Deck Staining Tips

Here are some useful best practice tips for staining your deck:

1. Use the drop test to determine if your deck needs staining. Splash a little water on the deck. If the liquid collects into droplets that sit on the surface, then the current protection is adequate. On the other hand, if the water seeps into the wood, then the deck needs fresh protection. 
2. Pick a stain that is appropriate for your deck. Each manufacturer uses their own classification system. Generally, stains vary  on a scale ranging from clear to opaque, which includes clear,  toner, semi transparent, semi solid, and solid. If your deck is fresh and young looking, then you should use a clear or toner stain. These allow the woods pattern and texture to show through. Toner is similar to clear except that it highlights the wood grain makings, If your deck is faded and aged then you should go with semi transparent or semi solid. The rule is as the stain becomes more opaque it  hides more of the wood patterns. If your deck is damaged, you should choose a solid stain. A totally solid stain will cover all the wood patterns but not its textures. When deciding on an appropriate solid stain color, consider the dominant colors in your backyard landscape. Usually but not always that's your home's siding color. Then choose the compliment of that color or another color that blends with it. 
3. Deck preparation is very important. You should thoroughly clean the deck of molds, dirt, dust, and any stains. Most manufacturers that specialize in home improvement offer a variety of deck cleansing agents. Some specialize in stripping the deck of previous stains. Choose the deck cleanser that meets your needs. New deck wood is covered with a factory finish that should be removed with the appropriate cleanser. Before starting, replace severely damaged boards, and sand down areas that are mildly damaged but repairable.
4. Before staining, make sure the deck is totally dry (at least 48 hours if possible). Also check the weather conditions. Optimally you will want the stain to dry for at least 24 hours before the first rainfall. 
5. Proper stain application is essential for producing the most attractive appearance. Use a natural bristle brush for oil based stains and synthetic bristle brushes for latex stains. Choose a day on which the temperature is between 50 degrees and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't apply the stain in the direct sunlight. If you will be staining a large area that requires using more than one gallon container, mix the stain together to ensure consistency. As you apply the stain, make sure the leading edge is wet so you are applying wet into wet. Apply only one coat of oil stain onto new decks. If your deck is made of composite wood, follow the manufacturers instructions. Avoid over-application of stain as this will result in excess drying time and a surface coat that cracks or peels when the wood is exposed to moisture. 
6. Apply the drop test once a year to determine if your deck needs re-staining. 

Resources: For the best outdoor and landscape masonry work in Westchester County and Putnam County, NY., call the Turf Barbers at 914 302 2469; 2929 Quinlan Street Yorktown Heights, NY 10598; http://www.theturfbarbers.com for the tops in back yard landscaping.
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Tips for Buildinhg an Attractive Backyard Patio

You can build your outdoor patio ,and there are many helpful online articles that will guide you through the process. Below we have culled some of the best patio building tips from the web. 

 Before you begin to build consider these professional design tips. 

1) Build an attractive patio that is stylistically harmonious with the style of your home. Avoid automatically building your patio in a square design; odd shaped and circular shaped patios are also attractive. Especially avoid laying down a big slab outside your back door. Ask yourself what you will be using the patio for and let this suggest your shape. For example, if you will be entertaining guests on your patio, remember that people at parties like to break off into small cozy groups and then move from group to group.  So build a patio that contains intimate nooks. Also don't merely build an extension to your house. Let your outdoor patio connect with your yard's natural beauty. Steps that lead down to your lawn or outdoor water feature invite guests to intimately commune with your backyard landscaping.  

   

2)   Build your patio on a part your yard where there are no buried electrical wires or tree roots that will disrupt the stonework. Make the grade level but with a small slope that will permit the groundwater to drain away from your home. Make the hole for your patio wider than the size of the planned stonework so you create an attractive border that will support the stones and keep them in place.

3)     Every type of patio stone has its pluses and minuses. Flagstone, for example, comes in a variety of colors. A flagstone patio has narrow packed joints that allow the water to percolate down to ground level instead of running off. The finish of a flagstone patio is durable, sip resistant, and long lasting. Pavers come in a variety of colors and can be either factory manufactured or home-cut. They are relatively easy to lay out and easy to repair (just replace one broken paver at a time). Paver patios cost a bit more at the start, but have a reduced maintenance cost.

4)   If you are going to build a concrete patio, you should add a seam every 10' x 10'. An unbroken stretch of concrete larger than 10' x 10' will buckle or crack over time, usually because of the swelling and contraction of the underlying earth. Clay soils, for example, absorbs water and expands after a rain and then contracts when the weather dries.

5)    If you will be cutting your own pavers, use a cold chisel or wet saw. N cutting the stone, wear an approved dust mask or respirator (if dry cutting pavers).

6)     Keep in mind that parts of your patio construction must conform to municipal regulations. If you will be building a lattice roof, for example, the rafters (cross boards that hold the actual covering in place) and beams (side boards the rafters rest on) must be greater than a certain minimal sixe size. Consult a local landscaping company if you have any questions about your local municipal restrictions.  

Resources: For the best outdoor and landscape masonry work in Westchester County and Putnam County, NY., call the Turf Barbers at 914 302 2469; 2929 Quinlan Street Yorktown Heights, NY 10598; http://www.theturfbarbers.com for the tops in back yard landscaping.

How to Protect Your Wood Deck

If you're planning to add a beautiful deck to your backyard, you'll want to take steps to ensure that it's beauty will last for many years.  Water, UV light, and wood destroying insects are natural enemies that will do their best to make untreated wood look terrible within 10 years. Water will rot the  wood. UV light will bleach it and give it an aged, unattractive appearance. Insects, which thrive best in a wet environment, will rot out the timber from within, weakening the  structural parts. You can take steps, however, to see that these natural disaster scenarios don't take place. 

