The ability to stamp concrete into any pattern, which in turn gives it the ability to mimic almost any material, is a great advantage, which adds to the versatility of this great material, and thus to its popularity.
However, the possibility to stamp concrete into any desired pattern isn’t its only advantage. Stamped concrete patios, for instance, also benefit from concrete’s other features, such as high resistance and durability, need for little maintenance and the possibility not only to stamp any pattern, but also make any shape out of this material, which, combined with a much smaller cost, put stamped concrete at the top of the list of materials which are chosen more often for patio renovations.

As you probably know, decorative patios are backyard lounge areas, where you can host barbecues, have parties and just enjoy the good weather when it comes. While the furniture is really what makes it a lounge area, and defines the area’s uses, the pavement is really what makes the whole look.

Originally, the flooring of patios was fashioned by landscaping the area, or adding some kind of slab, such as brick or stone. However, that changed with the invention of stamped concrete in the 1970s, which allows for an easier and less expensive installation, and can virtually achieve any look you desire, anytime you want, even on top of existing flooring or slabs.

But while you can mimic brick and stone, and even crushed earth and leaves with a stamped concrete patio and yet maintain a stable base for your furniture to be safely placed upon, without having to worry about edges or fissures, this is only entirely true when and where the weather is generally nice.
Concrete does not have a lot of weaknesses or drawbacks. It is, however, affected by the weather, cracking in extremely low temperatures, something which makes a stamped concrete patio a bad idea for those who live in colder weather areas or those which do experience extreme conditions.

Also, unlike real stone and brick, the stamp is prone to fading, which means that maintaining the initial look of the patio may not always be possible, once again, depending on what the weather’s like where the patio is installed.
This is, however, a relatively minor drawback, which doesn’t necessarily affect most people, so if your home is somewhere where inclement weather is infrequent, then you may find that stamped concrete is a great choice for your new patio, especially as it can save you a nice penny which you can opt to use for other home improvement projects, which you may have had to give up on due to budget constraints.

While they are more likely to be remembered for the big, outdoor staircases of both ancient and modern buildings and stunning mansions, stone steps can be quite versatile, and fashioned for a number of locations, from hillside landscaping to indoor staircases.

For instance, traditional European homes, which were at one time mainly built from stone, are likely to have polished stone flooring, which is thus complemented by a natural stone staircase, often somewhat embedded in the wall structure.

The small, embedded staircases of traditional homes can’t compare, though, to the grand staircases which are a main feature of opulent manors and mansions. A great example of this can be seen at the White House, where the famous Grand Staircase used for official ceremonies was rebuilt in the 50s, using an elegant mixture of cream and taupe marble steps, likely making it the most famous and inspiring natural stone staircase in the world.

On the other hand, the iconic Met Steps’, which are fashioned from natural granite, are just as popular an attraction as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which they lead to, providing a great destination for people to take a break from their day, or to enjoy the city view while on a tour of New York City.

These steps, which have stood the test of time thanks to the resistance which granite provides, even in the worst of weather conditions, have become famous thanks to TV shows such as Gossip Girl, which featured them prominently, and are certainly a solid inspiration for those looking to build their own natural stone staircase.

Natural stone steps are a beautiful feature to have in your garden, but there are a few considerations to be taken into account. The final appearance isn’t the only aspect you need to be concerned with when planning the installation of a flight of steps.

In fact, the main aspect to take into account when building stone steps is how practical the design you have in mind is. While they can be stunning, some designs simply won’t work with the environment you want to insert them in, fit in the available space, and worse yet, will be difficult to navigate, particularly for children and elderly people, which is most likely a deal breaker for most people.

You should also take into account the available materials and the weather conditions in your area when building a set of steps. Choosing a rare stone to build your steps with will cost you a lot more than using something which is readily available, and it is unlikely that it will match the rest of your home.

Opting for a stone which is beautiful but not very durable is not a good idea either, unless you live in an area where weather conditions are always perfect, as it will suffer from erosion, which will not only ruin the beautiful appearance of the steps, but also, once again, make them unsafe to climb.

