Lighting your gas fireplace is crucial in order to experience the warmth and magnificence they can provide. Contrary to a conventional lumber burning up fireplace, a gas fireplace is commonly self-starting. Unlike an electric fire place, a gas fire place demands the use of a pilot light in order to light, similar to a gas stove or water heater.

1. Look in your fireplace to find a small flame, which is known as the pilot light. If you don’t notice this flame, then you need to first light up the pilot before you can fire up your gas fireplace. Instructions for lighting the pilot light are as follows:
2. In case you have a decorative front panel or grill on your gas fireplace, always take it off before lighting your pilot.
3. Your own valves might be located at the rear of a panel. If that’s the case, locate this particular panel and open it to access your valves and buttons.
4. Make certain all of your controls are shut off and the pilot is really shut off.
5. Double check to ensure that the control valve and main gas valve are switched off. If the control valve or main gas valve is on, switch it off and wait around at least five minutes to permit any gas to clear before you continue. This vital step will assist you in preventing mishaps with your gas fireplace.
6. Remove any inner glass doors if you haven’t already done this.
7. Smell all around the fire place to make sure that there isn’t any gas present that might ignite when you start the pilot. Make sure to smell near the floor because the gas is heavier than the surrounding air. Should there be, permit the fireplace to air out no less than five minutes before you continue. If the gas odor doesn’t clear and you have checked again to ensure that all of the valves are turned off, you will want to call an professional to determine if there are leaks.
8. If there’s no gas odor present, switch the main valve on as well as the control valve to pilot.
9. Push the control valve in approximately one fourth of an inch as you are turning. If you cannot push the control valve inward using only your own hand, phone a skilled technician. Don’t use any kind of items to try to press the control valve. Forcing the valve isn’t just a fire hazard, but may even lead to explosion.
10. Press the pilot valve in at least fifteen seconds but up to thirty seconds and push the piezoelectric spark igniter several times at an interval of once for each second to switch the pilot light on. Once the pilot light is turned on, a tiny flame should appear. In case the pilot light won’t remain on after repeated attempts, phone a qualified specialist.
11. Hold the pilot valve in for 60 seconds or more in order to heat up your thermopile. Once the thermopile has been warmed up, your burner will start.
12. As soon as burner is activated, switch the control valve to on and modify the thermostat to your preferred settings. The thermostat control might be a switch in the bottom panel, a standard light switch, dimmer, or it may be started utilizing a remote control.

Change the internal glass door, any bottom access panel, decorative glass panel or grill and ensure it’s properly clamped to the front of your respective fire place. Enjoy your fire place!

A natural gas fireplace can bring the warmth and tradition of a fireplace to your home without all the mess that comes with burning wood. Visit Gas Fireplace Headquarters for more information!

If you live in a rural area you may have no trouble finding or buying real stone or slate tiles for creating garden paths and patios. You may even have easy access to attractive landscape rocks at reasonable prices. But if you live in a city, or even in a suburb, steppingstones, pavers, and rocks may be very costly, if you can find them at all. Landscape supply stores or hardware stores may sell concrete or plaster rocks and pavers, but they usually are very costly. That’s where concrete stone molds enter the picture.

With concrete, cement, and plaster molds you can make your own cast manufactured stones, brick veneer, pavers, and steppingstones very inexpensively. You can choose the sizes and shapes you want and finish them with the colors and textures that fit with your decor.

You do not have to be an artist, a craftsman, or a carpenter to make manufactured stone pieces from molds. The step-by-step instructions that accompany stone-making kits tell you exactly what you need to do to create and finish products. You can, of course, buy all the molds, materials, and finishes separately, but you save money when you buy a complete do-it-yourself kit, plus you get the complementary instructions.

Following are the basic directions for making your own custom stone, tile, pavers, and bricks with concrete and molds:

-Apply a mold release product to the molds. This will make it easier to remove the finished product from the mold and will give the mold a longer life. (Oil used to be used as a release product, but is no longer recommended.)

-Follow the directions to mix the amount of concrete or plaster you need for your project. The mix should be stiff, but not too dry.

