How to Finish a Wood Patio Deck

Having a patio deck in the garden will create an amazing place for you to entertain friends, and family. If you lay it correctly, seal, treat, and maintain it the decking will last for many years. You have to consider where you want the decking to be placed, and what weather conditions it will need to deal with. Water is the worst component that can damage the wooden decking, and you need to consider this when choosing your deck plans.

Planning the decking well and ensuring that you use the correct sealant will ensure that the deck will look fantastic for many years. After the patio deck has been laid you will need to work quickly to have it sealed and ready for the weather. The decking will need to be sanded to ensure that the waterproof material can soak into the grain. Although sanding the patio deck will take some time it will be worth it when you see the end result.

Once you have sanded the deck you will need to ensure that all debris, twigs, and leaves have been removed as these can cause problems. With a completely clear deck you can begin to weatherproof it.

Using the best possible wood sealant is essential as water is the biggest problem where decking is concerned. If you allow water to penetrate the patio deck it will dry out and cause the wood to crack. The expansion and contraction of the wood over time will cause it great damage, and in extreme cases the patio deck will need to be replaced.

You will need to try and wait for the weather conditions to be just right. If it is too cold or too hot the wood will have either expanded or contracted making it harder to seal. You want the sealant to be applied in the best possible conditions, to allow it to dry and begin to protect the wood. When looking at your deck plans you will need to ensure that you can reach every part of the decking easily. Every single inch of the decking will need to be sealed including the gaps, and cracks.

If you allow even the smallest of areas to be unprotected, the water can penetrate it and cause damage to the patio deck. You should apply the sealant in the direction of the grain, and for larger areas a mop can be used to make it far easier. Allowing the sealant to dry is essential, and once it has you can decide if you want to stain the wood. Depending on the design you have chosen on your deck plans will determine what color you want the decking to be.

There are many different stains available, which can help to enhance the color of your patio deck, and make it look great. Once you have sealed the patio deck it will not need doing for several years, however, if you experience severe weather it may need doing more often. Remember that you will need to clean, fix, and reseal the patio deck to keep it looking great.

Why Choose Indonesian Teak for Your Discount Patio Furniture?

With declining supplies of tropical timber from natural forests, many countries are encouraging the development of new sources of tropical timber through plantation and farm forestry production. Teak is listed officially as a protected species. At present, commercial harvest of teak from natural forests is prohibited. Teak is relatively simple to grow in comparison with other commercial hardwood species. Given the growing demand for teak wood and the likelihood that natural forest sources will soon be unable to meet it. Scientifically called Tectona Grandis, teak is grown in countries such as Burma, Malaysia and India, where it is grown in massive quantities and exported to other countries. Teak can be grown on all types of soil. It needs good water and sunlight to flourish. It can be grown on the boundaries of other crops, in the backyard or amidst other plantations. Teak has more experience data than any other species and makes for the safest plantation species. Indonesia is one of the biggest Teak wood producers in the world. Its wood quality is not inferior to the quality of the famous Teak wood from Burma. In Indonesia, the Teak tree has been managed by government, under Perum Perhutani (Forestation Company of Government) being preserved in all seasons.

Teak requires minimal maintenance and does not need to be sealed or treated on a regular basis. Due to its durability, natural water resistant qualities and attractive wood grain, teak wood has found many uses in industries past and present. Teak was being harvested for British ships. Calcutta was set up as another British shipbuilding site. All of the British merchant ships built in Calcutta were built with Myanmar Teak logs which were said to be the best. Once the wood was depleted from India, logs were harvested from Thailand and Burma. Teak forests were quickly being depleted. Back in the days, Teak was known as the preferred wood used for building ships, Yachts, Ocean liners and furniture. One famous ship come to mind is the Edwin Fox. This majestic Teak ship is an only survivor from a fleet of teak ships. This ship was built in India about 1853 and has a strange history if I can say so, but it has outlasted all others and that's saying a lot. In 1999 the Edwin Fox was brought and was towed to Picton, New Zealand where she was to be restored and set next to a museum so visitors can walk on the same decks and stand inside this atmospheric piece of history. Teak park benches in the Commons of London have been in continual service for more than 75 years which should tell you about the durability and sturdiness of Teak wood. Furniture constructed with teak wood is able to withstand the elements for a century or more. Teak wood is knot-free, smooth, and handsome and will never need replaced.

