Posted
April 30, 2009 by
deb under
DIY 
We just loving seeing what other people are doing to help each other out. Jeff Wison assisted a family in his community by helping them redo their deck which was in dire need of help. We asked Jeff to share what he did to get the final product.
The deck is about 12’ x 24’ and Jeff tore out the old lattice & rotted wood., The rotting was happening since the deck wasn’t being protected from water damage. Repeated wetting/drying cycles (and freeze/thaw cycles in the winter) caused cracks in wood that can’t be repaired.
Jeff started replacing what we removed. Where the “privacy” lattice had been, he put in a standard height railing, matching the top rails to the rest of the project. With the top rails, deck and step boards, benches and table boards replaced, he cut the 100 or so 2×2 balusters which would be replacing the ineffective lattice. He cut the balusters to match the style of the little fence just below the deck, so the two structures would complement each other when we were finished. The owners of the home applied the Thompson’s Water Seal Advanced Wood Protector in Nutmeg Brown to all of the balusters after he cut them, and they were set aside to dry.
Next, Jeff applied Thompson’s Water Seal Heavy Duty Deck Cleaner with a plastic pump up garden sprayer, let it sit for ten minutes, and worked it in with a stiff bristled brush. Then it was rinsed well with an electric pressure washer. The electric pressure washer had plenty of pressure to do the job, since the Heavy Duty Deck Cleaner loosened up the mold, mildew, algae, and old coating on the deck. The wood is always much, much lighter in color once it’s cleaned. NOTE: If you’ve never used a pressure washer, practice with one before you actually “hit” the deck. If the pressure is too high, you can badly damage the wood. You can rent pressure washers at some home improvement chains, or pick one up that is great for home use for around $200.
Then Jeff applied the Thompson’s Water Seal Advanced Wood Protector in Nutmeg Brown to the entire deck, benches, table, railings, and the remaining lattice (which hides the underside of the deck), using a paint pad on a long pole. This works the product in well and eliminates bending (easier on the back!). He also applied the Advanced to the little fence. This product protects the surface from water damage, while adding a little sheer color. That’s especially good as wood ages.
Once all of that was done he went back through, using a spacer, and installed the balusters all the way around the railings.
Looks pretty good, don’t you think? Have a project that you’d like to share with us? Go here to tell us about it.
Tags: damage, deck, lattice, rotting, staining, water, wood
Posted
April 30, 2009 by
deb under
Design Challenges 
{The prize: The Kelli Kit valued at $125!}
Just a reminder… today is the last day to enter our very first Design Challenge. {No pressure!} The entry form and details can be found here. We can’t wait to see what you’ve been working on!!
Tags: DIY, Kelli Ellis
Posted
April 29, 2009 by
erin under
Pretty Stuff This winter there were lots of neutral color schemes floating around. Which I love! But what about trying a little more color for the summer? When I was in Chicago this weekend I took this picture of a display at Macy’s. Isn’t it beautiful? I love the crisp black wall with the splash of color on the background coordinating with the different colors of the KitchenAid mixer.
I’d love to paint a few stripes on a board to put up on the wall in some summery colors just like the background of the display. It would make an easy, quick DIY project!
Have you seen any displays recently that you like?
Tags: color palette, DIY, paint, Painted, painting
Posted
April 28, 2009 by
erin under
Pretty Stuff Sometimes it’s hard to find children’s furniture that doesn’t scream that it’s for children. You know, the plastic ones? These chairs are beautifully crafted and child size and I can’t help but love the multi-toned stain on the chairs too!! I’d love to have these around my house!
Chairs from Leif Design Park.
Tags: children, furniture, wood
Posted
April 27, 2009 by
deb under
Space Redesigns Don’t forget about the design challenge and your chance to win the Kelli Kit valued at $125! All submissions end this Thursday, April 30th.
Remember Nicole & Tristan’s balcony? They wanted a new design to help store all their bikes, use it for toy storage and garden/grow plants. They also mentioned their son likes to watch the trains go by so they didn’t want too many plants. After talking with Nicole more about the color palette, we decided to brighten it up a little since the space would be outside. Below is my floorplan of the space.
I wanted to create a beautiful balcony that would serve a dual purpose: 1. Storage for outside items & 2. An oasis to garden, visit, and watch the trains go by. Nicole is an avid gardener, very handy and crafty so although many of my recommendations are for products are online, Nicole and Tristan may be able to find a similar item to the ones I suggested, yet at a more reasonable price using freecycle, craigslist, thrift store, and garage sales.
Here is my breakdown of the items I used in the space: 
- Solar Laterns- These are solar powered laterns made out of nylon- no cords or flame needed. They should hang from the top of the balcony to provide light in the evenings, and accent the balcony with some color during the day. They will also provide a buffer for the bikes hanging from the “ceiling”.
- Folding Chairs- I would recommend getting two of these and staining them in a nice warm brown. These are great because they fold up when they aren’t needed, but provide additional seating if you’d like to have an evening hanging outside, enjoying the view.
- DIY Bike Storage- Purchase one 8′- 10′-2×4 and cut it down to two pieces that are 4′-5′ feet in length. Each foot should allow for 1 bike, when they are staggered. Before hanging these boards to the wall, attach some plastic to the wall, using a stapler. This will ensure that the bike tires don’t scuff up the wall. {When you move out, your landlord will be happy}. The only other item you need are some nails and large hooks. Hang the lower board at a sufficient height for the children’s bikes and then hang the top board at a sufficient height for the adult bikes. Viola! You have a inexpensive and practical bike rack. If you want to dress it up a little bit, you can paint the 2×4s. If you want to provide even more of a buffer from the outside world, you can install outside curtains to hide the bikes.
- Rectangle Planters- I know gardening and flowers are important to Nicole & Tristan. I thought these rectangular planters would be perfect if they lined the entire balcony ledge.
- Flagstaff Planter- This should go right next to the bench, between the bench and the bikes. I would plant a tall plant/shrub here to provide another buffer from the bikes from your seating area.
- Storage Bench- This storage bench will allow you to store all your toys and outside goods so they are hidden from everyone to see.
- Bench Cushion- {in Sunbrella Melon} This will dress the bench up a little an add a color pop. It will make the bench more enjoyable to sit on too.
- Pillows- Orange pattern {cover}, Solid Orange, Turquoise pattern {cover}, Solid Turquoise To accent the space, I would buy a few pillows {6-7}. I would put some on the bench and one on each chair when it’s being used.
- 5×9 Rug- This is a foundational piece of the space and will tie everything together. It is a large outdoor rug that will cover much of the balcony floor. It will make the balcony seem larger and tie everything together.
- Shrubs & Plants- I would recommend planting some greenery on the front side of the balcony to dress it up and pull everything together.
Nicole and Tristan I hope you love your balcony redesign and have fun implementing it. It was a lot of fun and I love all the bright colors.
Do you have a space that you need redesigned? Come tell us about it here.
Tags: apartment, balcony, bike, flower, garden, laterns, plants, storage, toy