This is why careful planning is the key to building perfect stone steps – because no one wants to have a beautiful house which no one ever visits because they can’t bother making the effort of climbing an impractical staircase. Taking accurate measurements and choosing the right materials is thus the key to building beautiful, yet functional, stone steps.

There are many different types of edging – each with their own set of pros and cons, making them suitable for different people in different situations. In this article we go over all of the best types of flower bed edging in detail and give you 64 ideas for the perfect flower bed.

Concrete Flower Bed Edging

Concrete flower bed edging has been around for some time now. It allows quite a few possibilities that other materials do not.

The main advantage of concrete edging is the fact that it is very low maintenance. It will not rot or deteriorate and does not need yearly maintenance and staining like wood.

However it is much more expensive than other types of edging and if you have a particularly large flower bed it can get quite expensive.

This being said the concrete will last 20 years or more and in the long run will probably not cost all that much more than say wood or stone edging.

Concrete flower bed edging is a little harder to install than other types of edging due to the fact that you will needed to use concrete to embed them in the ground. Due to their weight it is simply not possible to dig a hole and compact it in with dirt – it would simply fall over.

If you have any experience with concrete at all then there is a good chance you can install the edging yourself, it is not a particularly hard job. But many people do not have any experience at all – and as such you may need to get a builder to come to your garden and do it for you.

Concrete edges can be made to fit in with any garden type and come in a wide range of colors and styles. You can get wavy borders, diagonal borders, flat borders – or anything in between.

Overall concrete edging is a great choice if you have a reasonable budget to spend, if you are trying to edge your flowerbeds on the cheap – there may be better options.

Brick Flower Bed Edging

Brick flower bed edging is one of the oldest and most traditional types of edging. There are two main types of brick edging. They go by many different names, but basically they boil down to the installation method. (if you need cement or not)

Non cemented brick flowerbed edging is exactly what it sounds like. A hole or a trench will be dug – and reasonably thin bricks are then laid in and compacted with the dirt and soil that have been removed.

You don’t need any experience to do this and you can get the job done in an afternoon providing your flower bed is not huge.

It Is not uncommon to have the bricks at right angles to each other. What this means is that you will lay one brick flat in the dirt and then you will tilt one on its side to create a raised edge to your flower bed. You will use double the amount of bricks this way – but the effect is quite striking.

Brick flower bed edging is very low maintenance and will serve you well for 20 years or more. Every few years you may need to clean them with a pressure washer to remove and moss or lichen that have grown on them – but the process is quite easy and will make your edging look like new.

You may need to also remove weeds from the bricks each year. As they are simply laid in the dirt without any concrete foundation – the growth of weeds is inevitable.

Occasionally the bricks can come loose as they are held in only by the compacted dirt around them. It is quite an easy fix as you just pop the brick back in and compact it with dirt again. However if you have dogs or kids that could knock them accidentally – then you may be better off getting a more sturdy type of edging.

You can get bricks in a wide range of colors and styles ranging from natural stone colors all the way through to blues and greens.

The second type of brick flower bed edging is cemented. This basically involves creating a miniature wall around your flowerbed. There is no difference in the construction method of a brick flower bed edge and a normal brick wall.

You will need to use concrete and make a foundation, and will need to know how to lay bricks level. Which is out of the skill range of most people. Getting a bricklayer in to do the job should not be that expensive – but will obviously add a cost onto the edging that you would not have if you could install it yourself.

The actual bricks themselves are very cheap which brings the overall cost down slightly – this means that even with the additional cost of hiring a bricklayer – they are still a reasonably viable option.

They will not need any maintenance (apart from the occasional pressure washing as mentioned before) and will not allow any growth of weeds.

Natural Stone Flower Bed Edging

Natural stone flowerbed edging is very very popular these days.

It creates a very natural look to any garden and is quite timeless. They are not cemented or secured in anyway. This means it is very easy for you to install them yourself. Simply place the stones where you would like them to be, their inherent weight will stop them from moving.

