Stores like menards and home depots, etc. do in fact sell some things like these. If you're looking to have someone out to install, and do everything for you, you can try US Patio Systems. They have great products, great staff, and they're great with timing!
Do yourself a favor and hire a professional to finish your deck. They know what is needed and will do a good job for you. Check with your local paint/stain store or building supply center for recommendations of guys that have been around awhile, are licensed/insured and will do a good job.
Are you trying to keep the dog on the deck or off? How big of dog are you talking about?
Unfortunately we do not do any type of awnings. What i would do is call the HOA and ask them what they allow back there.
Decks are a very tricky item to finish properly. There are so many variables that have to be considered prior to applying any kind of stain. If I were staining your deck, I would start by asking a series of questions:
1.) Where are you located? What type of climate is the deck going to be subjected to?
2.) What type of wood is the deck made of? This will limit what kind of products you can use or would be best suited for the type of material used. Some woods will only allow you to use an oil based product, while others you can stain with newer waterborne products.
3.) How is the deck built? Is it close to the ground (1'-2' or high up 5'-12').
If the deck is close to the ground, using a one coat system with an oil based product is best. Although the solid color stains hold up well on decks closer to the ground as well.
The biggest enemy to any deck surface is moisture, so having good ventillation is a key factor.
4.) What type of finish would you like to apply? Do you want a solid color stain (looks like a paint) or do you want a translucent/transparent or semi-transparent stain (allows you to see the natural grain of the wood)?
We recommend an oil based finish for translucent and semi-transparent stains and we recommend a waterborne product for solid color stains.
5.) When was the deck built?
The wood doesn't necessarily have to weather prior to staining, it just has to be DRY (typically less than 15% moisture content). Once a tree is cut down, the wood starts to decay as it is no longer connected to a living water source. The sooner you can protect the wood from the elements of sun and water, the better off your deck will be. When you let a deck "weather" you allow it to suck up moisture and then have it dried out by the sun (repeatedly). The more this happens, the faster the wood of your deck will decay. This is why unprotected wood turns gray; the gray is the dead wood fibers. If you left your deck to weather, you will want to clean it and remove all the dead wood fiber. If you use a powerwasher, don't get too close! The power washer is only meant as a way to help rinse off the deck surfaces. The tip of the powerwasher should not get any closer than 10-12" from any wood surface, otherwise you can damage the wood. Use a deck scrub brush and a solution to help remove the dead wood fiber. Benjamin Moore has some great how to videos on their website: www.benjaminmoore.com.
As soon as the deck is dry (if new), it has to be sanded with about 80 grit sand paper to remove mill glaze. This "glaze" is what happens when the wood is cut in the saw mill. The mill glaze will prevent a stain from penetrating the wood properly and cause premature failure of the finished surface.
If you had to powerwash and remove dead wood fiber from the surface, you will want to sand the wood surfaces to remove any "furring" which happens during the process of removing the dead wood fiber and cleaning the deck surfaces. Once again, use about 80-100 grit sand paper.
6.) Let's set expectations...
Deck surfaces are subjected to all kinds of elements, foot traffic and furniture. A typical finish will last for about 24-36 months before showing signs of wear. Some higher traffic areas may see signs of wear sooner than that. Be aware that if you live in a climate that gets snow, be careful if you shovel off the deck and try not to throw salt on the deck surface. This will definitely shorten the life of the stained surface.
Gently clean your deck once or twice a season to keep debris and dirt from the deck surface. Doing so can extend the life of the product applied.
7.) There are more variables and conditions to think about, but this should cover some of the major areas. The best advice, if it is possible, go to a paint store (Benjamin Moore retailer or Sherwin Williams, or similar) and provide them information about some of the questions above. They will be able to ask a few more questions and recommend the best product for your situation. If you don't want to do the project yourself, they can usually recommend a trusted professional. Try to stay out of a big box store as they typically don't have the best knowledge or training.
Pictured is a deck during the cleaning process, removing dead wood fiber. The lower portion of the photo has been cleaned and the upper section still has the dead wood fiber.
The second picture is during the staining process. The deck was sanded after cleaning and allowing to dry. Stain one board at a time and keep a wet edge to avoid lap marks. Staining in pairs with a helper if possible is best.
