If you are in the market for a new patio umbrella, there are many different types to choose from. Patio umbrellas are available in a variety of styles, materials and price ranges and homeowners can always find one to fit the style of their backyard decor or outdoor furniture. A patio umbrella makes a big statement in your backyard space, because it is such a visible object. Therefore, in addition to choosing an umbrella that offers the best functional features, it makes sense to purchase one that offers the best aesthetic features as well.

The first thing to consider is the style of umbrella you want. There are offset and cantilever patio umbrellas that are designed with the pole on the side and the umbrella shade overhanging from the side. These are especially useful if you do not have a patio table with a hole in the middle, since the base and pole sit off to the side and the umbrella covers the area you require shade. Another style is the market umbrella, which is very popular among today’s homeowners. A market patio umbrella has a center pole with spokes that come out to hold the canopy of the umbrella in place. Most market umbrellas are made of wood with a canvas canopy, although the same style is sometimes offered with an aluminum or metal pole and base as well.

Another option to consider is the material your patio umbrella is made from. The materials that the frames of umbrellas are typically constructed of are aluminum, wood, metal or fiberglass. Most umbrella shades are made from canvas or vinyl. Umbrellas can usually be purchased in a wide variety of colors and patterns to match the décor of your backyard space.

Patio umbrellas are also available in a wide assortment of sizes and shapes. Umbrellas can be round, oval, square or rectangular and can fit small tables as well as large ones. Round umbrellas are sold based on the diameter of the shade, while square or oval ones provide the dimensions of the sides to determine size. There are many different sizes and shapes of stock umbrellas available in the stores or online, but if you are looking for something unusual, you can also have a patio umbrella custom made.

When it comes to the cost of patio umbrellas, there are a lot of variables that come into play. Size and shape are a factor, as well as the materials that are used to construct the umbrella. Different manufacturers also offer different pricing. One consideration to keep in mind is that while you may be tempted to purchase the cheapest umbrella you can find, quality is an issue when it comes to this outdoor item. Umbrellas withstand a lot of wear and tear from the wind and other weather elements, so it is best to invest a bit more to get a quality product that will last you for years of continued outdoor use.

No matter what type, style, size, or material you choose for a patio umbrella, this backyard item will add a great deal of functionality to your outdoor space, as well as beauty.

BackyardsAndGardens.com is a premier guide in helping homeowners turn their outdoor space into an oasis. They provide information on how to select the best patio umbrella to meet your functional and aesthetic needs, while remaining within your budget.

Before you purchase anything to decorate your patio, you should first prepare a plan or drawing of your patio area complete with exact measurements. You then need to decide exactly what it is you plan on doing with your patio. Is your patio just for you and your family on a beautiful summer evening? On the other hand, do you plan to host Business meetings or parties?

These are important questions that need answered before you purchase any patio furniture and furnishings. If you plan to host Business luncheons then you perhaps should make sure your patio furnishings are not a cheap plastic table and chair set.
Lay it all out on paper before buying anything. How much space do you have? If you do not have enough space then maybe you should plan to build a bigger deck or patio first.
Once you have got your plans drawn up and you are sure the patio is large enough, it is time to head to the store. Make sure you take your plans with you!

There are plenty of different materials used to make patio furniture. Remember what your main use of the patio will be, that will help you decide on your purchase.
How much care do you want to put into looking after the patio furniture? Do you want to put it away every night? Most people want to leave their patio furniture right where it is all summer. Therefore, you will need something that can stand up to the elements.

Wooden patio furniture needs protecting with oil regularly unless you choose to paint it or perhaps you will decide to keep that rustic gray ‘weathered’ look. Unless you choose Teak Wood, Teak has natural oils that protect it from the environment. Aluminum is lightweight and is perfect for a low maintenance patio setting. Wrought iron patio furniture is an old favorite that suits the English garden look. Wicker outdoor patio furniture coupled with the long lasting qualities of resin is also an option. Cafe style, patio furniture is great for a quick break from your gardening.
For my money, Teak wood patio furniture is the way to go, Teak is an oily dense wood that combines durability, beauty and quality and is great for outdoor furniture. Teak will naturally weather to a beautiful silver-gray.

