Decks & Patios

Cedar makes a top choice for deck railings and other exterior applications due to its natural resistance to bugs and water. This resistance comes from the presence of tannins in the wood. These...

Painting your deck will provide a new look for your outdoor retreat. Paint also protects the wood of your deck from moisture so that it will last longer and you will be safer while using the deck....

Having a wooden deck is a luxury that most homeowners can enjoy for many years. Staining or painting your deck can add value to your home, as well as add longevity to the surface wood of the deck....

Since wooden decks are constantly exposed to the elements, they may need to be resurfaced every few years. Some homeowners hire a professional for the job, but if you are reasonably crafty, there...

Knowing how to remove paint from cement allows you to make changes to existing structures. Once the paint is off, you have the option of leaving the cement bare or treating it with a new color....

Painting your deck is an attractive alternative to staining it; the range of colors available for painting is certainly greater, and a painted deck can have the effect of drawing your interior...

Painting your concrete patio can literally change the entire look and feel of your outdoor area. Painting the patio adds a layer of protection to the concrete, specifically preventing moisture...

The great virtue of a concrete patio is that it is easy to build. Its great drawback is that it is gray, featureless and plain. However, you can easily fix that with a coat of paint. Even the...

Prepping cement to paint requires that you clean the cement of all contaminants and repair any holes or cracks. A special primer made especially for cement is applied before the cement paint and...

Painting the wood deck on an outdoor pool is a task that requires precautions be taken so as not to damaged the wood or the pool. If the right steps are taken and the right tools used, this can be...

Bed-liner paints are great for other things beside truck-bed liners. The bed-liner paints create a nonslip and textured surface for garage floors, boat docks, boats and wood decks. For wood decks,...

Fun patio decorations and furniture can reveal a theme or recreate a favorite location. Use the decorated patio for a private escape or a shared outdoor space. Patio themes can be developed by...

Bring a deck suffering from serious weathering back to life with the application of fresh stain. Home-improvement centers and paint outlets offer color choices for outdoor staining projects. Allow...

Wicker is a common material used in outdoor furniture. However, because your outdoor wicker furniture is left to the natural elements, its paint will deteriorate over time. Luckily, it doesn't...

Metal railings, such as those on an outside staircase leading to your porch or patio, are exposed to the weather and can have faded or peeling paint, or even rust, which requires repainting the...

Everybody loves the look of a new flagstone patio when the colors of the stone are vibrant. However, after a while, the flagstone appears to lose its color and become gray. That is a part of the...

Paint spills or brush stroke errors are typical nuisances that disrupt a project. If the paint is 100 percent acrylic, cleaning it up can be difficult. Whether you are cleaning up after an...

A screen porch can be a perfect addition to a back porch of a house, as it creates a private, cool outdoor room that is free of bugs. A good paint job on that screen porch can make the area even...

A concrete patio is a plain thing when first poured, and a sad thing when dressed in stained and peeling paint. Fortunately, it is not hard to repaint a concrete patio. Whether you want a solid...

Painting a new concrete slab is a great way to add color and style to your patio. Home improvement stores sell specially formulated concrete paints which can be tinted in any color you desire. The...

Patio paint is tough, weather-resistant paint designed for use outdoors. But just because it's hardy doesn't mean it doesn't degrade. If the paint on your concrete patio is flaking and peeling,...

The US Census Bureau shows that 85 percent of American homes have a deck, porch, patio or balcony. Exterior surfaces are especially prone to wear and tear caused by extreme outdoor temperatures....

Weather and outdoor elements can wreak havoc on patio umbrellas, furniture and other outdoor items. Over time, fabric items like outdoor umbrellas begin to fade and look less attractive. One way...

Pressure-treated wood offers great advantages to the builder. It stands up to both weather and insects much better than unprotected lumber. It is not unusual for pressure-treated wood to last 20...

