Rust-Proof Means Worry-Proof

A garden swing glider can be the source of much backyard enjoyment for your family. Although they do require regular oiling to keep it sliding smoothly, one way that glider swings are lower maintenance than hanging porch swings is their lack of rust. Hanging swings depend on metal chains in order to create the back-and-forth motion which a glider also produces. Unfortunately, these chains are prone to rust, especially if your swing is in an area where it comes into regular contact with rain or other precipitation. The chains are nearly impossible to repair, and a pain and an unnecessary expense to replace.Gliders, on the other hang, swing using a gliding track system located on the bottom of the glider. Not only is this track system more sheltered from rain and the other elements than swing chains (which are located on top of the swings), but it is also typically made from rust-resistant hardware. If you are thinking about purchasing a glider, make sure that all of its zinc hardware includes a rust-proof coating. As long as this coating is included on your garden swing glider, you should never have to worry about rust slowing you down, and if you keep your glider well-oiled, it will never stop swinging!

How to Keep Your Glider Sliding

One of my favorite pieces of outdoor furniture is the glider. Whether it’s a bench, chair, or swing, an outdoor furniture glider is sure to bring comfort and entertainment to your backyard. However, gliders are unique pieces of furniture, and therefore can require a little more maintenance than a plain old bench. The reason that gliders are able to move back and forth is their gliding track system. A track system that isn't kept well-oiled, will not be able to properly slide back and forth, causing the gliding motion to be choppy. If you go long enough without oiling, your glider swing could even become locked in place, causing it to be unable to move even the slightest bit. How often you should oil your glider’s track depends almost entirely on location. Weather, such as rain and other forms of precipitation, are the most influential factor on how often you need to oil the track. Rain, snow, sleet, and ice all wear away at the oil, causing the protective coating which allows the glider to glide to erode at a much faster rate. So if you live in a rainier climate or place your glider in a location where it is more exposed to the elements, you will probably have to oil your glider’s track system more often.

How to Clean a Dog House

If your dog lives in an insulated dog house, it is not only important to keep their home clean; it’s also a law in some states. Here are a few tips to making your dog’s house squeaky clean:

• Clean their dog house at least once a month. During the wet seasons, humid summers, and colder weather, it is important to clean the doghouse more often.
• Make sure you wear rubber gloves when you clean the doghouse, as you most likely will have to remove feces and urine from bedding.
• Begin by removing all feces around the doghouse.
• Make sure to clean the surrounding areas as well, so that your dog does not track filth into your newly-cleaned dog house.
• Soak all of your dog’s toys in container of warm, soapy water.
• Remove all of bedding from the doghouse and throw it out.
• Fill a large bucket with hot, soapy water. Use a stout brush to thoroughly scour the both the inside and the outside of the entire dog house.
• Use hard spray on your garden hose to completely rinse the house.
• Use a household disinfectant to thoroughly clean the dog house.
• Allow the dog house to air dry.
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  If you follow these few easy steps, your dog’s home will be clean and habitable. And doesn’t your beloved pet deserve that?

How to Keep Teak Protected

In yesterday’s post, I told you all about the importance of keeping your teak furniture clean and how a teak cleaning solution is the best way to do that. However, cleaning is not the only part of taking care of your outdoor teak furniture. Today I want to recommend that on top using a teak cleaning solution, you also purchase a teak protector as well.

As we all know, when you first buy teak furniture, it is a beautiful, honey-brown ginger color. Unfortunately, exposure to the elements will cause the wood to weather and fade, leaving it stripped of its original beauty. Also, if mold and/or mildew begin to grow on your furniture, they will create unsightly black spots on your wood, which also detract from the aesthetic appeal of your patio. Using a teak protecting solution will prevent wood from fading, mold and mildew from growing, and black spots from appearing on your furniture. However, if your teak is already afflicted with these problems, never fear! Simply use teak cleaner to restore your teak to its original glory, and then follow up with teak protector to keep it that way. If you take proper care of your teak, you can keep it looking like new for years to come.

Cleaning Teak Furniture

Wooden teak furniture is a beautiful, and admittedly pricy, addition to your patio or backyard. If you have made the decision to purchase teak furniture, it is clearly important to you that your yard looks classy and attractive. However, if you don’t take care of your teak furniture, it will become dirty, dull, and lifeless. It could also become damaged or irreparably harmed. Nothing will take away from the aesthetic appeal of your expensive teak furniture faster than it being in terrible condition.
These reasons are exactly why it is so important that you take excellent care of your teak furniture and do everything in your power to keep it clean. With most wood furniture, cleaning is simply a matter of washing it with a mild soap and water combination. This easy care routine will keep cheaper wood furniture sets looking as good as new. However, this same care will not have to same effect on teak furniture. To keep your teak patio set at its best, it is essential that you use a teak cleaner on it. Not only will a high-quality teak cleaner remove the dirt and grime of daily use, but it also will restore your teak furniture to the original shine and luster it had the first day you bought it. It even reverses the process of weathering on your teak, transforming its color back to a rich, honey brown. Soap and water just won’t do for your teak furniture, so if you’re serious about keeping it clean, you should invest in some teak cleaning solution.