Teak wood’s density of grain prevents it from splintering. That is the reason why ship builders used it for the ships decks. Teak furniture’s natural oils also resist rot and decay. You can keep the golden appearance of new teak patio furniture by simply oiling the teak every year if you do not wish for it to turn a silvery grey.

As you can see, there are many choices to make when selecting patio furniture. Always have a plan before you go shopping. Patio furniture can really enhance your outdoor living space.

Looking for patio decorating ideas? Our site is a good reference site for finding information on quality teak wood patio furniture and decorating ideas by T.D. Houser

Are you facing bare patio syndrome? Here are some great ideas to dress up your space and make it a welcoming outdoor retreat.

Idea One: Consider your patio’s sun exposure.

If your patio receives sunlight most of the day, you might want to consider purchasing an awning or a shade room, a fabric enclosure fitted over a sturdy metal frame. This can provide a much needed respite from the hot sun; in addition, some shade rooms have side curtains that you can zip shut to keep out insects.

Idea Two: Add Comfortable Seating.

Comfortable seating is a must, and should be a high priority on your list. The most beautiful patio will go unused if the only seating you provide is uncomfortable. Look for furniture with a bit of flex to it, such as wicker, or heavier wooden or metal furnishings with thick, plush cushions.

If your patio is small and you won’t often be sharing it, splurge on one luxurious chair and make it a retreat for one. If you entertain a lot outdoors, invest in a good sized outdoor dining table and comfortable chairs. Don’t forget to place small end tables next to your lounge chairs for a place to rest a cool beverage or the latest best seller.

Idea Three: Add The Finishing Touches.

Once you’ve arranged these major elements on your patio, you can begin to add finishing elements that fit your style and environment. Put the finishing touch on your seating area with small colorful pillows, a thick lap blanket to drape over the arm of one of your chairs, and a decorative outdoor lantern on one of the tables.

Idea Four: Every Patio Is Better With Greenery.

Please don’t forget, a patio is just much more welcoming with plants. Using plants that are native to your area will help to ensure they thrive and are low maintenance. Be sure to include both greenery and some flowers for the best overall effect.

Idea Five: Water Features Are Serene.

Another thing to consider is a water element, which can be very peaceful and relaxing. You can easily introduce the calming sound of water with a small solar fountain. You might try putting some small, smooth rocks in the basin of your fountain for an interesting and personal look, as well as surrounding it with some lush greenery.

Now you’re ready to put your feet, relax, and enjoy your new outdoor retreat!

Visit http://www.patio-ideas-guide.com for many more free and unique patio ideas.

So you know you want to create that perfect outdoor living space in your backyard, but you haven’t decided whether or not it will be a patio or it will be a deck. They’re both great options, but a patio is probably the best way to go. This is especially true for the do it yourself crowd.

Unless you have lots of carpentry experience and have mastered the art of measures and miters, working with wood or composite decking materials can be quite a challenge. Of course it always looks easy, but it’s also easy to make mistakes when cutting all the wood. These mistakes can add up and be quite costly due to wasted time and material.

On the other hand, if you choose a relatively simple pattern, laying a stone, brick, or paver patio can be much simpler for the average do-it-yourselfer. Obviously, the more square the pattern, the fewer cuts are necessary. This makes for a fairly straightforward installation process that can be done over a weekend or two if working with the proper base.

With a deck, you must first set your concrete footings and then build up from there. For a patio, you do have to excavate in order to level the ground, but concrete mixing shouldn’t be necessary. Just dig down several inches, add the proper gravel base then compact with a vibrating compactor you can rent for the weekend. Next, top with builder’s sand and compact again. Once everything is completely level and compacted, you’re ready to start laying your patio floor.

Of course, either a deck or a patio will end up with some accumulation of dirt and mildew. However, a patio can take a good power washing or scrubbing better than a wooden deck. With repeated cleanings, the finish of the deck will quickly disintegrate, which leads to increased maintenance.