Hope that helps and good luck with your project!
Mike
That is a great questions, you have several options.
First, I usually recommended allowing the deck to weather for a few months. This gets rid of some of the surface chemicals used in pressure treating lumber thereby allowing a better adhesion of your deck paint or stain. If you do not want to wait you can power wash the deck but we have had less success with this option as it sometimes ends up “splotchy”.
Next, there are many great products on the market, our company uses Sherwin Williams “Super Deck” but other painting companies have great products as well. I would stay with a better known company such as Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore. In my experience the quality is definitely better.
Finally, realize that you will need to remain proactive with your deck. Inspect it every year to see how it is holding up and whether you need to make repairs or reapply your stain. We have found that stains last about 2 years and deck paints 2-3 years despite what the manufacturer states.
I hope this helps
Bryan-
If you mean that the walls are 2 x 4 and framed already below the screens and you just want to replace the screens with windows, then you have a few options depending on your budget.
The most expensive we've done involved replacing the screens with Pella Designer Series casements and picture windows with miniblinds inside the glass. A picture window with blinds can be made up to 59 inches wide, and a casement that will crank open has a maximum frame width of 35 inches. That customer was very pleased with the result, and he had budgeted extra for the premium windows. Figure $1200 to $1500 per opening for that option.
The least expensive we've done involved Pella Impervia fiberglass sliding windows and we installed a couple of 6 foot wide 2-panel units and a couple of 9 foot wide 3-panel units. They are strong, look like painted wood not vinyl, are energy-efficient and offer a lot of ventilation. Unlike the casement windows that crank out and are somtimes problematic with backyards or walkways nearby, sliders can be opened with no projection. Figure about half as much to do that.
Of course you can use single or double-hung windows but it would take 2 or 3 to fill the opening that a single slider can, and the slider will give you more visible glass and the same ventiliation. The customer that used the sliders lived across from the beach, and he actually removes the venting panel from each of his sliders for the summer and puts it back in for the winter. However he had a pretty wide overhang to keep out the summer rains.
As far as the A frame you can of course install triangular shaped windows to let light in and keep the cold out. Consider something with a stronger Low-E coating in the glass to keep out the sun's heat.
All of the above of course might require beefing up the framing below and between the windows to accept the extra weight over the screens.
Good luck with your project!
Joe
It also depends on how high off the ground you are. Be aware that (at least in Wisconsin) if you are more than 24" above ground to the floor of the room, you can't use a vinyl product like PGT Eze-Breeze without a guardrail and balusters. But you can use a glass product such as the Mon-Ray Glass Walls porch enclosure windows, legally, without a guardrail. http://www.monray.com/gw.htm
Here's two examples of homes where we used the Mon-Ray Glasswalls.
Yes, definitely check out a product from PGT Industries called Eze-Breeze.
Check it out at http://pgtezebreeze.com/
There are a few options, depending on the use of the intended space. You can glass the space in to create a four season sunroom. This will insulate the room but can also be costly. There is another material you can use that is vinyl and looks and acts like real glass that is more cost effective. I have attached a video you can watch that demonstrates how this works. There are a few manufacturers that offer the same product. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiGl8NFWSL0
Good luck on your next remodel!
Depending on the light fixture you can paint it. Usually it's best to have an electrican replace it with a new exterior light fixture. It's always important to be sure that anything done on the outside of your House is water tight, it's even more critical with electric because water can cause shorts which can cause fires.
Dennis D. Gehman
President
Gehman Design Remodeling
PA297
355 Main Street
Harleysville, PA 19438-2417
Office 215-513-0300
Cell 267-718-4697
Fax 215-513-1280
I second the suggestion for the Eze Breeze panels. Great product and our clients love them! Here are a few pictures of a nice porch we completed a few years ago using this product.
Yes. It is always recommended to use an electrician. If you have vinyl siding, one important thing to do is also use Jumbo light blocks for the light to mount to. This allows for stability and a nice look.
Mark Miles, Pavers have become extremely popular over the years. Please make sure the pavers are on a wet set concrete so you have the longevity you desire. A dry set can cause cracking with settlement. Ken (Red Carpet Remodeling)