Painting Your Picnic Table

Few things destroy the aesthetic appeal of a wooden picnic table faster than a poor or deteriorating paint job. Here are a few tips for keeping your picnic table looking great and freshly painted.
• Begin by washing your picnic table and allowing it to air dry.
• Using a wire brush, go over the entire picnic table and scrape off any peeling paint.
• Use sanding paper to sand out any rough parts you may find in the wood. If there are a lot of spots you need to sand, you might want to consider using an electric sander. Start by using a coarse grit sand paper on the tougher spots, and finish up by using a finer grit sand paper. Also be sure to sand the ends of the table carefully and completely.
• Make sure that you pick a dry, windless day to paint the table outdoors. You should also paint in the shade so that it is easier to see any spots you might miss as you go along.
If you follow these simple tips, your painting results will be much better. It is important to repaint your picnic table on a regular basis in order to keep it looking fresh and clean.

Personalizing Your Cedar Mailbox

I don’t know about you, but I think that a cedar mailbox is the most attractive kind of mailbox there is! However, you can make your cedar mailbox even more aesthetically pleasing by personalizing it. You can paint your name or even a one of a kind design on your mailbox. Or, if you are not artistically inclined, you can use a stencil. Get creative and really put your personality into your mailbox!
If you choose to design your own image for your mailbox, be sure to plan it out before painting it onto the wood. Draw it out on paper first, and once you are satisfied with your design, lay a sheet of tracing paper over it and trace away. Then, set the tracing paper on the wooden mailbox and trace over it again. You’ll be able to see the indentations on the wood, and then fill in the rest with paint.
Your mailbox is the perfect place to make a statement and share your creativity with the world. It is the first thing your guests will see when pulling into your driveway, and a personalized mailbox allows you to welcome them into your home before they even get out of the car. It also will make it much easier for them to find your house!

How to Care for a Cedar Log Arbor

A log arbor is a beautiful addition to your back yard. But of course, it won’t look good unless you take care of it! Here are a few tips for keeping your arbor gorgeous!
• Choose how you want to treat your cedar log arbor. If you leave it untreated, it will eventually turn a weathered gray color. However, if you treat the wood with an oil-based stain, it will maintain its beautiful gray color.
• Pick out the type of stain you want to use. For the most natural look possible, use a clear stain. Or you can pick out a stain that will add a slight colored tint to the wood.
• Don’t use varnish, because it will peel and crack with exposure to the elements.
• Once a season, be sure to clean the cedar logs with a stiff scrub brush in order to loosen dirt and get rid of the mud build-up.
• Make sure to wash your log arbor once a year with a power-washer. You can rent one of these at your local hardware store, and will reach spots that you won’t be able to get without it.
If you follow these few simple steps, your arbor will stay looking great for years and years!

Replacing Rusted Porch Chains

Log porch swings are an attractive addition to any porch, patio, or backyard. However, it is important to keep your swing well maintained, or if can become dangerous and unusable. One of the worst problems you can run into is a broken or rusted chain. This predicament can cause the chain to loose strength and possibly break. Rust can also create jagged edges, which can be dangerous if you have small children. Luckily, it is incredibly easy to replace broken or rusted chains. All you have to do is unhook the chain from the swing and from the suspension hook. Then, replace it with a new and un-rusted chain that is cut to the appropriate length. The tools needed to cut chain are available at any hardware store, or they can cut it for you. This simple replacement will keep your family safe and your swing usable.
Although this repair is very simple and will not take much time, I know how easy it is to procrastinate on your chores. However, it is CRUCIAL that you replace your chain as soon as you notice any rust! Your chain has a much increased chance of breakage if you continue to use a rusted chain, and you will endanger your family every time they use it until the chain is replaced.

How to Clean Your Cushions

So I’ve already told you how to care for your wooden furniture. It’s important to regularly clean your furniture to keep up the appearance of your yard. However, one of the biggest problems you might run into is keeping your outdoor cushions clean. If these get dirty, it is pointless to clean the wood because everything will still look bad. Plus, no one want to sit on a dirty cushion! Here are a few quick steps for general outdoor cushion cleaning.
Step One: Start by brushing off any loose dirt that is on the surface of the cushion. You can use your hand or a towel if you would rather.
Step Two: Mix up a cleaning solution that is a quarter cup (2 ounces) mild soap per gallon of lukewarm water. (Make sure your water is no more than 100 degrees)
Step Three: Using a soft bristle brush or sponge, wipe down the entire surface of the cushion.
Step Four: Allow the cleaning solution to completely saturate the fabric
Step Five: Rinse the fabric thoroughly with clean water
Step Six: Just allow the cushion to air dry.

If you just follow these simple steps on a regular basis, you will keep your cushions in top shape! They will be clean, attractive, and totally sit-able!

How to Build a Backless Bench (Part Two)

In my last post, I started telling you how to make a quick and easy backless bench project. Here are the rest of your steps to finish up your beginner carpentry project.
Step Six: Insert the other brace between the legs, above the point of the "v." Drill pilot holes and fasten with wood screws.
Step Seven: Stand the leg frame right side up and center the backless bench top on top of the legs. Drill pilot holes through the bench top and into the ends of the legs. Drill two pilot holes for each leg. Insert the wood screws and attach the top and the legs.
Step Eight: Lay the backless bench on its side. Position the bench sides longwise and flush with the bench top at a 90-degree angle. Drill pilot holes through the sides and into the legs. Insert the wood screws to attach.
Step Nine: Finish up by sanding the edges and surface of the backless bench and apply whatever finish you want.
And that’s it! Nine easy steps to creating a backless bench on which you can sit back, relax, and reap the rewards of all your hard work.