They are quite low maintenance – but you may need to occasionally move a brick that has been knocked out of place back into the correct position.

Again – you will find that weeds love to grow in between the cracks of the stones and weeding will be a yearly task if you want to keep your flower bed looking great. Pressure washing of the stones will also be needed every few years or so to make sure they remain clean.

Natural stone edging can literally last you a lifetime with minimal care so they are a great investment for those of us who would rather do other things with our time!

They are also very cheap to buy – by far the cheapest type of brick or stone you can use for your edging. Flagstone, cobble stone, and limestone flower bed edgings are all popular choices here.

Plant And Bush Flower Bed Edging

It sounds a little silly but you can actually edge your flowerbeds with plants. Something that is often overlooked by many people it remains an excellent choice for those with a little time to spare.

Dense shrubbery – usually evergreen, will be planted around the edge of the flowerbed. There are many different types of shrub that can be used for this and they will be stocked by any good DIY store.

It is reasonably expensive to do it this way as you will need to buy pre grown shrubs. You can obviously try to grow the edging from seed if you wish – but it will take a few years.

Even if you buy your shrubs partially pre grown you will have to wait a year for them to properly fill out and create a uniformed appearance.

The maintenance of bush edging is also reasonably intensive. While most will not require any kind of nutrients or watering – they will require pruning and cutting every year. They are designed to grow quite quick and can get out of hand if you do not look after them.

This being said – the end result of all this effort is really quite impressive. It creates a very flowing and natural effect to any garden. It will be a place of piece and serenity (after you have done the maintenance!) It looks especially good if you are looking for edging to a vegetable garden.

Wooden flower bed edging.

Wooden edging is a great choice for anyone who wants to keep the costs down and keep a natural look to their garden.

There are two main types of wooden edging. One type is manufactured and designed edging that is almost like a mini fence for your flower bed, and the other is natural wood like sleepers and logs.

The benefits of both mainly lie in their ease of installation and cost. Both types will simply require you to dig a trench and insert the wood. Then compact the earth around it and you are done. Some large logs and sleepers do not even require this – and you can simply lay them on the ground.

However the main drawback with wooden edging is that you will have to perform a fair bit of maintenance on it. Wooden fence style edging will require staining each year to keep them looking good. Natural sleepers and logs can be stained too – however this creates an effect that many people do not like.

They also both have a finite lifespan – which means while they will be cheaper than stone or concrete edging to buy and install initially, they will possibly provide a false economy in the long run when they need to be replaced.

Metal Flower Bed Edging

Metal is a reasonably new concept in flower bed edging and its popularity remains quite low. This is mainly due to its contemporary and unique look – which is not what many people want from their garden.

Metal edging is reasonably priced and will cost you a little bit less than pre case concrete edging – but more than wood. It lasts 20 years or more and requires little maintenance.

The method of installing metal flower bed edging can vary upon design. And some will need to be cast in concrete – others will be able to be compacted in with earth.

Metal edging requires very little maintenance, and will simply need washing by hand to remove any algae that may form on it.

While every effort is made to make it safe – the edges of metal flower bed edging can be quite sharp and cause injury if someone falls over onto it. For this reason it is not really the best choice if you have kids or pets which could increase the chance of an accident happening.

So there you have the main types of flower bed edging – now take a look at our 64 flower bed edging ideas to give you some inspiration!

Now – if we are being totally honest here, most dogs would be just as happy with a wooden box that has comfy pillows and is warm in the winters and cool in the summer. The luxury of these 41 extravagant and cool dog house designs are probably slightly lost on our canine pals…

So lets face it these dog houses are mainly for your enjoyment – and there is NOTHING wrong with that! (But we can pretend it’s really for the dog right!?)

In this list you will find large dog houses for the big dogs, and miniature dog houses for the pint size pooches.Some you can build yourself – some you will have to buy.

You have to love the way these guys have gone to such expense to make their cool dog house look like a people house

This awesome log cabin style dog house has its own little porch area complete with doggy dining table!

