Inspirational Guide to Building a Porch

When Thanksgiving is coming near then the home definitely needs some improvements so that there can be a small family gathering event. Porch is ideal to build and it will be wonderful to gather with family and friends to celebrate the upcoming event. In addition, a new porch will increase the value of the house one can relax on the rocking chair during tea time. There is no need to worry as the simple guide mentioned below will explain the ways to build a porch.

It requires more than one person to build a porch. Any friend or relative can be called to help with the workload. The first thing needed to be done is to imagine the design of the porch based on measurements of the house and has to be laid down as a plan. A professional has to be consulted if one does not have any idea to estimate the quantity of materials. All the materials needed have to be gathered like cement, sand, decking board, shovel, footing clamps, nails and foundation tubes. The tools needed for the project are hammer, shovel, circular saw, stakes, and a drill. If a permit is needed for building a porch then it has to be acquired before proceeding.

Next, the stakes have to be placed at the two side corners and at the location where the stairs are preferred to be placed. The treated boards have to be cut into 2x4 pieces and aligned together to form a still plate. Holes have to be drilled into the concrete floor and a plastic anchor has to be inserted. It has to be secured and lag bolts have to be fastened on the corners of the still plates to the concrete floor. It is helpful to use concrete anchors as weights. 2x10 boards have to be attached on the sill plate and nailed 4 inches below the door. These ledger boards will help in supporting the porch.

Joist hangers have to be attached that are 16" on centre to the ledger board with galvanized screws. The joists would have to be slid slowly into place. One may have to work in sections for a large porch. The length between the upper rail and the sill plate has to be measured. The 2x2 decking board pieces have to be cut and galvanized screws have to be used for attaching them to the joists. The essential basics to build a porch are already known.

The porch railings should meet the safety regulations and it will be better to buy premade ones off the rack they can be attached to the porch. Home improvements stores have readymade porch railings available for sale.

Beautiful Building a Patio Cover

Having a cover for the patio is sure a precious addition to a home. It naturally shades the patio and it also serves to keep the home interior cool and nice by keeping the sunlight away from the nearby windows. At least two persons are needed to build one so the whole can get involved in the task. This will teach the family to build a patio cover when needed. Here is a simple procedure for building a patio cover.

Procedure
First, four holes of at least 18 inches deep have to be dug out from corner to corner of the patio for the posts. The distance between the holes should be generally 12 inches or less. Approximately 3 inches of each hole have to be filled with compacted gravel. Frames have to be constructed for holding the post while the cement dries. They can be constructed from 2?x4? pieces of lumber and then screwed together. It has to be ensured that all frames are in level and they flush with one another before pouring the cement.

Lumber of 4?x4? pieces have to be used for forming the posts for the patio cover. The height of the posts can be decided as desired but usually most patio covers don't exceed more than 1 storey and are generally 8 feet tall. One person has to hold the post upright in the anchoring hole while another would mix the quick drying cement and will pour it into the hole. It has to be ensured that the lumber is absolutely vertical with a level before proceeding towards the remaining 3 posts. Dirt can be put around the cement when it gets hardened for a more attractive appearance.

The support beams are very essential as one will learn in the process to know how to build a patio cover. 1?x12? lumber pieces are used for making this which are of the same length as the area covered by supported posts. One beam has to be attached to the roof line while the other has to be screwed to the support posts. 2 inch screws have to be used for this part of the project. Afterwards, the rafters are fashioned from 2?x4? lumber pieces that spans the distance between the two beams.

When this has been completed, the final part of the project is next which is installing the roof. Prefabricated aluminum, PVC, wood, heavy-duty corrugated plastic, or even metal screening is used for making the roof. It has to be nailed in place and a nice shaded place is ready for hanging out.

New Some Good Ideas for Building a Hen House

Besides making their own homes, the humans are also aware of the need to built proper shelters for their pets and farm animals. A chicken is a modern innovation that provides shelter to the chickens at the backyards of our houses.

The western farmers are involved in making modern shelters for the chickens and this is an important activity. Humans now a days are concerned about the living arrangement of these chickens. They are treated same as the dogs. Eggs produced by chickens form a revenue asset for us. In the US and most western countries chicken is a farming activity and making proper shelter is one of the major activities.

Need for proper shelter

The mortality of the chickens increase if good care is not taken. Many insurance companies are offering policies for the safety of the chickens and their shelters and so an awareness is gradually growing among the westerners.

The western people are focusing on building wooden shelters for the chickens. There is an element of compassion in the heart of the humans for the happy living of chickens. The westerners take care of the chickens similarly as their dogs. Chickens are precious assets fetching revenue in the form of eggs. In most western countries including USA, rearing of chickens is a major farming activity and so is building shelters for them.

There are coop builders in the market but they are comparatively costlier. Although coop building requires certain skills but you can also try to make a shelter at your backyard.

If you can build proper shelters for your revenue earners then this also gives you a mental satisfaction. Create a well planned shelter for the chickens and you can obviously feel and see the happiness with which they come out and get into the coops. Besides providing them a sound shelter, proper medical care too helps in increasing their survival rates.

