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The Outdoors IDEA

The Outdoors IDEA

Around the House, Around the Park, Around Adventure, and Around the Great Outdoors!

DIY deck re-do: Resurface in a weekend

7/6/2018

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Resurface your deck in one weekend!

Follow these simple steps to a new deck surface that you can spend less time maintaining and more time enjoying!



(BPT) - Outdoor living season means backyard BBQs, yard games and relaxing with a good book or good friends. If you own a wood deck, however, it also means considerable time and money spent on seasonal maintenance and deck repairs.

While wood decks are aesthetically pleasing, properly maintaining them requires regular stripping, sanding and staining. The process is labor-intensive, time-consuming, messy and costly — averaging between $540 and $1,050 each time, according to HomeAdvisor.com.

Consider this: For the same time and energy you would spend maintaining and repairing those old wood boards, you could replace them with a deck made of structurally superior composite material — and never again have to worry about upkeep. As long as the structural framework of your existing deck is intact and in good condition, you are a candidate for deck resurfacing.

“Resurfacing an aging or decaying wood deck with new composite decking is a doable DIY project that can be completed over the course of a weekend or two with just a little know-how and the help of a few friends,” explains Adam Zambanini, vice president of marketing for Trex Company. “You get a brand-new deck for a lot less money than starting from scratch — and a lot less hassle through the years.”

Designed for maximum durability and minimal maintenance, wood-alternative decking is resistant to fading, staining, scratching and mold and, unlike wood, requires no sanding, staining or sealing. Just an occasional soap-and-water cleaning is all that is needed to retain a “like-new” appearance and durability for decades.

Ready to resurface?


Follow these simple steps to a new deck surface that you can spend less time maintaining and more time enjoying:

Step 1: Examine the substructure


Before removing any boards, check your deck’s foundation. Start from the ground up by examining the footings, posts and joists. Pay close attention to the condition of the wood. Soft wood indicates rot and should be replaced before proceeding. If the existing framing and substructure are sound, you’re good to go.

Tip: To help ensure your substructure lasts as long as your new composite deck boards, use a protective tape, such as TrexProtect, to shield wooden joists and beams from moisture that can lead to rot and the loosening of deck screws and fasteners.

Step 2: Remove old deck boards


Remove any existing railing and begin prying up the nailed decking boards, leaving the substructure and framing in place. Start from the outside and move toward the house so you have a solid, safe platform from which to work.

Step 3: Level it out


To ensure a level surface for the new deck boards, make sure the joists are flat and even with one another. If any joists are bowed, you may need to plane or cut them.

Step 4: Install new deck boards


Begin laying out the new composite boards. Starting near the house, face screw the first board to the frame. Closely follow the instructions for spacing from the manufacturer’s installation guide. As you progress, check the spacing between the house and the deck boards to make sure they stay parallel with the house. Correct variations a little at a time over several rows to avoid large, tapered gaps.

Step 5: Complete with railing


Measure for each post location, and cut placement holes with a jigsaw. Then, drop the posts into the holes and bolt them securely. Slide sleeves over the posts and assemble railing and balusters per the installation guide. Finish off by adding your choice of decorative elements, such as post caps and top rail caps.

For more guidance on deck resurfacing, watch a step-by-step video from Trex at https://youtu.be/ZI8CYwI0MYM.


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Know Before They Grow

4/2/2017

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If you’re new to caring for a lawn, you may not know that the old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” is especially true when it comes to your yard. If left untreated, weeds can weaken or even destroy a healthy stand of grass. These simple lawn care tips can help you ward off weeds and enjoy healthy, green grass year-round.


Know Before They Grow

Weed prevention tips for lawn care novices

(Family Features) The old saying goes that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” If you’re new to caring for a lawn, you may not know that this is especially true when it comes to your yard. If left untreated, weeds can weaken or even destroy a healthy stand of grass.

These simple lawn care tips, courtesy of Bayer Advanced lawn and garden expert Lance Walheim, can help you ward off weeds and enjoy healthy, green grass year-round.

Start with the basics.
Grow turf that is so thick and strong, weeds can’t find an inch to take root by watering and fertilizing properly. Watering too much or too little encourages weeds. Water deeply (6-8 inches) and allow the lawn to partially dry before you water again.