The perfect pad for those that like to travel. The wheels are actuall functional – so if you ever go on a road trip you can bring your doggys home along too!

Do you only have a patio without grass in your garden? How about you buy a little astroturf to make your doggy a little bit happier!

Complete with windows and a porch. This cool house takes the top prize for looking the most like a “real house”

The first use of a glass ceiling we have seen. The mixture of materials creates quite a striking effect!

This one had us laughing out loud. Watch out for the cat!

Many people have a crawl space under the stairs. Many a dog bed is placed there. Why not spice it up a little by adding a facade to the front to make it look like a kennel!

Live in the countryside? Does your dog love to play in nature? Then how about this idyllic fairytale garden style kennel?

This kennel looks like it has multiple floors – but it does not (as it is home to a saint bernard!)

Another one for those who like to treat their doggies like princesses. It looks super comfy!

Does your dog like the good life? Would a mansion be more fitting than a kennel? Then maybe this luxuirious dog sized mansion is just what your doggy needs!

Dogs love to swim right?

Why keep your dog confined to one floor when you can make a multistory masterpiece complete with shaded roof terrace for those hot summer days!

If you are looking for the most luxurious example  out there – Paris Hilton (love her or hate her) certainly loves her dogs. This is her doggy palace. How the other half live eh…

Its not just wood you can use to make a house super cool – this castle style example is made out of cardboard!? I think you need to have some super well trained pups for this as i know my dogs would eat this apart within hours!

This awesome house comes complete with its own porch incase your dog wants some fresh air without getting rained on!

You can make your side table into a dog house pretty easily – just look how happy this little doggy is in his home!

A tv house – this time in cool original colors.

Converting an old TV set into a dog house is a novel way of making a stylish pad for your pooch without it looking like a dogs home.

got two dogs? then why not build a two room log cabin for them?

Another great example of how you can hide a cool dog house in your home – while giving your pooch the perfect place to sleep

Take your dog back to the 1960’s in this trailer style dog house!

This cool log cabin style dog house is something any pooch would love. Just look at the detail that has gone into this one with the ornament above the doggy door!

Want to make your dogs house blend in with your garden? how about this roof garden dog house!

Want to give your dog the best in life? Well what luxury dog house would be complete with its own bone shaped swimming pool!

This unique dog house has been built in the style of a gypsy caravan. What an awesome and quaint little kennel!

To convert a barrel into a dog house – lie it on its side and add pillows. Voila!

Comfy and cheap

A dog castle, complete with drawbridge. How awesome is this!?

This is one of the best – these clearly intelecutal dogs have the perfect home in the study bookcase.

Got a dog that loves the outdoors? Then why not get your pooch the coolest dog house – a real life cave! i don’t think there is a dog alive that would not like this house!

Another awesome themed kennel – this time in the style of a Chinese pagoda.

Lets not forget that the thing that dogs like to do the most is play (and eat). All the bright colors will make playtime even more fun!

Is your dog so super cool that it will not live in any old normal dog house? Then how about this ultra modern masterpiece of doggy design?

This luxury dog house is built out of brick. It’s quite funny that little dog house will last longer than their owners wooden one.

Many people want to provide their doggy with a nice indoor house – but don’t want it to be too visible. These cool indoor houses that are built into cabinets are the perfect solution!

The subtle colors of this cool outdoor kennel make it look so awesome!

Not to my personal taste – but if you have one of those little adorable handbag dogs – this is probably just the thing you are looking for!

One of the most ornate and cool dog houses we could find – who wouldn’t want their pooch to live in their own castle!

No luxury dog house would be complete with one of these doggy air conditioner / heater units

So there you have it – we hope we have given you some cool dog house ideas to spark your creativity. Now you have no excuses – go and get your dog the best pad possible!

Which one is your favorite? Leave your comments in the box below!

Although wood decking wins hand down when it comes to a popularity contest – bamboo is certainly growing in popularity, and is the second most popular non wood decking material in the USA.

