Picnic Tables – A “Do It Yourself” Project

May 22nd, 2008

Do you enjoy the unbridled pleasure achieved by ‘creating’ something yourself, with your own hands? Imagine the tingles of pure emotion sweeping through your body when someone expresses sheer admiration for your –delicious recipe– fantastic art piece-solo sax rendition-patio garden masterpiece–spectacular new piece of furniture!

Do you have that slice of hidden talent that perhaps has been lying dormant for some time? If so, it’s time to throw off those shackles and launch into a project that will prove highly satisfying to you and your family, and be a very useful addition to your patio or deck.

The new generation of octagonal and hexagonal picnic tables not only look fantastic but they also are very practical in the way that they can seat so many people. They are also simple to construct by the home handyman with the minimum of tools. They can come in various sizes to seat from 6 to 16 and even larger. Bare in mind that large tables are difficult to transport on the road and so this is another good reason to be building it yourself.

All you need is a bit of enthusiasm, a little bit of practical know-how in working with lumber, a few wood working tools and a good set of picnic table plans.

When looking for plans, check out how it is constructed. Some are much more stable than others, some have a lot of unnecessary woodwork underneath for bracing interfering with leg room.. The plans should give you a money back guarantee and provide e mail support if something should go wrong. Make sure that your plans allow for a hole for an umbrella in the middle.

Every cut on an hexagonal picnic table is at 60 degrees. All of the cuts on an octagonal table are either 60 degrees or 45 degrees and you could do all of the cuts with a miter box and a hand saw. A circular skil saw would save a lot of time and effort while a compound drop arm miter saw would be the ultimate if you have one. (Or maybe borrow or hire one for a weekend?) Other tools required would be hammer, drill and hole saw, tape measure, small hand plane and a straight edge.

The lumber required varies with the different plans and you just need to be able to access the sizes required. The most common type of lumber used is pine and this will need to be pressure treated for outside use so that it can withstand the weathering of the elements. Other lumber can be used if you have access to it. Tables have been made from teak, kwila, redwood, douglas fir and many others. Just check with your lumber merchant about the practicalities and prices of using these. Using dry lumber will ensure that gaps don’t open up as the boards dry.

When it comes to putting the table top on there are several ways of doing it. The most effective as far as looks is concerned is to have the top that is segmented into 6 or 8 sectors depending upon whether it is a hexagon or an octagon. This does take a little bit of patience and accuracy to get it looking right with all of the pieces fitting without gaps but the finished job will be well worth it.

This “do it yourself project” can easily be completed in a weekend but it may take a week or two to get everything organized.

You will be very proud of the finished picnic table as you test it out for the first time with your family celebrating with a sizzling hot sausage and a large cool glass of nose tickling bubbly champagne.

It will take a prominent position on your patio and you will be able to bask in the glory of family and friends adulation and you can proudly say, “I built that table”.

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Transform Your Backyard With Beautiful Garden Decor

May 22nd, 2008

A beautifully decorated backyard can be a special place for you to relax, entertain, or simply re-energize. With just a little bit of planning, you can transform any backyard space into an oasis. The size of your yard does not matter. It is the quality of the decor items that you use that will make the difference. No matter if you are looking to redo a large yard or a small courtyard, you can incorporate some beautiful design elements and provide a special place to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

Choosing backyard decor does not have to be a difficult task, but it can seem overwhelming at first. By taking it in tiny steps, the design can become more manageable. Begin the process by sketching out an overview of how you would like your completed backyard to look. Would you like some special spots to enjoy birdwatching? If so, then a bird bath and bird feeder would be parts of your chosen decor. Maybe you would rather relax by a small fish pond or even a quietly bubbling fountain? If you are having trouble deciding exactly what elements you would like to incorporate, visit some of your local home and garden centers and look around for particular displays that you find appealing. Other ideas can be found in gardening magazines and even by a visit to a local botanical garden.

Some popular items now include gazing globes, garden gnomes, stone statues, bird baths, fountains, and of course garden ponds and bridges. Statues come in a variety of styles including those of animals, mermaids, angels, and saints. Likewise, fountains are available in a variety of styles and prices. While the larger fountains can be very expensive, there are smaller options which are cheaper and take up less space. Building a garden pond is more of an extensive undertaking but is definitely worth the effort. Of course, wind chimes are always a nice addition too and the best part is they don’t take up much space!

Take the plunge and start today on making your backyard your special retreat place.