The shelter for the chickens should be designed in a manner that they can fit at least four chickens in a smaller coop whereas the larger coops will fit around 50 chickens.

People are increasingly rearing chickens at their backyards and so there has been an increase in the demand for chicken house builders. The wstern world has more users of egg and so people there have to arrange for proper shelters for the chicken to get higher yields of eggs.

Inspirational Instructions on Building an Outdoor Kitchen

Ever wondered how to build an outdoor kitchen? It's is a great addition to any home that will also give you a way to enjoy more time outside. It's stylish, attractive and will add value to a home. What's better than having friends and family over, sitting out on the patio enjoying a great meal and cold drinks on a balmy summer night?

When considering how to build an outdoor kitchen the first thing you'll need is a place for it. If you have an unused area on your back patio, that's a great way to make use of wasted space.

Next map out just how big you want the kitchen to be. Are you looking for a cozy little nook or a grand master chef-worthy prep area? Let's compromise and build something affordable but stylish and useful.

There are a few things you'll need to get started:

Lumber
Plywood
A small refrigerator
Counter top/prep area
Cooking surface
Sink
Proper plumbing and electrical hook ups

So you've laid out your basic outdoor kitchen design. It's time to start building.

The first thing to do is build the basic framework for the kitchen. Use sturdy beams such as 2X4's joined with basic butt joints to frame the whole thing in. Be sure to anchor the base into the patio deck using either concrete anchors or decking screws. Your outdoor kitchen is heavy and the frame has to safely support all the weight. Be sure to add extra support beams along the top to hold the weight of the counter top as well as the cooking surface and sink

Once you've built your framework run your electrical and plumbing connections.

This can be a tricky part so be sure to consult your local building and electrical codes to make sure it's safe. If you are uncomfortable with this, it is wise to hire someone to do this work for you.

Now that you have a place to plug in the fridge and plumbing for the sink you can start decking out the outdoor kitchen.

Nail plywood to the framework while noting where your sink and burner cut outs are located, as well as your fridge cut out.

Use a jigsaw to cut out your sink, cooking area and refrigerator drop ins.

Next, tile the counter top. It's easy to just put down a layer of thin set and lay the ceramic tiles right on top of the plywood.

After you finish that, and the tiles have set, you can drop in your sink, plumb it up, and caulk around the edges.

Plug the refrigerator in and slide it into the cutout you made in the side of the outdoor kitchen. You can then add any kind of decorative molding you want to spiffy up the edges.

The last thing to put in is the cook top.

A wide range of options are available at your local home improvement store. For ease of use an electric griddle top is ideal. Simply insulate around the cook top and place the self contained unit inside your cutout and wire it up.

Now that you've mastered how to build an outdoor kitchen, all that's left to do is call up those friends and family and invite them over for dinner.

Steps to Building a Garden Pond

Building a garden pond is not just a matter of digging a hole, lining it with plastic and filling it with water. There are other considerations such as whether it should contain fish or just plants; how big or small it should be; its shape, and so on. Be prepared to dig a decent hole and spend many hours complaining about your aching back but youll be very pleased with the results and you can happily stand around, beer in hand, praising your efforts after the fact. For those who have done it, building a garden pond can be a very satisfying project indeed.

Step 1 - Decide on where to build your pond.
Naturally, level ground would be best or else youll spend far more time and effort doing the levelling yourself. Building a garden pond under a tree is unwise as the roots will continue to grow and could encroach upon the ponds territory in the future. The shade of the tree will also mean a lack of sunlight, which is essential to your ponds survival. Since you will need electricity for the pump, proximity to an outlet is important.

Step 2 Prefabricated or do-it-yourself liner?
Prefabs are the more expensive option but you pay for ease of installation, durability and low maintenance. Liners are available in different price ranges and generally speaking, the more you pay, the longer your liner will last.

Step 3 Installation
For a prefab pond, tip it upside down on the area youve reserved, mark it out with 6 to 8 inches extra around the outside and start digging. If using liners, measure your outline keeping in mind the size of the liner you will be using. Building a garden pond that will last for years means that all debris should be removed from the cavity to avoid punctures to the bottom of the pond. Once the hole is the required depth and size, add the prefab or lay the lining. Fill to about one quarter capacity with water so that the weight will keep the pond in place as you refill the gaps with soil.

Step 4 Decoration
You can now add plants, rocks, bark and stone around the banks of the pond for a more natural appearance. If you intend to add fish, plants that overhang into the water will be useful as shade and hiding spots.

Step 5 Add aquatic plants
If youre building a garden pond that doesnt have a pump, you should aim for plenty of plant life to keep algae growth under control.

Step 6 Install a pump and filter
There are dozens of models on the market and your retailer will be able to help you decide which size is best for your pond. Read the instructions and follow carefully, but its generally a simple task to place the pump in the water and connect the hose to it. The filter needs to be positioned in front of the pump to encourage water through the filter first. Building a garden pond and outfitting it should take little more than a weekend, which is one of the things that makes it so rewarding.