Is Bamboo decking durable?

Contrary to popular perception, bamboos durability is incredible. It is harder than nearly all wood and is highly stable.

This is the reason why bamboo has been the staple building material of Asia for literally thousands of years (and continues to be widely used in construction there today).

There is no denying that bamboo decking can look absolutely stunning.

Bamboo that is used in most modern decking is subject to a process that makes it “strand woven”.

While there are certainly non strand woven options on the market – strand woven bamboo is by far the most popular (Now listen up – because this next bit is important!)

Strand woven bamboo makes this super plant even stronger. What it basically means is that the bamboo is moistened and pulled apart into long fibers. This is then treated and an adhesive is applied.

The strands are then woven into planks which (when the adhesive has hardened) will provide incredible levels of durability.

To put this into perspective we need to look at the Janka hardness scale. This scale is universally used by engineers and designers to compare the density, hardness, and durability of different materials – not just wood and bamboo.  The higher the Janka rating – the more durable the material.

If you took a bamboo plant out of the ground and subjected it to a Janka hardness test it would comeback with rating of around 1200 to 1400 Janka. This would be dependent upon the growing conditions and the particular species of bamboo. (Older bamboo that has been given time to fully mature will be harder than bamboo that has been cut down early to maximize efficiency and reduce cost). But either way – it would be within that range.

To compare this to a typical well known durable wood – white oak also has a Janka rating of around 1200 to 1400 Janka.

This strand woven bamboo will last for at least 20 years – which is much better than wood!

But what happens to the Janka rating when bamboo is strand woven? Amazingly the strand weaving process more than doubles its rating on the. Getting a stunning rating of between 3000 and 5000 Janka.  (there is only one wood in the world that rates higher than this on the Janka scale – The Australian Buloke tree which has 5060 Janka).

So it’s quite easy to see that just from the numbers alone, bamboo is certainly a durable material to build with. In reality this means it is far less prone to cracking and splintering than wooden decking and will certainly not disappoint in terms of longevity.

Without proper maintenance (see below) bamboo can give an aged appearance. But with the proper care (which is no more than you would have to care for wood decking) it will stay looking amazing for years on end.

Infact bamboo decking with proper care and maintenance can easily last 20 years with average usage – 30 years of usage would certainly not be impossible.

Not bad for a plant that is technically a grass huh…

The Problems With Bamboo Decking

But how does it stand up to the elements? Surely something that grows in a tropical Asian climate will not withstand western winters?
Well in hot or moist climates – bamboo is going to perform better than wood. As it is grown in the tropics of asia it has developed a natural resistance to the elements and will not swell or contract with moisture in the air (as opposed to wooden decks which most certanily will).

However the main disadvantage with bamboo is when it comes to the cold and rain. It does not hold up very well to prolonged rainy seasons and lots of sitting water – exposure to this may cause it to rot. This is less of a problem with strand woven bamboo – but if you live in a particularly rainy climate it is probably not the material for you.

(It will withstand the cold well, providing it is not consistently wet.)

As you can see from this image – you really should not install this stuff in wet climates.

The Maintenance Of Bamboo Decking

While it is an amazing material, bamboo does require some maintenance to keep it in it’s almost supernatural state of awesomeness. The amount of work that is required is no more than you would need to do for a hardwood deck and the actual maintenance is very similar in terms of what needs to be done.

You have two main options when it comes to protecting and maintaining bamboo decking. Staining and sealing.

With the natural beauty of bamboo it can be very very tempting to simple seal it with a clear sealant and enjoy. This will be great for a few years – but, like any natural material. Bamboo will fade with time, regardless of how much sealant you use. It is just as susceptible to the ultraviolet rays of the sun as wood..

Most owners decide to go for a compromise of a pigmented stain. This contains particles that will reflect much of the UV light to maintain the color of the bamboo. The great thing about the pigmented stains is that they come in a variety of transparency.