-Add colorant. There are many techniques for adding dry or liquid colorant to get the effect you want. You can have bright or subtle colors, solid colors or marbled colors.

-Scoop the mix into the mold. How full you fill the mold depends on the product you are making.

-Right after you fill the mold, bounce it up and down to compact the mixture and break up bubbles.

-Put the filled mold on a flat surface out of direct sun. Cover it with a piece of plastic. Leave the mold alone for 24 hours or more, letting it dry slowly. The longer it sits the stronger it gets.

-To remove the product from the mold, turn the mold over so the face of the mold is looking up. Gently lift the mold off from the corners.

-Cover the stones, bricks, tiles, etc. with plastic and put them in a protected area to let them cure for one-to-two weeks before applying a protective sealer. The type of sealer and number of coats needed depends on the amount of wear and exposure the products will have.

Remember, you do not have to have experience working with concrete in order to make attractive stones, tiles, bricks, and pavers from molds for just pennies each.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web.
Learn more about Concrete Stone Molds.

If you are planning on attempting a small DIY concrete job it is extremely important that you calculate the correct amount of concrete to order. Concrete is always ordered in cubic meters.

First off you need to identify what the new concrete area will be used for.

ie: Footpath, garden shed, driveway

Different concrete applications require different thickness’s.

Use this as a basic guide for square and rectangle areas

Footpath – 80mm thick
Small shed slab – 80mm thick
Driveway for standard size cars – 100mm

Use the formula below -

L = Length W= Width H = Height or thickness

(L) x (W) x (H)

driveway:

If the driveway is 5 meters long x 4 meters x 100mm thick

5×4x.1= 2 cubic meters of concrete required

The same formula can be applied to strip footings, steps etc.
To work out the required concrete for a triangle area the formula is as follows:

1/2 = half B = base H = height

1/2 (B)x(H) this gives you the square meters of the area, with this square meter amount the cubic meter volume can then be worked out

If a triangle has a base length of 5 meters and a height of 4 meters the equation would look like this

2.5×4 = 10 sq meters (2.5 is half of the base height being 5)

Now that we have the square meters of the triangle area we can work out the cubic meter volume

10 (sq mtrs) x.1 = 1 cubic meter

There are quite a few different types of concretes available inc. plain, coloured, exposed aggregate, terrazzo, limestone, light weight, eco concrete etc

There are a few main factors which affect the type of concrete required. Different applications may require more strength or a large aggregate size etc

For a standard driveway the type of concrete you would order is 25/14/80

25 = 25 MPa 14 = 14 mm aggregate size 80 = 80 slump

For a footpath the type of concrete required would be 20/14/80

For footing the mix would be 25/14,20/80

During winter or colder months the mix would also need to be a “Winter mix”. A winter mix has a low dose of accelerant in it to help speed up the curing time.

During summer a decellerant may need to be used to slow the concrete curing time down.

Paying careful attention to the points listed will help the DIY to not only save money on over ordering concrete but choosing the correct type of concrete to order.

http://www.davincioutdoor.com.au

There is nothing more relaxing and enjoyable than sitting around a fire on cold night. Both kids and adults love the warmth of an open fire. Whether melting marshmallows on the flames or just enjoying the mild heat while watching the flames, a fire pit is an excellent way to make a wonderful night. Setting up a fire pit is easy. Here are some tips to build the fire pit and have it ready by night to roast marshmallows with your love ones.

Your fire pit should be located as far away as possible from trees or anything that could easily catch fire. A leveled ground is the ideal location, but you can solve slight slope problems by being creative with the design. Make sure there are no cables, natural gas pipes, or wires under the location you have chosen. Having these sorts of things under your fire pit could be dangerous, especially natural gas pipes.

Drive a stake in the ground that you have chosen to build the fire pit. Then, you want to tie a string to the stake and put a nail or a smaller stake at the other end of the string. Then, count around 1 and a half or 2 feet from the stake. Do a circle around the stake and mark it with some flour, spray paint, or chalk to make it visible. Remove any grass from inside the circle and dig a hole that is about 1 foot in depth. The sides should be kept as straight as possible. Right in the middle of the fire pit; dig a hole that is from 6 to 8 square inches and 12 inches in depth.

