Lighting

Lighting extends the use of your deck late into the evening and makes it safer and more secure at night, even when you’re not using it. Adding lights to a deck takes planning and care, but it’s not difficult. Choose the lighting system you prefer, review the installation guidelines, and prepare to enjoy your outdoor [...]

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Deck Grading and Drainge

Every deck, no matter how beautiful, needs some kind of furnishings to look complete. Furnishings give outdoor living space its style and make it feel homey and inviting. They have a remarkable influence on how you feel about the space, as well as how often you use it. ”I had a new natual stone porch [...]

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Deck Firelight

No artificial light source matches the comforting glow of a controlled fire. Fire brings instant coziness and extends your deck’s potential for use. Firelight is most appealing at night, encouraging after-hours use of your outdoor room. Fires also take the chill out of spring and fall evenings. Most homeowners don’t think about including a fireplace [...]

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Deck Construction Basics

You’ve decided on your deck design. You’ve selected the materials. You have all the permits and plans in hand. You know what you need to do, and why. If your site is graded for drainage, your supplies have been delivered, and you have your brother-in-law lined up to help, it’s time to build. Construction is [...]

Deck Amenities

Amenities bring many of the comforts of the indoors into the beauty and spaciousness of the outdoors. Which ones you choose depend on how you want to use the space. Outdoor cooking areas get the heat out of the kitchen and allow the cook to enjoy more time with the guests. An outdoor kitchen with [...]

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Curved Fence Line

Curved fences increase the attractiveness of a fence line and can solve some tricky layout problems. They can skirt trees, large rocks, and other obstructions. Round corners can help a fenced area seem less cramped. Curved fences have some structural limitations, however. They’re difficult to construct between post spans shorter than 4 feet or longer [...]

Climate Effects on Decks

Your deck should offer more than privacy, protection, and plenty of seating. It should take advantage of the natural surroundings—cooling breezes, warm sun, shade, subtle garden fragrances. Paying attention to weather patterns and designing your deck for maximum comfort in a variety of conditions can extend its usefulness. ”Great choice of railings, accurate work precise [...]

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Building curved fence sections

Building a curved fence section requires a careful layout. Once you have scribed the arc on the ground, use the directions illustrated to locate and set the posts and install the rails—either curved or segmented. Hang the infill as you would on a straight rail ”Eugene dealt with this small project in a very professional [...]

Building an edge-rail fence frame

Almost all fence designs rely on one of two rail styles—edge rails or flat rails. Edge rails are installed with the widest of their faces perpendicular to the ground. That means they resist sagging more effectively than flat rails. This positioning also allows you more choices when it comes to mounting the infill although most [...]

Fire Safety

Introduction ‘Fire Safety’ was, about five decades ago, a little neglected aspect of ‘safe living’ and ‘safe industrial operations’. However, since then, introduction of relevant codes, norms, regulations and general awareness of how dangerous and fatal fire hazards can be has done much good towards understanding and realizing Fire Safety. ‘Fire Safety’ is a term […]