So you can get some that will only slightly change the color (but they will not be as effective at reducing the suns bleaching effect). Or you can get some that are almost paint like in the amount they change the color (These will not actually paint over the bamboo – you will still see the strands – but they will keep you bamboo looking exactly the same year after year).

Many people opt to use specialized oil based stains that are really only used for bamboo. They are slightly more expensive than wood stains (by $10 or $20 per treatment) but deliver awesome results. They provide the maximum amount of transparency, with a good amount of UV reflecting pigment. This means you will only slightly change the color of your bamboo but get sunblock quality protection.

This example of freshly stained bamboo with oil based stain looks as good as new

Treatments need to be applied once every few years just like wood and should not be skipped.

The alternative is to get composite bamboo decking. This is identical to strand woven bamboo but has additional (usually recycled) materials added to it. This looks slightly different to the standard strand woven bamboo (but not by much). However it does not require any maintenance or staining and will stay looking as good as new for pretty much its entire life.

How much does bamboo decking cost?

There are several different factors that will come into play when costing a new bamboo deck. Things like the age of the bamboo, the type of adhesive used in the weaving, and the pattern of the weaving will all come into play.

Unwoven bamboo (not as resilient) will cost you around $20 per square meter.

For strand woven bamboo you can expect to pay around $35 per square meter.

While it is more expensive – strand woven bamboo will last far longer than unwoven bamboo – and unless you specifically want the natural unwoven look – we always recommend stand woven.

Without doubt you will get the best deal for bamboo online – any local carpenter or builder will work with materials you have purchased yourself. They would obviously prefer you purchased it from them (so they can add a little margin for profit), but it is certainly not essential.

Look around online and find a few types you like the look of – then ring up some local tradesmen and send them the links to get their opinion.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Cheaper than hardwood
• Harder than wood
• Lasts longer than wood
• Environmentally friendly

Cons

• Cannot withstand constantly rainy climates
• Maintenance can cost very slightly more due to specialized oils
• Harmful chemicals used in manufacturing process

One particularly attractive usage of this awesome material is the bamboo decking / swimming pool combo. The combination of the bamboos natural color, with the crystal clear blue water in a pool is one awesome combination. The splashes and spills will not harm the decking – it is only constant moisture that does that.

Bamboo decking and the environment

It has a short grow cycle of 4-6 years, thus being the reason why many environmentalists are recommending it over traditional wooden decks. It absorbs more carbon dioxide than a tree in a much shorter amount of time while growing – which makes it a very VERY green building material. Many environmental activists are actually pushing to increase the popularity of bamboo in construction for this very reason.

It should be noted however that the adhesives used in making strand woven bamboo are quite unfriendly to the environment. And while they pose no risk at all to people using the decking – the actual manufacturing process is not all that green.
Whether opting for bamboo or any other material, homeowners can transform even the smallest of gardens and patios into a well maintained outdoor space meant for entertaining and relaxing by adding a deck.

So is bamboo decking any good? Well it depends on where you live. If you are in a cold wet area then it is almost certainly not. However – if your local climate is reasonably dry most of the year then bamboo cannot be beaten on price, durability, and in my opinion – attractiveness.

From fall to spring, a 3 season room ensures that the residents get to enjoy the best of all seasons without compromising on privacy.

It is emerging as the perfect outdoor living option and more and more people are opting to have it in their home. With benefits like access to natural lighting without having to bear the scorching heat of the sun in peak summers and the option of enjoying the surrounding natural beauty even in unfavorable climatic conditions like a rain or thundershower; there is no prize for guessing why it is the new favorite among home owners.

Can you imagine yourself sitting there with your favorite drink on a hot summers day?

Such rooms are the perfect place for every kind of gathering- whether intimate or big since it is the perfect blend of indoors and outdoors. It also offers protection from insects, bugs and other seasonal allergens thus being a great for the kids as well as nature lovers with allergies.

Additionally, such a room also offers protection of furniture that would otherwise be outside from the harsh, changing climate; thus elongating the life of the furniture.

Home owners can now enjoy the beauty of nature while forgetting about fading, rusting, breaking and all other forms of damage to the furniture being used in a 3 season room.