To being with, protect your deck by using strong wood that is resistant to rot. Heartwood makes the best rot resistant decks. Redwood, Cyprus and Cedar are the wood species that most people use when they want to build a deck that will last. 

Once you've built your deck, apply a wood preservative. Wood preservatives seep into structure and protect it from insects. This class of chemicals are pesticides, so carefully follow the instructions on the label when using them. They can be toxic to humans when misapplied. 

The best defense against UV light and water is a coat of paint. However, even if you are going to paint your deck, you should still protect it underneath the first coat.  A varnish or wood seal will protect your wood against water intrusion, but the varnish will provide additional protection against UV rays. If you add paint above this protective coat, the wood will be safe as long as the paint job holds. 

If you aren't planning to paint your deck, you should add varnish or a wood seal every year. There are many inexpensive but effective wood seals and varnishes and one container will cover a wide area of the wood's surface area. 

By protecting your deck, as needed, you can keep your outdoor structure looking good for longer than 10 years. Since you or your landscaper worked hard to install the outdoor feature, you will certainly want to put in the effort to see that it looks in top condition for many years to come. If you prefer, ask your deck installer to provide the necessary upkeep and restoration for you. 

Resources: For the best in outdoor deck care in Westchester County and Putnam County, NY., call the Turf Barbers at 914 302 2469; 2929 Quinlan Street Yorktown Heights, NY 10598; http://www.theturfbarbers.com for the tops in back yard landscaping.

Project to Beautify Your Backyard

  You can beautify your back yard landscape by turning unsightly tree stumps into stump planters. Stump planters are tree stumps that are hollowed out, filled with soil, and then seeded. The resultant mini-garden can have any number of appearances, depending on the color of the tree stump and the types of plants that grow in the garden.   Below is a description of the essential steps you must follow to create an attractive tree stump planter:

1.    Hollow out a bowl in the wood to a depth of three to six inches depending on the type of plant you are growing. Annuals, which have shallow roots, only require three to four inches. Six inches is sufficient depth for most other plants. In most instances you should leave two to three inches of wood around the perimeter, unless you want a smaller bowl.  

2.    To make the bowl, use a pick ax (mattock), hand ax, or other sharp tool and start in the center. If the wood is soft you can use the claw end of a hammer or blunt edge of an ax to remove the material.If the wood is hard, you might consider putting some potted plants on top of the stump. Over time the water that drips from the pots will rot out the top of the stump, making it easier to hollow out.

3.    Use a hand drill or electric drill to add drain holes. Drill out and down from the bottom of the basin you have created. The holes tend to clog, so you can prevent this by adding a layer of small pebbles in the bottom of the hollowed out receptacle.

4.   An optional step you can take to improve the project is to cover the stump's bark with epoxy. This will prevent the bark from falling off, and thereby preserve the stump's natural beauty. 

5.    Now you are ready to add potting soil.  Add a mixture such as Mel mix, 1/3 Vermiculite, 1/3 Peat (or Coir), and 1/3 well-blended compost. The compost provides all the needed nutriments so no need to fertilize over the summer. Just add more compost as needed.

6.    Now add your choice of seeds. You can use seedlings, nursery plants, bulbs, or plain seeds.

Resources: For the best in landscaping projects in Westchester County and Putnam County, NY., call the Turf Barbers at 914 302 2469; 2929 Quinlan Street Yorktown Heights, NY 10598; http://www.theturfbarbers.com for the tops in back yard landscaping.

Pros and Cons of Masonry Glue

Masonry glue, also known as brick glue, masonry adhesive, construction adhesive, and landscape block adhesive, refers to a class of chemical adhesives that can often take the place of mortar in masonry construction applications.  Masonry glue is particularly useful in non -sag wall installations of exterior or interior thin brick, masonry veneer, stone, tile, and adherence of caps to masonry walls. ("Non-sag" means that a compound exhibits little or no flow when applied in vertical or inverted joints. In other words, if you are applying masonry glue to a vertical wall, it won't run down the wall.) 

Masonry glue has certain limitations. It is most useful in applications where structural integrity is not important, i.e. applying a veneer or reattaching a piece of brick or stone that has fallen down. So, for example, a mason or DIY home repairman should consult manufacturer specifications before using masonry glue in structures taller than three feet (where the compression weight begins to increase dramatically). Likewise, masonry glue can be used to hold concrete or stone products together, as in a stone walkway; however, should probably not be used in high traffic areas. Masonry glue products are often non-effective when used to adhere chemically treated wood products to a masonry face. In all such instances the manufacturer's specifications should be consulted. Landscaping glue is also not effective as a leveling agent; mortar should be used for such purposes.  

Keeping these limitations in mind, brick glue has many advantages over mortar.  Masonry glues are quick and easy to apply. They are consistent (mixed in a lab not in the field). They have reduced cleanup time, reduced labor costs, ease of transportation, no mixing (for one part adhesives), and they reach full strength in hours, not days as with mortar.  

In short, masonry glue is an effective and convenient substitute for mortar in many masonry applications, but when using the product, you should be mindful of its limitations.  

Resources: For the best in outdoor and landscape masonry in Westchester County and Putnam County, NY., call the Turf Barbers at 914 302 2469; 2929 Quinlan Street Yorktown Heights, NY 10598; http://www.theturfbarbers.com for the tops in landscape masonry and outdoor masonry.