Wood Patio Covers – The Best Choice For Your Home

Wood patio covers can definitely add some real interest to your patio, not to mention functionality.

Besides mowing the grass and some light landscaping, when is the last time you spent some time making the outside of your home look better and more functional? If you're like most homeowners, most of your beautification efforts are aimed at improving the inside. Here we'll concentrate on making the outside better by simply improving your patio.

Most people would get a lot more use out of this area by simply adding a patio cover. And if you want one that looks great, and will increase your home's overall value, then wood patio covers are definitely the way to go. Wood simply looks elegant and romantic, while providing many functional benefits as well.

But first let's talk about why you need a patio cover. The shade it gives will let you sit outside even when the hot summer sun is beating down. And the cover will protect you from other elements as well. Now you can sit outside and enjoy a warm summer rain while not getting wet. You can enjoy a cool shower while staying dry in the evening. And of course we already mentioned it will add value to your property.

If all this sounds good to you, then you simply need to decide on what kind of patio cover to get. We think that although there are many choices, wood is best because it provides flexibility. You can create a cover that is unique. Wood, when treated, will hold up well in all the elements. And of course wood will always look good.

Start your project by choosing a wood that will compliment your the look of your home. If you want to paint it, pinewood is a good choice because it keeps paint nicely. The problem with pinewood is that it is not available with an anti-rotting agent. Other hardwoods however do, including cedar, redwood and cyprus. If you want to stain the wood, get a long grained wood. This will give you a continuous design that will not be hindered by knots in the wood.

Now let's get creative. Add decorative accents and designs to your patio cover. It's a little extra work but well worth it because you'll be making your patio cover more stylish, and more valuable. You can use arbors and lattice. These are ornate, intricate and beautiful. Use them in combination to make something truly unique.

When you begin your project, you may be tempted to buy into one of those pre-made patio kits. Know up front that most are made with artificial wood. They are not durable and in fact, in many cases, you'll need to add real wood for support. Why not do it right and use real wood for the whole thing.

Some companies are even marketing wood patio kits for people who like to do things themselves. If you've ever seen a wood floor being placed down, then you'll understand how these kits work. They are made from tiles that interlock. The advantage to this is that they are easy to take apart and clean, and they are even easy to move to another location if that's in your future plans.

But if you want to get the best cover for your patio, a solid wood patio cover is certainly a good way to go.

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August 24 2008 | Home Improvement | No Comments »

Unfinished Kitchen Cabinets Are Inexpensive Alternative

Remodeling a kitchen can cost a lot of money. For a less expensive way to give your kitchen a whole new appearance, consider getting unfinished kitchen cabinets.

Unfinished cabinets are a great way to save money and give your kitchen a personal look. No one will have cabinets that look exactly like yours. You can paint them, stain them or even give them a clear coating so they look as unfinished as possible.

There are many stores that sell unfinished furniture, such as cabinets. Take a look at what's available. You may notice there are framed and unframed cabinets. The framed ones have decorative edges around the storage space. They are pretty but if you have large platters or pitchers, you may have difficulty in getting them into a framed cabinet. Unframed cabinets look great in kitchens that are more modern in their design.

As with most products, some cabinets are of high quality. Others are not. If your kitchen cabinet is meant to be more than just decorative, make sure the shelves and drawers use wood at least ?-in. thick so they can hold your items safely.

Try to think about how you plan to finish the wood before you buy it. Store personnel should be able to tell you if the wood you select will effectively absorb the stain you want. Try to get a sample of the wood used. You can use that sample to test paint and stain samples before using it on the cabinet.

Some people feel it is best to use inexpensive wood if you plan to paint, stain or glaze it. However you must be sure the wood is used with top-notch hardware and that the overall piece is well-made or else the end result will be shoddy.

You should also check to make sure the wood matches throughout the piece. If different types of wood are used, the difference could be notable once you are done finishing it. In general pine, elm, ash, maple, oak, birch and beech are light woods. Hickory and mahogany are dark woods. There is also a midrange that includes cherry, teak, rosewood and butternut. Keep these types in mind when you stain or glaze your piece so the different components will come out looking the same.

If you need help with your finishing project, search online or go to a home improvement store. Store personnel are trained to answer any questions you may have. They also often offer workshops in finishing furniture. Community colleges also offer one-day classes.

If you need extra storage space in your kitchen, try looking at unfinished cabinetry. This is a fun, relatively inexpensive project. With care, you will be very pleased with the results. You may find that you have discovered a new hobby in the process.

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August 24 2008 | Home Improvement | No Comments »