Designer Decks
Thinking of building a deck or expanding an existing one? Your timing is right. Today’s decks are often larger and more customized than ones built even just a few years ago. Not only is there a broader choice of decking materials, but you can also take advantage of increasingly popular design elements such as a recessed hot tub, a brick or terra cotta fireplace or firepit, an outdoor couch or even a full-fledged outdoor kitchen. A new deck designed to comfortably accommodate your family’s lifestyle outdoors is a deck well done.
A Fence That Endures
Composite lumber decking has been around for awhile, and it has been a hit with many home owners who choose it over traditional wood because it resists moisture, will not rot, requires little maintenance and is made from recycled materials. Best of all, it can last for decades. Now Trex, a Wincheste...
A Natural Herbicide's Humble Roots
Corn gluten meal has gone from byproduct to wonder product. Researchers at Iowa State University in the 1980s were studying how effective a corn byproduct would be as a fertilizer. In the process, they realized the product acted not only as a growth stimulator, but also as a weed inhibitor. The resu...
Turning Yard Waste Into Garden Gold
Composting crusaders have just about given up on persuading the rest of us that when we get to heaven, there'll be a compost pile just inside the Pearly Gates. These days they're preaching a less evangelistic message. "I just want people to know two things,€ says Rachel Solomon, who ru...
All Decked Out
The vast array of outdoor decking materials available today is less bewildering when you've had a chance to size up what you need in your own backyard. From pressure-treated and naturally rot resistant wooden decking to composite, plastic and metal decking, it's important to know which materials ...
There's another way: Overhangs, Awnings and Trees
During the long, hot summer, roof overhangs, awnings, shutters and well-placed trees can occasionally provide shade to at least some rooms of a home. The amount of shading achieved depends on the coverage, the orientation of the home, the season and the time of day. o South-facing windows...
Natural Decks
Despite it's reputation, untreated wood decking can last a lifetime all on its own. Choosing the right species and grade of wood, and installing it properly, are the key steps to a long-lived, natural alternative to either pressure-treated wood decking or the composite wood options being populari...
Anti-Mold Decking
Despite many homeowners' best efforts, mold and mildew can latch on to exterior decking, causing permanent black spots that can affect the deck's appearance. Once it takes hold, the mold can be extremely difficult to remove, even with heavy scrubbing. What's more, mold can affect decks made of ei...
A Mad Cow in the Garden?
The diagnosis of Mad Cow Disease in 30 people in Great Britain raised concerns as to whether using animal by-products in the garden poses a hazard. Most human cases of Mad Cow Disease resulted from people eating animals that had been fed tainted by-products, but four gardeners who came down with the...
Wet Above? Try Dry-B-Lo
Do you have a second-story deck that provides a nice, shady spot on sunny days, but offers no protection from rain? Dry-B-Lo converts the area underneath these decks, where rain and snow has to be allowed to drain through the decking, into an attractive, dry and usable outdoor living space. This pro...
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