Take out the dirt from the bottom of the hole and put in around 4 inches of pea gravel. The gravel should also fill the deeper hole in the center. If the fire pit is located in a slope the best way to level it is to add more gravel on one side. This helps drain any liquid from the pit and the hole in the center acts like a sump to help with the drainage.

On top of the gravel, add around 3 inches of sand to prevent fire from spreading to any roots that might lie under the pit. Then, stack at least two rows of stones on the circle you marked before. It is advisable to dry stack the stones to replace any broken stones more easily in the future. In addition, by using adhesives to hold the stone is not a very good idea. Chemical adhesives melt and release fumes that are harmful for both your health and the environment.

Pile some dry wood in the center of the fire pit and now all you have to do is call some friends, family or someone you really care about to spend an awesome evening with them. Now cold winter nights do not have to be boring anymore. With your fire pit, you can spend many great nights and strengthening relationships with your loved ones.

Looking for a great ladder? Visit www.gorillaladder.net for all the information and resources you need to pick one for all your home improvement needs.

The best way to deal with a pothole is to catch it early. The faster the problem is addressed, the less of a problem it will be. Both asphalt potholes and concrete potholes are the inevitable result of rain. Rain helps breakdown the surface of asphalt and concrete. Pavement is always under pressure and hairline cracks soon grow. With continued stress and water, small chunks are worked loose and are eventually pulled out of the surface by vehicle tires. This becomes a pothole which will continue to grow until it is fixed.

Tip # 1 Repair the Pothole As Soon As Possible
There are three main types of pothole repair products– cold asphalt, hot asphalt, and polyurethane. Longer-lasting than cold asphalt, hot asphalt is mixed around 350 F. The repair and compaction must be done while the asphalt is still hot. Asphalt potholes cannot be repaired with hotmix in rainy weather. Cold asphalt is mixed and used at lower temperature than hot asphalt. Cold asphalt is easy to work, compact and repair potholes with, but does not last as long as other repairs. It also needs time to dry and solidify. The sooner it is exposed to water the faster it will fail. Polyurethane repairs are done in any season provided the pothole can be dried. Although they can be more costly up front, polyurethane repairs last longer.

Tip # 2 Repair the Pothole with a Polyurethane Repair Product
While polyurethane repairs are the only option in wet weather, the surface still must be dried thoroughly. If you can catch a lull in the rain, use a butane torch to dry the area completely before mixing your materials.

Tip # 3 Dry the Pothole with a Torch
If you cannot wait for a break in the rain, or rain starts during your repair, use some kind of Easy-up or shade to keep the rain off and dry the pothole.

Tip # 4 Cover the Pothole with a Sun Shade or Easy-Up If Rain Starts
To begin the repair of an asphalt pothole or concrete pothole repair, use Roklin’s FloMix for Asphalt repair and FlexSet for concrete. Both FloMix and FlexSet provide a fast-setting repair with almost no interruption of service. Once the damaged area is clean and dry, sweep or blow out cracks so there is no loose debris. If you have a blower or compressor available, use that. Place the aggregate provided in the FloMix or FlexSet package to fill in some of the pothole, without going above the damaged area. Stay within about one half to one inch from the surface.

Using the polyurethane repair material, carefully pour contents of bottle “a” into provided 5-gallon bucket then add special sand and aggregate. Next, shake bottle “b” thoroughly and pour into mixture. Mix with a paddle-mixer, using a drill. (For very large jobs, we recommend using a motorized pail mixer). When mixture is completely wet, pour FloMix onto asphalt pothole repair or FlexSet into your concrete pothole repair and use a trowel or lute to smooth material into cracks. When damaged area becomes sufficiently smooth, toss topping sand by hand over repaired area to create a uniform look and feel. The new pothole repair can be ready for traffic in less than an hour.

FlexSet and FloMix asphalt for asphalt pothole repair and concrete pothole repair are available for purchase through the Roklin web site at www.roklinsystems.com or call 1-888-FlexSet. Other concrete and asphalt repair materials are also available.

