer fabrics create ultimate flexibility for any pool, patio, lawn, garden and deck setting.

Richard Vande Sompel our expert of the day, writes:

Very few decks are used for a single purpose. The wise thing to do is to plan for several uses before construction starts so that everyone involved in the process is content with the outcome. The trick is not to go to the extreme. Trying to cram too many ideas into one design can become a disaster. Instead begin by planning for 1 or 2 major activities that the family would enjoy doing on the deck and work out from there.

There are a number of design techniques that can be used in creating ideal multifunction decks:

1. A bench seating arrangement can partially surround a child’s sandbox area and provide a place for quiet play, reading and conversation. When the children outgrow the sandbox it can easily be converted to a firepit. The same seating arrangement can be used to partially surround the new firepit and transform the area into a place to get warm and enjoy the company of others. If a firepit is not in the budget or not an item on the family wish list, perhaps a water feature would be a better choice. Again the already built seating will permit quiet reflection and enjoymnet of the sights and sounds related to the water feature.

If you are planning on building a gazebo at home, you can start your research on the internet. There are plenty of gazebo plans accessible free in libraries and online. There are also blueprints accessible for fees ranging from $8 to $200. If you are not an experienced contractor, you may want to shy away from the more costly gazebo blueprints, because they are actual architectural blueprints. Any talented house improvement enthusiast can very easily use the less expensive blueprints available.

You need to keep a few things in mind prior to commencing your gazebo plan. You will need some fundamental carpentry tools such as a level and often a screw gun. A compound miter saw or a sliding compound miter saw is also a useful piece of equipment to have. These saws allow you to make the angular cuts required to design the different sections of the gazebo. The sliding version is best for larger pieces of wood.

If you are thinking of building a gazebo at home, you can begin your own research on the internet. You can also quite easily find many free gazebo plans online and in your local library. Blueprints are also available which often cost from $8 to $200. If you are not an experienced builder, you may want to avoid the more expensive gazebo blueprints, because they are commonly actual architectural blueprints. Most experienced home improvement enthusiasts can make do with the less expensive plans.

You need to keep a few things in mind prior to commencing your gazebo plan. You will need some fundamental carpentry tools such as a level and often a screw gun. A compound miter saw or a sliding compound miter saw is also a useful piece of equipment to have. These saws allow you to make the angular cuts required to design the different sections of the gazebo. The sliding version is best for larger pieces of wood.

If you are thinking of building a gazebo at home, you can begin your own research on the internet. You can also quite easily find many free gazebo plans online and in your local library. Blueprints are also available which often cost from $8 to $200. If you are not an experienced builder, you may want to avoid the more expensive gazebo blueprints, because they are commonly actual architectural blueprints. Most experienced home improvement enthusiasts can make do with the less expensive plans.

You need to keep a few things in mind prior to commencing your gazebo plan. You will need some fundamental carpentry tools such as a level and often a screw gun. A compound miter saw or a sliding compound miter saw is also a useful piece of equipment to have. These saws allow you to make the angular cuts required to design the different sections of the gazebo. The sliding version is best for larger pieces of wood.

Kenny Leichester our expert of the day, writes:

One can say that having a garden can be troublesome and also a joy. A beautiful garden will evidently increase the value of the house.

The are two ways in which a garden can be created. The garden can be added on to what has already existed in your home. It can also be constructed from scratch meaning a strong structure will have to be build in order to support the potted flower plants, small palm trees, ponds that will have fishes also the furniture set. You can just imagine how surreal the sight will be.

Not many will be able to afford this option. It can be a disadvantage too as the patio garden will be a bit too structured. If you are not in favor of this option, the do-it-yourself option might be more suitable for you. This can be done by acquiring wood-based accessories for the garden like the pergola. This way, your garden will not be too rigid in sense that you can change the layout once you get bored of it without so much of having a major renovation.

Neil Parnham our expert of the day, writes:

For anyone looking to add space, style and elegance to their garden, these versatile wooden structures are practical projects that can be built in a single weekend.

Fall is an ideal time to consider outdoor architectural upgrades. While it may be your last major project of the season, your appreciation for the effort will grow when spring 2004 arrives. The structure is already in place, ready to enjoy as plants grow and flowers bloom around it.

A popular building material for a wooden pergola is Western red cedar. Its stable, resilient, and durable without the dangers of chemical treatment.

Safety is important for people making building material choices, says Peter Lang, general manager for the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association. Cedar looks beautiful and is among the most durable woods. For hundreds of years, cedar has been highly prized for its natural compounds that resist rot and mildew.

While western red cedars natural qualities have always been recognized, these are taking on new, heightened value among builders — from professionals to do-it-yourselfers. Earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a recommendation to avoid chemically treated wood, specifically wood treated with a form of arsenic. Recent studies have linked the arsenic in treated wood to cancer.

Greg Jacobs our expert of the day, writes:

Adding an outdoor entertaining area to your home can be beneficial on many levels in providing extra living space, fuss-free entertaining and adding increased value to your home.

When planning your outdoor entertaining area there are many factors to consider including:-

* What the space is to be primarily used for - ie. is it to keep the weather out, for entertaining purposes, an area for the kids to play in or a combination of all three.

* What outdoor feature/s will suit the style of your home - ensure any additions blend in with your home’s existing style. This is especially important when adding pergolas, patios, decking, privacy screens, opening roofs, sail shades and awnings to the exterior of your home. This includes selecting colours, materials and structural designs that enhance your existing home.

* Estimated budget and associated costs

* Timeframe for completion

* Size or dimension of the outdoor area required.

Sizing up your Entertaining Area

When planning to add an outdoor entertaining structure such as pergola, patio or sail shade it’s important to firstly determine the size of the area you require for entertaining.

My wife and I just moved our family into a new house. It’s larger, with a huge back yard, it’s closer to work and an ideal place to raise our family. But with so much new space, we needed to go shopping. Nothing feels as empty as a house that has no personal touch.

We had just about all the interior items we needed already, but the yard presented a very new experience for us. Previously, we lived in a managed condominium complex, and did not have any need for outdoor furnishings. Now, all of that was about to change.

First, our new deck and patio needed patio furniture. We started out thinking about teak furniture, but after exploring other options, we decided to invest in cast aluminum instead. A beautiful dining set with swivel chairs, and a couple of chaise lounges to anchor the corners was just the thing we needed.

But since the patio was pretty dark at night, we knew we needed outdoor lighting. We chose some candle lanterns for the tables and deck steps, and then figured out a way to gang an outdoor chandelier above the dining set. Extravagant, perhaps, but wow, what a mood it created!

Our growing family just moved into our first real house. It’s a little bit bigger, closer to where we work and play and it has a nice back yard, which we are thrilled about having. But all the new space means that we needed to buy a few things, to personalize our new house, and make it into our home.

For the most part, we had everything we needed for inside the house. But the back yard we now had was something entirely new. Before, we lived in a managed property with no yard to call our own. This meant that we were in need of many new outdoor products.

Immediately, we could see that our patio and deck needed to have some seating. We looked at a lot of outdoor furniture options, and in the end, we went with cast aluminum. We got a dining set with large swivel chairs, and a bistro set to fill an empty spot up by the house.

But since the patio was pretty dark at night, we knew we needed outdoor lighting. We chose some candle lanterns for the tables and deck steps, and then figured out a way to gang an outdoor chandelier above the dining set. Extravagant, perhaps, but wow, what a mood it created!