The inherent imperfections present in teak wood enhance only its natural beauty and adds uniqueness to each piece. The surface oil evaporates within the first week, but the oil below the surface will last the lifetime of the furniture and enables the unmatched durability of the wood. As it weathers over time, the wood goes from a rich honey brown color to a silvery gray and it will remain like that without ever warping, twisting, rotting or splintering. Considering the wear and tear that outdoor furniture is subject to teak wood would be an excellence choice for patio furniture. It is because Teak wood is highly water-resistant that products manufactured or created from it avoid the brittleness to which many other woods are susceptible.

It is for this reason that Teak furniture and other Teak products, can be enjoyed outdoors, as well as indoors. Teak wood and Indonesia Teak in particular, has an excellent history in being used in the manufacture of high quality and durable furniture products. Whereas the wear and tear that garden and patio furniture are subjected to and expose to the climate, the only sensible choice for outdoor furniture is Teak. Indonesian Teak which is plantation grown controlled by forestry agents to manage the harvest that would make Indonesian Java Teak made furniture a win/win deal. One win is for the environment and the other is for the Teak wood for its durability. The best of all is that you will be getting more for your money.

Relax in Comfort With A Patio Glider

There is nothing that is more enjoyable than a nice backyard with flowers and other adornments. Things such as solar lights scattered throughout the yard add additional beauty and ambience to the all over area. Of course, in order to maximize contentment when in this space there must be comfortable seating where it is possible to sit back and relax. One of this options, which is gaining popularity, is a patio glider.

This is very popular with all members of the family, each wanting to enjoy its gentle swing. A patio glider is also known as a swinging couch which is suspended from a vertical frame or chains attached to a support structure like a portico. In some cases a glider has a covering to provide shade or protect the seat from weather conditions.

The steel frame and other construction of gliders is manufactured, not only for comfort, but for long lasting wear as well. They are also available in wood as well as other materials, but all working on the same principle of increasing the ability to relax with the gentle back and forth movement.
In addition, a glider gives a sense of elegance to any outdoor space. In order to accommodate the various needs of today's consumers, many models, designs, and styles are now available which fit perfectly with whatever the décor dictates. Many times it is the addition of flowers or other patio furnishings that create a harmonious feeling in those using the space.

Gliders are also available without the vertical frame. There are models where there is no canopy, but the unit moves with mechanisms connected to the base. There are also double gliders, which consist of two seats, opposite each other, and move in harmony.

Other things that are possible are side trays on which one can rest food, a beverage, or a book. In addition, many models will hold up to 500 pounds which means that more than one person can occupy the glider at one time. There are a number of beautiful pillows and pads available that not only provide comfort, but provide complimentary colors that enhance the overall look.

Backyards, gardens, and patios should always be a peaceful and comforting place. They are a world away from the hectic pace of everyday life and, having the right furnishings, allow individuals to escape and forget the problems of the day. They are also an excellent place to entertain guests as well as provide a haven for the family.

When looking for a glider that will fit your preferences and needs, the Internet has many sites that show the various models, pricing, and shipping instructions available. This is a good place to go to see what is available when someone is looking for outdoor furniture such as a patio glider.

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Spring Your Deck and Patio Furniture Into Action This Season!

Like closing up your cabin for the winter, certain measures should be taken to brace your patio and its patio furniture for colder months. Post-hibernation however, it is equally as important to inspect and treat a patio in the spring for the bumps and bruises that can occur while we were inside. Thankfully for our weary, cold weather spirits, springtime weather is just around the corner and with the help of these hints on how to spring your patio deck into action; you'll officially be ready for the sun.

1) If your patio is concrete, make sure it's free of cracks before bringing your outdoor furniture out of your garden shed. To do this, first make sure that all of the outdoor decor is cleared off. Then, with either caulk or epoxy, begin to fill in any of the cracks. You'll want to add sand to epoxy for aesthetic purposes - making it a perfect match of the concrete - and then smooth over the epoxy just as you would flatten out concrete itself.