The ultimate function of these outdoor patio umbrellas would be to create shaded areas to enjoy time outside. They also complement a décor on a patio or deck that serves as an additional living space outside the home. Due to prolonged usage, the patio umbrellas would become old and worn or it will be damaged from inclement weather conditions. However it can be repaired quite easily in many cases and brought back to functional state.

The outdoor patio umbrellas can get pretty dirty after a full season outside in the elements. The umbrellas would be exposed to various elements like falling leaves, berries, seeds and bird droppings. Hence it is essential to give the umbrella a good cleaning before it is stowed away for the winter. Since the patio umbrellas are bulky, cleaning them would be a time consuming task. But make sure that you clean it properly to increase its shelf life.

You can begin the cleaning process by making a protective surface on the ground. You can use a bunch of towels, a tarp or an old blanket. The protective surface should be big enough to accommodate the umbrella when it is fully open. Open the umbrella completely and lay it on its side on the protective surface in such a way that no part of the umbrella would touch the ground. Once the umbrella is opened you need to check if the fabric can be removed from it. The fabric of some of the patio umbrellas can be removed and that would be easier for cleaning.

You need to use a hose to wet the umbrella. If you are not able to find a hose, you can pour clean water from bucket onto the surface. Make someone hold the umbrella in place to keep it from rolling off the protective surface. Fill a bucket with clean, warm water mixed with a mild detergent. You can use dish washing soap or laundry detergent. Using a cloth or soft sponge you need to start scrubbing the umbrella. If tough stains are present, you need to brace the area by putting your hand on the other side of the fabric. Poles and other hard surfaces can be cleaned using a rag soaked in warm soapy water.

Remember to use mild soap and a damp cloth to wipe down frame parts. For cleaning vinyl umbrellas you can get a convertible top cleaner from an automotive goods store. This is because soap and water is not enough to clean the vinyl umbrellas. For better cleaning process, you need to buy an outdoor patio umbrella that has a removable canopy which can be cleaned in the washing machine. Make sure that you don’t use abrasive cleaners on the frame or pole of the umbrella.

Rinse the umbrella with clean water to remove the soap and dirt. You need to thoroughly rinse to make sure that soap residues are not left on the umbrella. Keep the umbrella opened in the sun for drying before storing it inside.

John peter who is an author wrote this article. Get reliable patio water misters, water mist fan and high pressure misting fans from cool-off.com.

You’ll need to think about how to keep your enthusiasm going when learning how to build a deck step by step, so here’s some things that will keep you going. If you’re building a deck for your own home, the process can really be fun.

Deciding on Materials

Setting up string line and pacing dimensions can be done relatively quickly. If your configuration isn’t correct, just move a stake or two until it’s where you like it. Once the outline of the deck is established, the next thing is to decide on the materials for the decking surface.

Sometimes the type of decking you’ll go with will depend on the availability of the materials. In some areas of the country, 2″ redwood decking is more prevalent than spruce, and other localities might have stacks of 2″ doug fir at a great price.

Know Your Measurements

It’s always better to have more square footage material for your deck surface when deciding on decking material. This is what’s referred to as allowable waste, and if you’re not completely familiar with how to build a deck, step by step, you’re going to find this is a smart calculation.

Everything looks fine on paper, but once the project is underway, you’ll have a few odd cuts here and there, and maybe decide to run some extra blocking under the barbecue area.

Get a Little More Wood Than You Need

The 2″ deck joists, 4″ girders and posts and 2″ bracing are readily available, and they can be figured relatively close in terms of overall footage. Some like to add an extra joist and a couple of 2×4’s for the same reason they factor 5% over on decking.

However, if one already knows how to build a deck, step by step, that same person knows, a little extra is better than being short. If you don’t want to run out of framing material, consider this an insider tip.

Post anchors, post hole mix and metal post anchors can be bought anywhere building materials are sold.

The layout of the girders will determine the layout of the concrete footings for the girder posts. A good rule of thumb to employ is not to us anything over 8′ span when it comes to posts and girders that support the deck joist.