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Teak Patio Furniture – The Best Outdoor Furniture Money Can Buy

May 22nd, 2008

When it comes to furnishing your outdoor area, you should never skimp on the quality of what you buy. If you do, you will probably end up not being satisfied with what you purchased. To avoid the pitfall of lesser quality outdoor furnishings, you need to go with the best and invest in fabulous teak patio furniture for your outdoor deck or patio.You are probably thinking, why should I choose teak patio furniture? There are a number of different reasons, the first being that it is made from the highest quality wood that is available, which is teak wood. This type of wood hails from Southeast Asia and is harvested after growing for at least 60 years sometimes as much as 90 years. It is harvested in very small amounts to preserve its growing cycle and is one of the most durable woods that furniture can be made out of. It can withstand the weather of all types of climates without cracking, splintering, or breaking. For example, let’s say you live in the harsh Northeast section of the United States and you are in the market for some outdoor furnishings. Now, you might not have a lot of storage space, so, you will need to leave whatever you purchase outside. Well, with this type of wood, you do not have to worry about leaving it outside because it can withstand any kind of harsh elements without getting ruined. If it rains, sleets, even snows your furniture will be okay because the wood is very strong, which means that you will not have to replace it from year to year. In fact, with teak, you do not have to worry about replacing it for many, many years since it is made to last a lifetime and that is no joke. Most people who purchase theirs end up passing it down to their kids, even grandkids, because it lasts so long. With that kind of durability, you cannot go wrong.

Not only is teak patio furniture durable, but another reason why it is a great selection is because it is so beautiful. Its luxurious golden brown tone simply adds to the décor of any outdoor area, and over time that tone fades to a fine-looking silver gray color that is truly sophisticated. Plus, along with all the eye-catching beauty, there are also a number of different options that are available to choose from to furnish your outdoor area. When comparison shopping, you will find deep seating sofas, chair and table sets, lounges, benches, ottomans and footrests, even Adirondack chairs and coffee and end tables. There are also a large amount of accessories available including umbrellas and planters. Basically, whatever you are looking for is probably available in teak. And, if you cannot find what you want at your local furniture store, just jump on the Internet and do some online shopping. Along with the selection, you will discover competitive prices and top quality selections.

When you go to furnish your outdoor space, do no skimp on the quality of furniture that you buy. Instead be completely satisfied with what you purchase and doing that is easy by investing in magnificent teak patio furniture. It simply is the best option available.

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Furnishing Your Home with Aromatic Cedar

January 24th, 2008

Most people think of cedar furniture as something for outdoor use only, since it is a very durable wood that doesn’t have to be treated and will hold up well against the elements.  In fact, wood furniture is sometimes used within the home but typically only as accent pieces.  There are uses for cedar indoors, however, as a main material to furnish rooms in your home, and you can build an entire design around this theme.

First of all, unfinished cedar wood furniture is a beautiful addition to any home, with a number of ways to display it.  You can choose to throw an accent piece into the family room, such as a cedar rocking chair, or you can create a complete design for your dining room with cedar.  However, not just any cedar will suffice in some cases; if you want to have a specialty design, you have to opt for a special type of cedar, which technically isn’t cedar at all.

Aromatic red cedar furniture is an amazing way to decorate one or more rooms in your home because you get not only the aesthetic factor but also the olfactory sensation of the oils produced by the wood.  Interestingly enough, what is referred to as aromatic red cedar is actually a type of juniper, which also creates its own oils and produces an incredible smell that negates the need for any kind of air freshener within the room of choice.

As mentioned, you can create an entire dining room theme with the unfinished red cedar, with only smells such as Thanksgiving dinner rivaling the incredible aroma of the wood.  You can also have your bed constructed out of cedar, opting for cedar log furniture to decorate your entire bedroom.  One of the great bonuses in doing so is that the same aroma you find so pleasant will actually repel moths, keeping your linens and clothes safe from harm.

You can even choose to accent your living and family areas with cedar furniture.  While you don’t want bare wood couches in the room for relaxation, you can add a glider rocking chair and DVD racks that produce the same smells and make your living area more pleasant.  Don’t forget about options for accent and end tables, as well as your coffee table.  A bonus in this area is that the wood will be quite resistant to spills, much like your outdoor cedar furniture is to weather.  If you want to try a different sort of design in your home, be sure to look at the ways that aromatic cedar can be used to create a fantastic look and smell in any room of the house.

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