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Spring 2008
Check out our Plans and Articles for Spring
How to build a deck
Use our Garden Bench Plans
Plans for window boxes
Some conservation tips
Dealing with drainage and runoff
A How-to fix that leaky faucet
Our plans for simple loft beds
Painting Preps
Our Gardening Forum!
 Complete Article Index
Cleaning Your Deck
- Before using the deck cleaner, sweep away all loose debris.
- Wet the surface and any surrounding plants and shrubs with a garden hose. Mix the appropriate amount of cleaner with water. If the wood is extremely dirty, use less water, especially for decks that haven't been cleaned in the last couple of years or more.
- Apply the cleaner with a roller, sprayer or stiff bristle brush (acid wash brush). (Use a long handle with the brush to save your back.) Tough areas will definitely need to be scrubbed thoroughly with a brush. If you are hand brushing, remember to wear gloves.
- For the cleaner to work its best, keep the deck wet while applying it. Allow the appropriate time lapse for the cleaner to work (about 20 minutes; longer for extreme dirt). This gives the detergents time to remove the ground-in dirt and brighten the wood.
- After you allow the cleaner to do its work, rinse with a garden hose.
More on caring for your deck:
Take a look!
Holes UP or Holes DOWN
How do you place that drainage pipe?
Typical PVC rigid pipe with holes comes with a pair of rows of holes down its length. If you are running this pipe say, along your foundation's footer, or through a wet area to drain the water away, how do you place the pipe?
Well, it would appear that common sense says holes pointing up. You wouldn't want the water to drain out again would you? Well, this is one that is counter-intuitive I guess, because the holes go DOWN. Consider the saturated condition of the soil or sand or stones around the pipe.. in order for the water to get into the pipe, the water level has to reach the height of the holes. You aren't really trying to catch the small percentage of the water that might luck out and drop right into a hole.. what you are doing is draining away the water as the level rises to the height of the holes in the dirt or ditch or where ever you have placed the pipe.
So, holes go down, then basically the water level in the area around the pipe will be at the bottom of the pipe instead of at the top.
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today's tip:
HINGES
To keep surface-mounted( or mortised hinges),hinges steady when installing, first tape them into place. Use masking tape to cover and overlap both ends of the leaves by about 1 inch. Make some starter holes with an awl (going through the tape), then drive in the screws. When all done, peel the tape off.
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Our Top Ten Articles
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Sandbox Plans
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Simple Toilet Repairs
Build a Retaining Wall
Complete Article Index
Smoke Detectors! - Don't stay home without them!
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