Speaking of maintenance, wood decking will need sealing or staining at least every other year or so. Even then, the wood will eventually be damaged from water and sun to the point of needing replacement after several years. A stone or brick patio, though, could easily last a hundred years if properly installed.

All things considered, patios are still continuing to increase in popularity these days, but there are still times when a deck is the perfect option. For example, building a stone patio off a second story or elevated location would pose a severe difficulty, but a deck might work there just perfectly.

Whatever your choice, make sure to do the research and plan properly and you’ll end up with outdoor living space that is perfect for you and will also increase the value of your home. Just remember, measure twice and cut once!

Visit http://www.patio-ideas-guide.com for many more free and unique patio ideas.

Outdoor patio heaters may be a luxury that you have only seen at restaurants and other commercial places. But these days, outdoor patio heaters are showing up more and more often at people’s homes. And why should they not?

When you have an outdoor patio heater, you can continue to enjoy the great outdoors (of your backyard) through not just summer, but spring and fall, too. When you have an outdoor patio heater, you can have outdoor parties and BBQs practically all year round!

So, perhaps you have already decided to buy a one, and you really do not need any extra convincing. In that case, let us get directly to what you should be looking for:

· An electric starter. Most outdoor patio heaters come with electric starters these days, anyhow. Nonetheless, just be sure that yours does as well. It is much safer to use an electric starter than to have to deal with matches and a pilot light.

· Speaking of safety, also be sure that your outdoor patio heater has an automatic emergency shut off, as well. This will ensure that your heater turns off automatically if it is accidentally overturned, etc.

· You must decide whether or not you want a table-top heater, a wall-mounted heater, or a free-standing heater. The benefit of a table-top heater is that it is small enough to transport with ease. Also, although it does not produce as much heat as a standing outdoor patio heater, it produces enough to keep those warm who are sitting around it.

· You must also decide how much heat you want your heater to produce. An outdoor patio heater generally can produce heat up to 20’ in diameter… of course, these heaters are going to be more expensive than less “hot” ones, and you may very well be just fine with one that has a heating range of 10’.

· Most outdoor patio heaters come in stainless steel, but it is also possible to find them with an antique copper finish or painted black, etc.
· Most outdoor patio heaters take propane or natural gas. Consider which is best for you.

· Also, if you are spending any kind of money on a outdoor patio heater, you might as well fork over a few extra bucks to get a cover to protect it!

Good luck in your search for a great outdoor patio heater. You will more than certainly appreciate the option of staying out-of-doors for longer that a heater will give you.

If you’re planning on building a wood deck yourself, one of the important considerations is the degree of difficulty in working with the lumber chosen. Not only do you want the lumber to be relatively easy to cut with normal hand or power tools, but you need to consider if splitting may easily occur when nailing, how easy it is to drive nails into the wood, and how easy it is to obtain a smooth finish on the surface of the decking.

The surface finish of course is taken care of by the lumber mill. But even with the best mills, for some exceptionally hard species you may notice machining marks remaining on the surface or a surface roughness due to lifting of the grain whilst machining.

Cutting
Most durable hardwood species are both dense and hard and should ideally be cut with a carbide tipped saw. For softwood species, a handsaw can be quite OK, but even in this case, a carbide tipped saw makes the job a lot easier and quicker.
With some hardwood species such as Teak and Turpentine, rapid blunting of cutting edges can occur due to the presence of a higher than normal level of silica. Ipe is another species which can cause blunting of cutting edges and care also needs to be taken when working with Ipe due to the fine yellow dust produced when sawing or drilling, as it has been known to cause dermatitis with some workers exposed to the dust.

Nailing
Splitting when nailing is a common problem and some species are more prone to splitting than others. For many hardwood species, pre-drilling will be virtually essential, although use of a nail gun can overcome this requirement to some extent. Even with some of the more brittle softwoods and in particular cypress species, care needs be taken when nailing. If nailing close to the end of the decking planks, pre-drilling is always recommended to avoid stress in the timber which may cause to cracks to develop at later stage.