2) Using a concrete sealant after filling in the cracks will help prevent future cracking. You should first make sure the area is swept, and cleaned with an acidic cleaning agent to best remove stains, before applying the sealant to the patio.

3) Look over all of the patio furniture for damaged areas and reconfigure the pieces on the patio. You may notice a bit of rust or patina to the garden furniture, so if necessary repaint, reupholster, or purchase new additions as needed. Set them out according to a plan you have in mind from the previous year, or adjust as necessary.

4) Speaking of new additions, one thing you'll definitely want to add this year, if you don't have one already, is a grill. Together with the outdoor furniture, bringing a grill into the scene adds a charming outdoor dining effect and is convenient for warm summer parties. If you have one already, make sure it's positioned right where you want it, equipped with its tools and gas or coal, and polished up for use.

If you take some time to go through these simple steps of ensuring your patio is topped off with all cracks filled, all outdoor furniture touched up, and with a new sealant, all you will need then is to pull out the grill and do some entertaining to officially get rid of the winter blue

Tag : patio deck,patio furniture,spring,deck

Patio Furniture Collection: Choose the Idea, Choose the Theme, and Choose the Material

Home is where your heart belongs and in order to make a home, there are certain things you have to do such as decorating it with specific furniture. When it comes to decorate your house, you need some idea and concept, just to make it look wonderful yet comfortable enough to live in. After you know the idea, you can choose the first area or room. You can start the project from the inside to the outside, or the opposite way. Supposed that you choose to decorate the garden first as it is the common place for you to spend some family times, especially on holiday when barbeque party is thrown.

Nothing can beat the atmosphere of gathering with the family. So, to make this family time livelier, perhaps you want to place several appliances and outdoor stuff such as grill, couch, tables, accents and all kind of thing related to patio furniture. Before really choosing the furniture pack, it would be better if you know the specific wooden materials of patio furniture that can help you decide the suitable collection for the garden.

1. Javanese Teak
This teak from Java, Indonesia is known as the hardwood with close grains, high quality of natural oil as well as rubber component. Many people tend to choose Javanese teak due to its natural character: strong, hard, and durable against time, harsh weather and even specific condition with a high level of humidity. Place your teak furniture outside the house in every season, it is guaranteed to resist the effect of rotting.

When you order your teak collection, the first color is honey brown. After placing it outside for several days, the natural oil consisted in the wood will evaporate and slowly it will turn into pretty color of silver-gray. You have two options in maintaining this teak collection. First you can preserve the honey brown color by using specific teak protector, and second, if your furniture has gone silver-gray but you wish to get the original color back, you can use the teak cleaner. After coating the furniture, do not forget to cover it to maintain its brownish color.

2. Southern Cypress
Unlike Javanese teak that is known for its hard character, Southern Cypress has the opposite one. This softwood is good and ideal for outdoor furniture because it contains natural oil called cypressene, which covers the wooden surface from bugs and fungus attack as well as decay. After several times of being placed outside, this wood will naturally warp and twist, so you can rest assured it will be more stable and last in the garden for years. The first time you receive your cypress collection, the color is pale honey-like with natural wooden ornament on the surface. Usually, the cypress furniture comes with distressed finish to make it resist over water and certain temperature that can stain its original color.

3. Dark Red Meranti Mahogany
When you look for some patio furniture with durable, Dark Red Meranti Mahogany comes as your personal selection. Just like teak, mahogany is also known as tropical hardwood. The basic character of this wood is extremely strong and hard, as well as stable when facing changing weather. Furniture world knows mahogany for its luster and grains. The color tone of mahogany comes in varied, start from dark brown, deep red and even to old purplish color. If you put your mahogany furniture outside, you can rest assured that it will not shrink, get decay, or even get perforated by insects or mildew. For maintenance, make sure you choose the water retaining finish to protect the wood's stability and durability.

