Dilemma protecting our weathered patio
Hi I am currently Renovating a property for a rental. The deck is exposed to the elements and appears it has never been maintained. It's in quite a sorry state. I know the weathered look is fashionable however I think this may be past this point! I've been advised to paint it. Does anyone have any suggestions or comments regarding deck paint? I have no idea what colour to paint it either. I have dulux monument for guttering and builders white for trim on the exterior. Any suggestions welcomed
Comments (16)
11 years ago
11 years agoRelated Discussions
What to do with our massive backyard?
Comments (30)Analysis first, then plan, as Tookoo recommends. Use native plants, as neotoma recommends. Get specific plant recommendations locally, as Terri & sgelade recommend. Here is my two cents worth, for the shortterm. a. Remove and stockpile the lawn edging and most of the mulch back against the fences. b. Take a can of spray paint, or a bundle of surveyor's flag, and mark the largest circular or curved form that will fit within the fenced areas, no matter where the trees stand (inside or outside of the line) to form the temporary edge of your lawn area. See if the entire family agrees on the alignment or just do what looks best to you as the Senior Gardener. c. Add the wood edging to the new edge, or, it will look a lot better if the edge is not visible, using a steel edge whose top edge is down just above the grass roots and no longer visible, and not an impediment to the lawn mower. (when you form the plant beds, you will dig down a couple inches at the edge, where it meets the steel, and then slope the bed up from there, and the mulch will be contained at the level of the lawn, beyond) My recommendation, after you call in your landscape advisor, is to fill the beds totally with ground cover, beneath the shrubs, so no mulch will be seen after the two years of plant growth, using only a finer textured mulch which will become part of the soil bed. (Maybe the bark mulch will smell good in your new fire pit, along with the wood edging.) d. Plant the entire area with grass seed or sod and enjoy the beauty. The curved edge will make the space appear and feel larger and will decrease the maintenance of the smaller bed areas. On the subject of tree placement: analyse first, then plan. Look at all the views beyond your fenceline from all windows of the house, the living/ dining areas, all the bedrooms, to enhance the good views and to block the big, the bad, and the ugly. The large trees on your list will block views from the upper windows, The small horizontally branched trees will be a piece of sculpture in your downstairs view throughout the year, while their flowering and fragrance yet another reason to be alive. For instance, if you have an attractive small tree that has attractive flowers and foliage, PLUS has attractive bark color and has a sculptural quality in the off-season, you won't have to visit the museum quite as often, with a sculpture garden right out your window....See MoreOpening up enclosed deck- or not! Exterior dilemma!
Comments (12)How about keeping the framework of the enclosed patio and the wall but opening it up... so pull off the roofing but keep the trusses... and grow some vines like a bouganvillea on a trellis over the area. It would protect your privacy and not waste the infrastructure of what has been built, but it would give the spot some beauty and street appeal. Bouganvillea or a similar brightly coloured vine would look amazing. Maybe a combination of vines so that you have maximum flowering... so some autumn leaf colour, summer flowers, spring flowers... think romantic like wisteria, jasmine, clematis, rose... or bold and tropical bouganivillea and mandevilla. You can paint the trellis a contrasting colour to add some appeal while the plant is growing up. Pulling off the roof will bring better air flow and light back into the living area....See MoreOutdoor patio dilemma
Comments (13)Have you considered simple options first like moving your current setting under the verandah? into the corner of the yard? Changing the table shape (e.g. circular or hexagonal) could enable a triangular structure, if your setting is placed over the corner of the yard. Bear in mind where rain water will be dispersed, and any structure needs to be much larger than what you are 'covering' as the elements encroach from the sides, not just overhead....See MoreAdvice on patio designs that doesn't make the inside of the house dark
Comments (8)as always depends on budget but i'm wondering if a steep gable roof at right angles to the main roof with a raked ceiling and solar roof vents would allow better ventilation with enough headroom for a ceiling fan and adding some panels of transluscent insulated polycarbonate closer to the house would help avoid the overshading ...we've used a diy double layered polycarbonate and there are insulating products available eg Arcpanel and, to improve light inside the house (or under a dark alfresco roof) consider Solar Skylights (not hole in the roof) like Arcol or illume brand that we use with excellent results for a modest investment, DIY installation and no risk of roof leaks...See More- 11 years ago
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PRO10 years ago- 10 years agoAquadeck by Cabots. new natural is the best for jarrah. 2 coats it will come up a treat. that's what I'm doing tomorrow I'm in WA. twice a year you need to do this.
- 10 years ago
10 years agoWe use Cutek CD50 on our spotted gum decking. We oil the whole deck at least once a year (we are in SE Qld and the deck faces west so, even though its under a verandah, it gets a fair bit of sun). The outside parts of the deck that are exposed more to the elements and also get a bit of rain, we oil as more often (visually, you can tell when it needs a drink). We used a tint called Sela Brown, which I found to be too dark for my liking (some of the colours that make spotted gum so beautiful got lost). Next time we will try it without a tint or maybe try New Bronzetone, which is also a tint they recommend for spotted gum. I always thought the tint was added to provide the timber with extra UV protection, but when I spoke to the Cutek rep, he said it was purely cosmetic and untinted oil provided just as much protection.
PRO9 years ago
mareeb