Attaching the Deck to the House

If the overall measurement happens to leave 10′ at one end, simply add another post. If the deck attaches to the house, and the distance from that point to the outside edge of the deck is 16′ or less, you will need one girder. The deck will need 2 girders if the distance is 18′. Handrails are a consideration in terms of materials needed in building a deck.

Beware of Building Codes

The building code in many localities specifies, where the deck surface is less than 18″ above the grade, handrails are not required. If you’re planning on having handrails, the intermediate rails or vertical balusters cannot have more than 4″ open space between them.

The department of buildings has specifications outlining how to build a deck step by step. After the layout of the deck, the next step in how to build a deck step by step is the concrete post footings and girder posts.

All you need are a chalk line and a saw to trim the edge of the deck. This is the part of the project where one can get the shape of deck to their complete liking.

Planning on building a deck from scratch or maybe you just want to learn how to build woodworking projects? Having the right downloadable woodworking plans is crucial. Download over 14,000 woodworking plans with easy step by step instructions with this easy to follow blueprint. If you want to learn how to build sheds from scratch, visit My Shed Plans.

Typically these types of woods are very dense, making it difficult for stains to be absorbed. Additionally, they can contain a high amount of natural oils making them resistant to penetration. For these reasons, they need to be treated a little differently when staining. That’s not to say that they can’t be stained, they just need to be treated a little differently. Don’t fret though. I’ve outlined a few basics for you. “11 Keys” as I like to refer to them, that when followed, will help ensure that your project looks like it was stained by a Pro!

1. Let the Wood Weather

As I said in the opening, exotic hardwoods are dense and they can contain a large amount of natural oils that will work to block any wood stain that you try to apply from penetrating. So let Mother Nature help you out. Once your deck has been built, allow nature’s elements to help break down the surface of the wood and dry it out so that stains will be more easily absorbed. The sun, the wind and the rain can do wonders. The more the wood weathers, the easier it will be to stain it and the longer your staining job should last.

2. Start With a Stripper

Even if your wood is brand new and has never been stained, it is still a great idea to start your project off by applying a stain stripper, such as Defy Exterior Wood Stain Stripper. Stain strippers are formulated using sodium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide is an aggressive chemical that can be very effective at breaking down the surface of the wood, opening up its pores and making it more absorbent. Remember, the more stain that you can get the wood to absorb, the longer your project is going last.

3. Don’t Forget to Brighten

Yes, you have to brighten the deck too, even if you’re working with brand new wood. I know it seems kinda’ funny, having to brighten new wood but the brightener will do a couple of things for you. First, it will neutralize the effects of the stripper that you used previously. You always have to use an acid brightener after using an alkaline stripper. Secondly, in a similar fashion to the stripper, the brightener will also help to open up the porosity of the wood even further. Again, the more stain that you can get the wood to absorb the longer your project will last.

4. Take a Good Long Break

Good news. You can take the rest of the day off, take two if you like. The important thing now is to allow the wood to dry out from all of the cleaning you’ve just done. The drier the wood gets, the better it will absorb the stain and again, the more stain that you can get the wood to absorb the longer your project will last. So take a day or two off and let things dry off before you start to think about applying the stain.

5. Not Any Old Stain Will Work

Your next big decision is what stain to use. Don’t screw up here. Not just any stain will do. Certain stains have been formulated for better penetration, making them ideal for hardwoods. Most manufacturers offer a product in this category. Defy Deck Stain for Hardwoods is extremely durable, water-based and Eco-friendly. It’s both easy to use and easy on the environment. Whatever stain you select, make sure that you choose one that has been specifically formulated for use on exotic hardwoods and other difficult to penetrate lumber.

6. Ask for Directions

For the female audience, I’m confident that you’ll get this next step correct. However, all you men out there, ASK FOR DIRECTIONS. Everything that you need to know about the product that you are going to use is on the back of the can. Take a few minutes before you start and read it. The directions will make you aware of any particulars to the product that can effect how the job turns out. What is the dry time, how many coats should you apply, how much time between coats, is there a critical recoat time? There can be any number of things that you can pick up by reading the back of the can. Take a minute and read the directions.