4. Northern White Cedar
Some people tend to choose their furniture based on the natural wooden texture, and if you look for one patio furniture collection, count the Northern White Cedar into your consideration. This softwood cedar type tends to be lighter than any other wood. You do not have to cover your cedar furniture with certain cleaner or protector as it produces natural oil that will protect the surface from any insects and fungus, even when it is left outside.

In its natural state without any preservation, the cedar furniture will turn silvery gray in color. But if you do not desire the color, you can restore its original tone with one coat of some semi-transparent finish, but remember to find one with sunscreen protection. Note that you do not ever try to use sealant for this type of cedar wood as it will inhibit its natural ability of rot resistant.

5. Southern Yellow Pine
If you live nearby the bay or marina, then there is one type of wood that will suit the circumstance, the Southern Yellow Pine. It is a softwood type just like the Northern White Cedar, but is totally different in character where the pine is quite heavy and hard to be broken-down. Pine is known for its extreme resistant and durability, so it will make the best material in facing the humid atmosphere of your area. Just like any other outdoor-type wood, pine can resist mildew as well as insect infestation that attack its surface. Most of the time, you only need soap and water for the pine wood maintenance and cleaning.

These are 5 types of wooden material that you can personally choose before really creating your outdoor theme. Pick the collection that really matches your theme, so when the barbeque party comes, you will be more than ready to celebrate it. Also, make sure to maintain your patio furniture well enough as it will last for years and become the part of family heritage.

Tag :  patio deck,patio furniture,material,collection

How to Stain a Deck - Tips From a Deck Contractor

There are several important aspects of finishing of a deck, and if stain is being used anywhere on your deck project, wood staining is one of them. A good stain will help protect your wood from sun and moisture damage, and when properly maintained, will add greatly to the life span and looks of your sundeck.

There are many different kinds of stains, and a main division between them is whether the product penetrates the wood, or attaches to it topically like a paint. My preference is a penetrating stain, but of course, there are pros and cons to each. For example, a penetrating stain will be much harder to remove should you choose to change pigment, but in return, offers a much better attachment to wood than a topical type.

Preparing The Wood

When applying a stain, the first consideration is the condition of the wood itself. It must be dry for proper adhesion, regardless of the type of stain used. Ideally, the wood's moisture content should be no greater than ten percent, and less is better. It is worthwhile using a moisture meter to check. A properly cured and dried wood will save labour and materials in the long run. I recommend sound planning that includes either buying dry or kilned wood stock for immediate use, or arranging storage for wet wood and then air drying it. A general rule for air drying is one year per inch of thickness. Use "stickers," squared or rectangular sticks of at least one inch thickness placed at right angles to your deck stock and every three to four feet apart along its length, and keep the weather from it.

Another important consideration is whether your wood deck surface will be smooth or rough. Rough decking means wood that has come directly from the sawmill, and has not been planed smooth using, guess what?... a mechanical device called a planer. It will not usually be dry enough to stain at this point. Rough deck wood offers a rugged look, and requires only cleaning to remove sawdust and accumulated dirt. If the wood is really dirty, don't buy it, but most accumulation can be removed using a stiff bristled brush (avoid wire brushes unless they have thin, pliable bristles and are used gently). Do not wash it using water. Instead, search for wood washing products at your building supply store, or using the internet. There are several good ones out there.

Most people prefer a smooth deck surface, however. Assuming your wood is dry and seemingly smooth, it is not yet ready for stain, and this is the only disadvantage to planed wood: it needs sanding. This is because of "planer hammer," a state resulting from the planning process that compresses the surface fibres of wood. This compression actually decreases the permeability of wood to coatings, topical or penetrating. Experiment a little on a scrap. An 80 grit sandpaper applied to the wood surface with even pressure will remove compressed surface fibres. To regain the smooth surface that you're looking for, finish off the sanding process with 120 grit, and continue with 180 grit if you're really finicky. Remember that this is not a cabinetry finish being applied; it is a surface that will take a beating from deckchairs, feet, and weather.

Note that sanding to remove planer hammer is particularly important on horizontal surfaces, and less so on vertical ones such as railing pales. Overall, these horizontal surfaces such as the deck surface itself and railing tops will bear most of the wearing influences.