Setting up a 3 season room is not difficult at all and most home owners who do not already have one prefer to take the help of a professional and convert their existing roofed porch into one. Since setting it up from scratch also does not cost a bomb, an increasingly large percentage of nature people today are taking the plunge and getting a 3 season room installed in their home. The room can be as basic or as fancy as the home owner decides to, depending on his or her taste and budget.

In this article we delve a little deeper into the pros and cons of wooden patio covers, and try and help you decide if they are the right product for you (or if there are better alternatives)

What type of wood?

Patio covers are always exposed to the harsh outdoor elements so choosing what type of wood to use is important. The wood that is chosen should be able to endure all climates and subsequently, result in the least amount of maintenance. Pine is a wood that will easily hold paint.

However, pine does not have the anti-rotting agents that hard woods have – so like all other softwoods they are generally unacceptable choices. (This is with the exception of the amazing southern yellow pine). Redwood, cedar and cypress are some commonly stated options that are recommended by experts. As long as you choose a hard wood that has a reasonably long grain and treat / stain / paint it properly you should be fine.

Which Type Of Design?

Flat roof is the most popular form of patio design. Users who opt for the “Flat Roof” style have the option to either opt for solid or lattice roofing. The solid option is best for people that are expecting adverse weather conditions – loads of sun, or loads of rain – shade and shelter will not get much better than this.

This white lattice patio cover made from wood is the picture perfect example of what a cover should look like..

Whereas, the “lattice” style of design is a great middle ground between blocking the sun light completely and having a little bit of shade. The lattice option is certainly the most attractive – solid sides patio covers can often look like converted garden sheds – which to many people is certainly not the ideal look!

However it all depends on what your needs are – and properly designed solid flat roof patio covers can certainly look attractive. You can also get free standing wood patio cover kits which are an excellent innovation. They require no foundations to install and can be easily put up by anyone that can use a hammer over a weekend.

Customizing your Patio

Many wooden patio owners choose to buy motorized retractable awnings that attach beneath patio covers. These facilitate a more controlled shade and extend the protection offered by the patio cover if you have guests over – they do however look a little unsightly from time to time.

Planting vines or climbing bushes along the roof of the patio cover can help create a relaxing environment for the owner and their guests. And is lovely on a summers day when you want a little shade and the sun pours through the tiny gaps in the plants.

Vinyl covers are useful for the winter months which will cover your patio cover protecting it from the harsh elements. They are a little tricky to get on and off – which is why they are best left to the winter when you are less likely to be using the patio.

Aluminum vs wood patio covers

Homeowners are shifting to modern materials of construction such as plastics and mainly aluminum. Mainly because of the ease of construction and the ability to withstand harsh exterior elements. They are notably cheaper to install than wooden patio covers too.

this solid roof patio cover that is still under construction shows what i mean by they look like a “garden shed”

Things like alumawood have come to the market – which combines the look of wood, with the durability of aluminum. They are as amazing as they sound (and they should be as they cost loads more than a wood patio cover).

These modern materials are lightweight and hence, do not require substantial groundworks or foundations to install – they do not rot, and will generally last longer than wooden patios – so are they better?

Pros and Cons

Wood patio covers are the traditional and most popular choice for homeowners who want natural beauty and elegance. Wood tends to naturally blend with the outdoors, and is pretty much guaranteed to fit in with any style of garden.

Aside from their natural beauty and elegance, wooden patio covers are also preferred by homeowners because they can be painted with any color of their preference with ease (compared to other materials commonly used for patios). However it is important to factor in all the cons as well.

Wooden patios need to be painted repeatedly at regular intervals and treated for termites. This is the main drawback of wooden patios – they tend to have a finite lifespan, and do require regular maintenance when compared to their aluminum and plastic cousins.

So in a nutshell it comes down to personal preference. Aluminum and plastic patio covers are certainly the most practical – but are pretty unsightly compared to wooden patio covers..

Function or fashion.. You decide.