7. Brushing Is Critical

These next few keys are really important so please pay attention. First, regardless of how you apply the stain (e.g., rolling, spraying) it absolutely 100% must be brushed. If you roll it on first, simply back brush it in after it’s rolled on but while it is still wet. The same goes for spraying. “Why must I go to all of that trouble?” you ask. It’s a simple explanation. When you brush the stain, the brush creates a friction on the surface, breaking the surface tension of the wood and working the stain in to the pores of the wood. You get a much better penetration of the stain. Remember, the more stain that you can get the wood to absorb, the longer your project will last.

8. Wipe Off Any Excess

Ok, this one might throw you a little, but again, it’s important. If you apply too much stain to the wood (more stain than what the wood can absorb), wipe off the excess. We don’t think twice about wiping off excess stain when we are staining interior wood. My advice is to do the same if you over-apply stain on exterior hardwoods. The reason is simple. First, for aesthetics. When you apply too much stain, it puddles on the surface and looks bad. Secondly, over time those spots are likely to flake and peel. So how much stain should you apply? Only as much as the wood can easily absorb.

9. Let It Cure

At this point the deck is done. If you’ve taken your time and followed these steps, you’ve got a great looking project going. Don’t mess up now, let things dry. Leave the furniture in the yard and the dog in the house while the stain has a chance to cure out. Come back tomorrow and put things back together. You’ll be glad that you waited a day to do it.

10. Manage Your Expectations

Now here’s some advice that I hope you accept. Manage your expectations. Remember, you’ve selected an exotic wood for your deck, a beautiful grade of lumber with extreme durability. Regardless of how good of a job you did in every step of this process you will never get the stain to last as long as it would on a more porous species of wood, such as pressure treated pine. But also realize that every time you stain it you’ll get a little longer life out of your project. Time will continue to help the wood become more porous and as it does, it will absorb stain better each time.

11. Keep An Eye On Things

Lastly, you’ve put in a great deal of time and energy to stain your deck the right way, so keep an eye on things. As time goes on and the stain begins to fade and wear down, apply a maintenance coat. Don’t let things erode so far that you’re forced to strip everything off and start all over. It’s pretty easy and it doesn’t take much time to simply rinse things off and apply a fresh coat of stain.

So that’s it. That’s everything. Eleven keys to successfully staining exotic hardwoods. Go ahead and try these eleven keys for yourself. See what the results are when you set out on your next project to do it like a pro. You might just surprise yourself!

Dave R. Barnes
Vice President, SaverSystems
Weatherproofing Solutions for Concrete, Masonry and Wood
http://www.saversystems.com

Patios are a beautiful concept of building an outdoor sitting arrangement which can be as luxurious as the insides of the house. There are millions of patio ideas which people use to beautify the space in their backyards which is usually never used other than for barbecues. Sometimes people who have smaller backyards, think they can’t do much with it because of limited space. But patios look the best, when they are built in cozy areas with concrete tiles and luscious green lawns. You can also make use of garden ideas for small backyards, to give the garden a beautiful landscaped look in the form of a patio. Thus, if you love building and landscaping there are some great patio ideas for small backyards mentioned in the coming up paragraphs just for you!

Patio Design Ideas

When you think of a small backyard in your home, it is obvious to run out of ideas on how to redesign it. Some like to make a tiny garden out of it so that there are ornamental plants which can grow around along with a small lawn. But making a garden would take double the amount of time, money, space and efforts than building a patio with furniture and potted plants to decorate it. There are so many designs which one can use in order to recreate attractive patio ideas for small spaces, which also make your home look complete and cozy. There are also a number of shapes and sizes that can be used to incorporate these economical and smart patio ideas within a limited space. Thus, if you are waiting to find out what these patio ideas for small backyards could be, read on and find out.