Staining over existing deck paint is fairly easy. You do need to be aware that your stain will not necessarily look much like it does on the can if you apply it directly over the paint. However,...

If you have a wooden deck or patio then you will want to weatherproof the wood so that it will last longer and stay safe in the outside elements. This article will give you step by step...

Your outdoor patio gets a lot of use throughout the year. To turn that plain concrete slab into a pretty patio that invites outdoor leisure, you need to add decorative elements. One of the more...

There is a myriad of ideas for upgrading and decorating outdoor spaces, most of them requiring a lot of cash. However, for those people who have more time and vision than money, there are cheap...

Anti-slip deck paint is usually epoxy or acrylic and sometimes contains gritty material for extra slip-resistance. This paint is most easily removed with paint strippers. New environmentally safe...

Trex decking is a brand of composite decking--decking made out of woods and plastic fibers. Although it isn't necessary to stain the decking in order to protect it, if you wish to enhance or...

Faded, cracked or chipped paint on your backyard deck can make the whole structure look like it's ready to be town down and rebuilt. But the easiest and best solution may be to give the old deck a...

This is the technique we used to refinish and seal my deck. If you follow these simple directions, add a little manual labor, you can have your deck refinished for only a few dollars.

That wooden deck needs to be protected for lasting usefulness and beauty. Sealing it not only makes it look better, but helps prevent warped and split boards. New products are evolving in the...

If you're looking to paint your deck, you may be surprised to find all of the various types of paint available. There are specific kinds of deck paint that are perfect for outdoor deck-painting...

Painting a deck baluster will help preserve the life of the sculpted, vertical pieces that adorn your new outdoor platform. Proper choice of paint is important as well as the necessity of taking...

Concrete staining has been quickly gaining popularity and more folks find they can turn their dull gray concrete into works of art. The process of staining is not difficult but takes a few steps...

For anyone who has a front porch, a back porch, balcony, outdoor deck - this is the article to read for some creative ideas on furnishing that neglected space!

Many people look to save money by doing their own home improvement projects. The most common project that homeowners undertake, and one of the more difficult to get right, is painting. While some...

Concrete decks come in all shapes and sizes, but there is one thing that is nearly universal about them: if they are left unstained or unpainted, the gray concrete is utilitarian and boring...

Change your mismatched and multicolor plastic flower pots to flower pots that are now color coordinated and now look expensive... quickly, easily and inexpensively. Your yard and floral...

As anyone who's ever inherited a deck finished with latex paint knows, it doesn't hold up well. Depending on climate, exterior latex that lasts for 10 years on siding will look awful on a deck...

Sometimes, you don't want an entire makeover on your patio or to change the decor completely. If you still want to renew the outlook or make it a little more fresh and in style, here are some...

There are a couple of ways to color wash concrete, depending on the look you want. Color washing concrete can give your patio or driveway a clean, new look. You do not need a lot of paint for this...

Painting your deck improves the overall appearance of the deck and also helps prevent future damage from the weather. Selecting a deck paint is a key step in the process as you need to not only...

Properly preparing a deck for painting maintains the quality and appearance of your outdoor area. By carefully preparing your deck before painting it, you can ensure a durable and high-quality...

It is common to have a concrete patio somewhere in the backyard of a home. There may also be one located in the front of a home. Concrete patios are easy to maintain but their appearance is rather...

Many of us have concrete patios that have been gray since the day they were poured. We are tired of that gray and tired of looking at the patio. We admire the new stamped concrete at the...

Porch posts serve cosmetic and practical purposes on your property. A classical wooden post with an ornate design can make your porch look like a blast from the past. These same posts provide...

Attaching lattice panels to your patio can make for a nice screen against the elements, bugs, and other people. You can attach patio screen lattice panels yourself, as it's a fairly easy...

Anytime of the year is a good time to spend out on the patio. Nothing spoils this sentiment more than chipping or fading paint, which in turns reminds you of all the things that need to be fixed...