Before fertilizing, read the label carefully to ensure that you have the correct timing. You may also want to conduct a soil test so you know you’re applying the correct blend of nutrients for the soil quality in your region. Local cooperative extension offices are useful resources to help you get started.

Also beware of bare spots or parts of the lawn that are not thriving. These areas are an invitation for weeds, so find the cause quickly. Trouble spots can be caused by insects, disease, chemical spills, objects left too long on the grass or broken sprinklers. Once you’ve resolved the issue, re-seed the area with grass seed that matches the rest of your lawn.

Mow at the right height.
Grass needs to be the right height to combat the growth of weeds. Grass that is too short exposes weed seeds to sunlight and promotes germination. Ideal blade height varies depending on grass type, time of year and growing conditions, but the most important thing is to never remove more than one-third of the leaf surface at any one time.

In general, cool-season grass, like fescue or Kentucky bluegrass, or grasses in shade grow best when maintained at a taller height, approximately 2 1/2-4 inches. If you have warm-season grass, including zoysia and Bermudagrass, maintain it between 1-3 inches.

Get tools to help.
Specialized tools and products make it easier to remove weeds. A simple garden hoe can do wonders with young seedlings, and dandelion weeders are perfectly designed to remove deep-rooted dandelions.

You can also reduce manual labor by treating your lawn with a time-saving selective herbicide product like Bayer Advanced Season Long Weed Control for Lawns, which controls broadleaf lawn weeds like dandelions and clovers. This herbicide not only kills the weeds you can see, but prevents new weeds from growing for up to 6 months. Plus, it’s rainproof in just 1 hour, which is perfect for rainy spring months. It is not for sale, use or distribution in New York. Be sure to read product labels carefully to understand what weeds will be killed or prevented.

For more information or to learn more about mowing, watering or fixing bare spots, visit bayeradvanced.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

SOURCE:
Bayer Advanced


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Protect Your Tailgate Party from Pests

7/28/2016

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No matter the event or the teams playing in the big game, few things create as strong a sense of camaraderie and community as tailgating. While most fans prepare for the food, drinks, music and games, many overlook or ignore an ever-present threat of the great outdoors: flies and other pests crashing the party.


Protect Your Tailgate Party from Pests

(Family Features) Whether it’s before a football or baseball game, most sports fans share one thing in common: tailgating. No matter the event or the teams playing in the big game, few things create as strong a sense of camaraderie and community as tailgating. While most fans prepare for the food, drinks, music and games, many overlook or ignore an ever-present threat of the great outdoors: flies and other pests crashing the party.

When you prepare that mouthwatering tailgate menu of burgers, wings and dips, remember – your guests aren’t the only ones craving the snacks. Flies are attracted to food left out in the open, and they are more than just a nuisance. Many people underestimate the health threat they pose. Research shows flies are twice as filthy as cockroaches. Each time a fly lands on food or utensils, it can leave behind thousands of germs that can cause illnesses such as diarrhea or food poisoning.

Despite the contamination risk, most people simply wave flies away and continue eating what they’ve touched. In a recent Orkin survey, 61 percent of respondents said that they would still eat their meal after a fly touched it, but only 3 percent said they would continue eating after a cockroach came in contact with the food.

To help protect tailgate guests from flies, follow these tips from Dr. Ron Harrison, entomologist and technical services director for Orkin, a leader in the pest-control industry.

  • Cover food that isn’t being eaten in tightly-sealed containers, keep dishes as cool as possible and dispose of uneaten items immediately.
  • Flies are also attracted to odors other than food. Certain fly species can move easily from rotting, disease-laden garbage to exposed food and serving surfaces. To help avoid a fly frenzy, choose a parking space away from trash cans and portable restrooms, empty trash cans near the tailgate regularly, and keep trash can lids tightly closed.
  • Creating an air flow around food at the tailgate may also help prevent invading flies. Like mosquitoes, most flies are not strong fliers and a fan blowing near food may help keep them away.

Enjoying outdoor events with friends and family requires planning. By taking a few simple steps to avoid conditions that help pests thrive, sports fans can enjoy themselves and be free of pest problems. Find more tips to keep your parties pest-free at orkin.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

SOURCE:
Orkin

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