Water Additions
One of the most elegant addition to a small backyard to be made attractive is to build a patio with a fountain or a pond in it. There is no requirement of building large water bodies, but a simple vertical fountain surrounded with brick patio designs and potted plants like palms would just do the charm. Use concrete tiles to give it a more natural look and add bamboo furniture for the seating (a cane swing looks lovely). You can also use different styles of patio umbrellas for relaxing purposes. This way, your small backyard wouldn’t look small anymore and still get a very unique natural and cozy feeling to it.

Shady Patios
If you want a garden in your small backyard, you can simply have the best made in the smallest of spaces. There are many patio ideas for small gardens where you can first lay the floor of the patio with either stone or concentrate tiles and then build a 2 to 3 feet tall deck around it. This will not only personalize the space but make it useful for placing a fire pit too. To create a shady surrounding in your backyard patio, you can either plant fast growing colorful perennials (takes longer), or keep potted palms around the area. Add a wooden privacy fence and grow a few creepers on it.

Stone Patios
If you want to have a lovely looking stone landscape in your backyard, all you have to do is build it! The beauty of having stone patio ideas for small backyards is that, even though the space is limited you can create an absolute natural environment around it. Using stone tiles for stone patio designs is the best thing to do, as it will contribute majorly to the effect. As mentioned above, you can build a half sized wall to make an enclosure, where your patio furniture or fire pit can be seated. With the help of some beautiful perennials, you can definitely make the whole backyard look like a beautiful interior of woods (like a movie set!).

With these great patio ideas for small backyards you can surely guess, that you don’t need a huge sea facing mansion to build a royal and luxurious patio. Just a simple home with a backyard and an idea is more than enough to make it luxurious!

If, like me, you love to entertain, dine, cook, relax and just live in your own outdoor living area during the warm seasons, you have probably pored over all the magazines that display the wide range of gorgeous options available, creased the corners of pages and made plans in your head for the dream patio that will be yours one day. All that is required to achieve that dream is the appropriate space and sufficient money. However, if also like me, you do not have that money yet, you need a plan for your outdoor living area that will keep your future options open but also meet your present needs and desires. You need to know how to design a functional, comfortable, attractive patio on a tight budget. Three key considerations exist in the process of achieving this goal:

• Understand both the potential and the limitations of the area available.
• Determine how this space can best meet your needs and desires.
• Assess what you already own and still need to furnish your desired outdoor living area.

Recently, my wife and I purchased a new home for our growing family. After the down payment, the purchase of some much needed new interior furniture and the installation of a pool in the backyard, the available funds were used up and the dream patio was slated for future consideration. We needed an interim patio design that would fit our very tight budget; the task of designing and creating that patio fell to me.

My first step in this process was to figure out the potential and the limitations of the patio areas that came with the house we had purchased. I had to begin by measuring the dimensions and taking into account the logistical layout of the existing space. This space consisted of three distinct areas: one cedar deck 12 ft. x 12 ft. with a lattice roof; a second open cedar deck 12 ft. x 16 ft., adjacent to and one step down from the first; and finally, one flagstone patio area 12 ft. x 18 ft. another step down from the second deck and running perpendicular to both decks. Both decks run alongside the property line with a wooden fence border; the flagstone patio runs along the back of the house. The dimensions of these three spaces seem quite large and loaded with potential but their logistical layout puts significant limitations on each one. The first deck is approached by a matching 4 ft. wide cedar deck walkway that runs along the side of the house to a doorway off the kitchen. Traffic flow dictates that this walkway be carried on across the first deck to the second one reducing the usable area of the first deck to 8ft. x 12 ft.; that same traffic flow then turns and runs along the edge of the second deck where it turns back and steps down to the flagstone and turns back once again into the stone stairs leading down to the pool. The second deck therefore has now become an 8 or 9 ft. x 16 ft. living area. The flagstone patio also loses 4 ft. along its entire length as a gate to the street at the far end leads to this area and the same steps to the pool; thus, this patio space is now 8ft. x 18 ft.. The significant limitations of each area become apparent because each 8 ft. space bordered by traffic flow is not an expansive space to work with. My challenge was to know what I wanted out of my outdoor living area and how the available space could accommodate my desires.

