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Archive for the ‘Patio Ideas’ Category

Pool tables for your pool area
Primarily known as an indoor recreational activity, shooting pool has taken to the great outdoors as many companies now build pool tables which are capable of being used on the patio, balcony or over by the swimming pool. The outdoor pool game can be just as good as the indoor game since outdoor pool tables are very sturdy and endure all weather conditions. Neither snow, nor rain, nor sun should inflict damage your outdoor table, but always check the manufacturer’s warranty to make sure what is specifically covered. In fact, the first step to take is double check the manufacturer’s warranty before you buy, and always look for the longer warranties, which can vary from 2 to 5 years. There will be no problem putting your pool table indoors when you have the space, and you might want to base your buying decision on this flexibility. The pool table cloth is made of water-proof fabric safe against the UV rays from the sun, and the table is always made of durable material to resist not only abuse from the weather but from active children as well. Although the majority of outdoor tables do not need a table cover, many people prefer to cover their table whether indoors or out. Among the many models and styles of outdoor pool tables will be those you can assemble at home, but the most expensive ones need professional delivery and set-up.

Patio lounge chairs
There is a terrific array of outdoor lounge recliners on the market in a full range of designs and constructed out of materials like wood, plastic, metal, and polyresin. When you are ready to accessorize your deck or patio with new outdoor lounge chairs you need to consider costs, comfort, looks and durability as the most important qualities you are looking for. Unless you are getting new lounge chairs more for their appearance than anything else, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on furnishings you don’t intend to use all that much. Comfort is an obvious concern, and if you are going to use your chairs a fair amount you need them to be comfy so you can relax in the friendly confines of your own backyard. The quality of outdoor patio lounge recliners varies a lot, and high quality, durability and looks frequently depend on the material used to build the chairs. Wood outdoor furniture is the most attractive, but wood is often the least durable, while aluminum is rust-resistant and lightweight, and other metal furnishings like wrought iron and steel need to be coated with rust-resistant treatments. Plastics are more economical and easier to clean, however they can appear sort of tacky. Perhaps the finest all around outdoor patio furnishings are made of polyresin, because chairs made out of this material are nearly as inexpensive as plastic, are more appealing than metal chairs, and are more durable than wood or metal. One small detail that you shouldn’t overlook or discount is whether or not the chair has a cup holder, an item of appreciable convenience.

Rain gauges
Rain gauges with a decorative appeal enhance the outside of your house and measure snow and rain in the bargain. Rain gauges are weather measurement devices which gather data on how much liquid or solid precipitation your region gets over a given period of time. Rain gauges are available in either analog devices or the more modern digital device which sends the rain or snowfall measurements to a receiver. So long as you mount it properly, a rain gauge will help you find out how much extra water your lawn and plants will need. To record an accurate measurement avoid setting your gauge close to the ground where other sources of water can possibly skew the rainfall reading. Flower designs are a big favorite for decorative gauges, followed in popularity by sun, bird and star motifs. The materials commonly in the making of rain gauges are always durable and usually are pewter, chrome, plastic, copper or iron.

If you can’t find the information you are seeking from any of the articles above, maybe these sites might be more applicable. Here is a link that will take you to a site relating to wood decks.

Enjoy a custom-built fiberglass swimming pool
A while back the only choices for a sturdy in-ground swimming pool were constructed out of vinyl or concrete, but nowadays there are fiberglass swimming pools available that have proven to be far superior to vinyl or concrete pools. If you think about the difference between walking on sandpaper or glass, and you will have an idea of the difference between the rough surface of a concrete pool compared to that of a sleek fiberglass pool. Rubbing against the sides of concrete swimming pools often leave cuts and scrapes, and you can easily snag and rip your bathing suit on the edge of one of those little shallow divots you always see in concrete. The chemical composition of concrete encourages the growth of micro-organisms, and the grooves and divots in concrete are spots where bacteria and algae collect, leading to significant cleaning and maintenance costs. Concrete pools have to be cleaned and scrubbed and treated with acid washes, while fiberglass is chemically inert, non-porous, and doesn’t have to be treated with harsh chemicals. Fiberglass is many times stronger than concrete, and it doesn’t crack like concrete does, so there are no patching and resurfacing costs with fiberglass. Pre-molded at the factory according to your individual specifications, fiberglass pools cost a bit more than concrete pools initially, but the savings on maintenance expenses are significant year in and year out. The advantages of having a fiberglass pool far outweigh the added expense of your initial purchase, as fiberglass is overall easier on your body, your pocketbook, and the environment.

