What's Underfoot? A Quick Guide to Patio Surfaces

Written by Debbie Rodgers


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Bricks Bricks are a popular building material for patios and terraces. A standard brick used to measure 2¼" x 3¾" x 8" (5.7 x 9.53 x 20.3 cm), and be red or yellow. There are many variations these days. Your choice is really personal except forrepparttar weather rating. If you live in a cold climate, be sure to get SW (Severe Weather) rated bricks that won't crack inrepparttar 110855 cold and snow. They cost more than MW (Moderate weather) and NW (Nice Weather -- well, it's officially Negligible Weather, but I think not having freezing cold five months ofrepparttar 110856 year would be very NICE.)

Gravel Gravel is frequently disparaged asrepparttar 110857 poor cousin of outdoor surfaces, but gravel courtyards can be not only inexpensive but comfortable and very charming as well. As with other paving materials, gravel also is available now in a range of color choices and textures. You can edgerepparttar 110858 patio area with rock slabs, bricks or pavers to give your yard a more finished look.

Poured Concrete Poured concrete surfaces arerepparttar 110859 most popular professionally installed patios. They're usually less expensive than natural stone, brick or tile to build, are extremely durable when properly installed and treated, can be shaped to any pattern, and can be finished in a wide variety of colors, textures and styles.

Proper installation of a concrete surface includes laying rebar or ¾" steel rods in a cross-hatch pattern inrepparttar 110860 body ofrepparttar 110861 concrete. Oncerepparttar 110862 concrete has hardened, it should be sealed to resist weather and stains.

With such a dizzying array of patio surfaces available, how can you chooserepparttar 110863 right one for you? Of course, budget will play a large part. But also considerrepparttar 110864 style of your house and garden, andrepparttar 110865 use you'll make ofrepparttar 110866 space. It's harder to place furniture on some ofrepparttar 110867 rough textured surfaces. If you have children riding tricycles, or elderly friends or family who might trip, be sure to avoid anything that might produce an uneven surface, even after some years of settling.

Whatever you select, be sure to spend time on your patio and make happy memories in your outdoor space!

Debbie Rodgers, the haven maven, owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Her latest how-to guide “Attracting Butterflies to Your Home and Garden” is now available on her web site. Visit her at http://www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on “Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space”.


Are you putting your family at risk?

Written by Bruce Bowery


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Are we really willing to flirt with disaster on a daily basis? I know and understand that we cannot safeguard our loved ones forever, but we can safeguard our own homes forrepparttar betterment of our loved ones. Please research this for yourselves and draw your own conclusions. We can educate ourselves and we can take action. Are there other products out there that are safer onrepparttar 110854 environment and safer for our families? Yes, there are. Can these products dorepparttar 110855 same job as what you are currently using? Yes, they can. Inrepparttar 110856 end, you haverepparttar 110857 final choice to make. You can choose to do nothing, or you can choose to do something. Feel free to email me at StnypntNc@aol.com for more information.

A loving husband and father of two beautiful girls would like to share some information with you regarding a "silent killer" that has been turned loose in our homes.


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