If using nails to fix the planks to bearers and the deck is fully exposed to the weather, standard iron nails should not be used as they will rust. Instead you should use galvanized nails or nails specifically designed for exterior use. Another point to note is that some lumber species can corrode iron fixings or fastenings due to the extractives in the wood. Although this will only occur when the deck is situated in exposed weather conditions, it can speed up the corrosion of standard iron nails and cause them to fail quite rapidly. Western Red Cedar is one such species with extractives that can cause corrosion and some other species which are slightly acidic such as Kempas, can also cause corrosion with standard iron nails.

Drilling
Similar precautions need to be taken against corrosion if using screws rather than nails to fix the planks to the bearers. Stainless steel screws are certainly the best option, but plated screws could be considered provided they are recommended for exterior exposure. Remember that as the head of screw is much larger than a nail, rust stains will be more of a problem and can leave unsightly black marks around the screw holes if inappropriate screws are used.

Alternative fixing devices
A number of alternative fixing materials are also available which have the advantage of leaving the surface free of nail holes or screw holes. These systems generally rely on a fastening device which is driven into the side of the planks and attached to the bearers below. The only obvious drawback of this system is that replacing a single plank if damaged or decayed in any way can only be achieved by nailing or screwing the replacement plank back in place in the conventional manner.

Alternative wood decking materials
If you don’t want to build a deck yourself but just wish to cover an old patio with solid wood decking, another quick and convenient option is to use wood decking tiles. These tiles just click into place on top of an existing deck or patio and eliminate the need for cutting, drilling and nailing. You may need to cut a few tiles to fit around pipes, posts etc but that’s all. They can also be used to repair an existing wood deck by just placing the tiles over the top of the existing deck.

The Deck Building Ledger holds all the secrets to successful deck construction because it is the essential piece of wood that connects your deck to your home and from which all other measurements are taken.

Choose the piece of lumber for your ledger carefully, hold it up and look down the side of the wood to check for irregularities like warping and twisting.

Choosing your Lumber

The ideal deck building ledger should be free of ingrown knots and flaws, or at least only have very small knots.

The best flat board to pick out for the prestigious job of becoming a ledger is a vertical grain board – this is the wood which comes from the center of the tree and will show the center circles.

Boards with an arc grain, known as a flat grain board, are from the outer sides of the tree and are more prone to warping or cupping over time.

If you are building a top quality deck made out of only redwood or cedar then this doesn’t apply to you, but otherwise, please make sure that you are only using pressure treated lumber.

Many people who opt for a more expensive option in lumber still use regular pressure treated wood for the deck building ledger and the joists because these are parts of the support of a deck that will NOT be visible.

If this is the case, do remember to use the Redwood or Cedar for the Outer Joists and End Beam, because although they form part of the under support frame they are visible when looking back at your deck from the garden.

Once you have selected and separated the best lumber you should have choice pieces for both your ledger and for your beams.

Positioning your Ledger

The first step in building a successful deck is finding the right height at which to secure your deck building ledger.

It is really important that you allow for a couple of inches step down onto your deck from your door, this is to help prevent rain water from running off the deck and into your home.

Remember also, in the final part of construction, your surface decking boards will be secured on top of the side surface of your ledger and joists, so:

• Leave a 1″ — 2″ drop from your door
• Allow for the size of your decking boards – that will be another 2″
• So, measure 3″ — 4″ down from your indoor floor level
• And mark the wall showing the highest point of the ledger

A spirit level and a pencil are your next best friends, you should not try to place a deck building ledger without them.

Measure and mark along the wall, the full horizontal length of exactly where you are going to place your ledger.

Fitting your Deck Building Ledger

If your house is covered in siding you have to cut out the exact size of siding to insert the deck building ledger AND include enough at the sides to also insert the outer joists.

Flashing should be inserted up under the siding and onto the top of the ledger, the join should be closed with sealant.

If your home doesn’t have siding you don’t need to use flashing but you should still use sealant to close any gap between the ledger and the wall.

Galvanised four inch lag screws will secure your ledger into the wall and give you a level and firm foundation to build your deck design onto.

Admire Your Work

You can now stand back and admire the ledger attached to your house — if attached at the right level and perfectly horizontal — you have the beginnings of a great deck design for your home and it all starts with your deck building ledger.