Obviously, my second step was to figure out how the patio areas I wanted could fit into the usable space available to me. First, I had to consider the problems. Dining areas need extensive space because dining tables are large and chairs require ample space to move in and out, plus traffic flow needs to be accommodated all around them. An outdoor kitchen or cooking area needs less space but still enough to meet the needs of the cook (in this case, me) and it should have relatively easy access to both the indoor kitchen and the outdoor dining area. Ultimately, a comfortable sitting area became my final consideration in terms of current priorities. The first cedar deck then with its 8 ft. x 12 ft. area became my outdoor kitchen as it was just large enough to fulfill my needs and it allowed me to set up a sit up counter on the other side of the railing down on the adjacent flagstone patio, an option that was high on my list of desires. The second deck, one step down became the dining area because of its proximity to the cooking area and because its layout best allowed for ample traffic flow. The flagstone patio then would contain the sit up counter I wanted and a small comfortable sitting area. Now all I had to do was fill my three areas with the furniture and appliances available to me.

The final stage of my design process then was to fill my various outdoor living areas with dining and patio furniture, and with outdoor kitchen appliances. My budget required me to make use of whatever I already owned and had brought with me from my previous house. In the dining area I set up an old cedar table salvaged from a workshop that I had refurbished and adapted to this purpose; it is a bit small and showing its age somewhat but will do until I can purchase new. A set of inexpensive patio chairs make an adequate compliment to the table for the time being. The kitchen required a bit more creativity. I have a good gas barbecue that I set at the end of the first deck perpendicular to the railing that borders the flagstone patio; this setup forms a wall of sorts between kitchen and dining areas and also allows me to look out and down to the pool area while I cook. At the end of the barbecue opposite the railing, I placed another very old, small, wooden laundry room table with an enameled steel top that I have owned for years. My camp stove sits on this table to provide me with full cooking facilities out of doors; one day I will have a more elaborate system but, again, it is adequate for now. Opposite this table, against the railing I have a wrought iron stand holding a good steel cooler as a makeshift refrigerator. It keeps foods cool enough while waiting to be grilled and holds the beverages I enjoy while cooking. Beside the cooler on the railing side sits an extra workmate workbench (I don’t need two in the garage) on top of which I have large wooden cutting board; thus I have a handy work counter on which to prepare food. Against the back wall, the house wall, for shelving purposes, sits a bakers rack that could not find a home in our new kitchen when we moved. Two chairs sit here as well for the cook and a friend. All these pieces of furniture therefore form a small U-shaped kitchen with a tight work triangle and with easy access to both the dining area and the indoor kitchen. Finally, I needed to set up my sit up kitchen counter. For this purpose I used an old heavy duty cedar potting table discarded from a friend’s greenhouse business. It is 72″ x 30″ and when butted up against the railing so that it runs perpendicular to it, it provides counter seating for five right beside my cooking area – a very popular spot when we are entertaining. The counter stools are also leftovers from the previous house, without a home here until now. The sitting area, for now, has been relegated to the far end of this counter table; it is comprised of a refurbished cedar adirondack love seat and a patio swing set that face each other plus provide a view out over the garden to the pool. There it is: three areas created with no new purchases until our budget is healthy again.

Make no mistake: in the future, when the budget allows, I will make improvements. I will roof over, perhaps add on and screen in, and definitely buy new patio furniture. Never the less, the outdoor living area that I have now is functional and attractive and provides a great deal of enjoyment for myself, my family and our friends. Having a dream patio is a good thing but we all must be able to enjoy what we have while we work hard to afford the dream.

Remember the three key steps:

• Understand the space you have to work with.
• Know what you want and how it fits your space.
• Decide how to furnish your space without too many major purchases.

Keep in mind two important architectural adages: first, form follows function; second, less is more. All that is actually required is a bit of soul searching, some careful measurements and observations, a touch of creativity and, most importantly, a fair degree of forethought and planning.

Kenneth Watson, owner Quality Cedar Patio And Garden

http://www.qualitycedarpatioandgarden.com

We offer high quality clear western red cedar patio furniture and garden features that will complement the outdoor living area of your dreams.

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