Applying Coats

Probably one of the most important questions that comes up with staining projects is, How many coats? One coat stains are usually penetrating stains. They usually cost more, but save labour. I usually apply at least two coats of any stain regardless of type, but more is better. Never apply a coat thickly thinking this will save time. Nor do I sand between coats because I'm not going for a cabinetry finish. If you want this, experiment on scraps. It will pay off in terms of looks and longevity of deck coating, but add a lot of labour to your project unless you have specialised sanding equipment on hand. As always, research products thoroughly, ask questions, and once you've decided on a stain, read the label carefully.

Most of our staining projects are required in areas less than ideal for stain application. Because I take no chances at this important finishing stage, I've taken to ensuring dry applications that will guarantee good adhesion, despite what the nearby ocean or rainforest choose to do on a given day. This means using a weatherproof garage, or even setting up an outdoor shed to keep the weather off my projects. Such measures create a short term pain, long term gain scenario, but for me, means keeping to the production schedule. Yes, this means staining a board or two at a time, then, if possible, standing shorter lengths of wood up to dry to save space. I've never sprayed stain, believing a brushed-on finish more effective, but many will argue for spray-on applications. This approach makes a lot of sense when staining lathwork, which is a common application, and requires arduous brush time. At present, were I to spray on a stain, I would only do so on vertical surfaces which withstand weather much better.

Do You Have to Stain?

Finally, we come to the question of whether or not to stain. A properly applied stain protects the wood as mentioned, but if you're using a wood like heartwood cedar that resists inclement conditions, this consideration is largely an aesthetic one. Uncoated wood will generally turn grey within days. Also, some stains are not "green" products, requiring various processes that negatively affect the environment from manufacture to application and clean up. Fortunately, thanks to the internet, researching products that suit your needs is easier than ever.

I've almost forgotten to mention one very important element of getting a good stain coating on wood: some people enjoy doing it. And as is usually the case when pleasure in a job well done is involved, the result will be better. If you're planning a staining project, find this kind of person and treat them well.

Tag :  patio deck,stain,deck contractor,deck

Cedar Patio Chairs - A Safe and Reliable Patio Deck and Garden Choice

For optimum comfort and style cedar patio chairs are the way to go. These durable and well constructed chairs can last for many years to come. As opposed to the other types of chairs that will need to be replaced every other year or so. They come in all of styles that we have all grown to love and enjoy.

Cedar Adirondack chairs are by far the most commonly found chair among all of the cedar chairs available. This is probably because they are so comfortable in any material that when going for a better material it is safe to get an Adirondack. Many people would prefer a less common chair for their patio but none the less they stick with the high quality of cedar.

Rocking chairs are also a high demand cedar seat. Everyone loves to sit in a rocking chair and rock away their daily stresses. A cedar rocking chair almost rocks them away faster. Because of the comfort, long life and ability to deal with the different weather that we can often have, without showing the weathered look.

Cedar patio chairs are more often than not the preferred seating for most consumers. This seems to be primarily because of the ease of maintaining them, the little to no need for storage and or shelter from the harsh weather conditions that we are subject to. Even though the possibilities for cedar patio chair design are nearly endless, you might want to think of how your seat will be used most often.

If it is going to be put to use for simply relaxing as you watch birds flying by a high back cedar chair might be what will best meet your needs. On the other hand you may want to take a nap listening to the birds singing to you, in this case consider a cedar bench or even a cedar chaise lounge. Regardless of the final decision in the exact piece of cedar chair you will be adding to your patio the same holds true for all cedar patio furniture, the comfort is never compromised.

Cedar patio chairs have, and might always will be, the superior choice for the ultimate in comfort ability, and style. Cedar patio chairs come, with just craftsmanship alone, a certain guarantee when considering its ability to last a long time. Other wood materials such as pine and spruce have proven to be in a class far below that of cedar, and this is shown every other year or so when it's time to either fix, or replace your furniture not made from cedar. With all the styles available for cedar patio chairs, it's almost amazing that manufacturers even waste their times with the lesser bunch.

Tag :  patio deck,cedar patio,garden,patio chairs