Keep your pool warm with a solar pool heater
The solar revolution has come to the family swimming pool in the form of solar pool heaters, the best, most cost-effective way to sustain a heated pool months after summer is over. Solar heated pools need a solar collector on your roof, into which the filtered pool water is pumped, then heated, and then pumped back into the pool. The solar panels on the roof should be anywhere between 50% to 100% of the surface area of the pool, and the bigger the solar collector the better you can enjoy the pool in colder months. Before you install anything you must make the critical decision on where to put the solar panels to get the maximum exposure to the sun as possible, and then it is also essential to set the pump timer to come on during the day for maximum efficiency. As soon as you get your pool water warmed up it would be a smart idea to have a pool cover to hold in the heat, and to keep random junk and grit from blowing into your pool. You can lay out as low as $2,000 and as much as $10,000 on a solar heating arrangement, but average costs run in the $3-4,000 range, comparable to old fashioned propane heaters or heat pumps, but without the on-going operating costs of traditional pool heaters. Because the only moving component part in a solar pool heating system is the diverter valve, which controls the rate of water flow to the solar collector, solar systems have very low maintenance expenses, unlike conventional pool heating systems. Additional advantages to solar pool heaters is the use of clean sunshine instead of polluting energy supplies like propane gas.

Winter pool covers
When it gets too chilly to comfortably swim protect your pool wisely with a high quality pool cover. Severe winter weather can blow a lot of debris into your pool such as leaves, twigs, rocks or dirt, and none of it is healthy for the pool. Accidents can occur in pools so you might think about buying a strengthened safety pool cover for the protection of kids, pets and the pool. Some pool owners who experience moderate winters have solar heated pool covers to keep the pool warm, clean, safe and ready to use. You have two fundamental choices: a solid cover that won’t let anything enter the pool, or mesh covers that let rain or snow seep into your pool. If you pick the solid pool covering you ought to keep some kind of pump handy to prevent a heavy pooling of water on top. In all cases you need to carefully comply with the manufacturer’s guidelines and also find out the local ordinances governing pool covers.

Fiberglass pools
Fiberglass swimming pools built into the ground have major advantages over concrete or vinyl models, although any of them will provide hours and hours of fun for your entire family. Vinyl pools feature liners that usually wear out and have to be replaced every 5 to 7 years, while concrete pools will eventually develop cracks that need patching and resurfacing. A fiberglass pool is more durable, flexible and last longer than either vinyl or concrete, and can endure the swelling and contracting of the ground due to weather, earthquake, or tree roots crowding against it. The up-front costs of installing fiberglass pools are higher than either concrete or vinyl, but with lower on-going maintenance requirements fiberglass is eventually more cost-efficient. Bacteria development is not a problem with fiberglass because the non-porous surface doesn’t allow algae or mold to take hold, as opposed to cement which needs cleaning with harsh chemicals. You could have a fiberglass pool installed over a few days given the fact that the shells are pre-made and readily set up.

The subject of swimming pool accessories is quite large and there will be a wide variety of sites which address a specific topic. Here are a few suggestions which should be helpful. This link leads to additional details regarding above ground pool liners. If you have questions about electric swimming pool heaters then go to Buy Electric Pool Heaters. Other articles concerning swimming pool accessories and above ground pool ladders are found at Buy Above Ground Pool Ladders. Also there is Best Swimming Pool Supplies which has information relating to swimming pool supply and has demonstrated its usefulness to a lot of visitors.