Five ways to get ready for summer
Labour Weekend is here – almost – and summer is coming. Is your place ready? There’s always a long list of jobs to get done around the house, but here are the top ones you need to do to make sure you’re ready to take your living outside, light up the barbecue and make the most of the long summer evenings.
Get your deck or patio ready to go
If you have an existing deck, patio or concreted area, it’s best to start with dusting off the spiderwebs. Give everything a good clean if it needs it.
Remember, if you have a wooden deck, water blasting isn’t a good idea as it can damage the wood unless you have a patio cleaning attachment you can fit to your water blaster.
Along the way, hammer in any protruding nails and look out for any signs of rot in any boards and get those fixed. A couple of rotting boards doesn’t mean the whole deck needs to be replaced.
If you have any pot plants sitting on your deck, ensure they are on blocks to allow air to circulate. This is a common cause of rot in decking.
There are some great deck and timber cleaning products that work well, and this is a good time to re-stain your timber decks and wooden outdoor furniture, too. This can work wonders for bringing the area back to life.
Inspect the fences
Over winter, your fences and gates can take a beating in the wild weather, so check them for any damage or leaning posts.
These will need to be fixed, but it doesn’t mean you have to replace the whole fence. Just replace the post that’s on a lean and refasten the wood palings to the new post.
Check all the handles, hinges, bolts and screws for any signs of rust, and ensure they’re all secured tightly.
Gates can sag over time and drag on the ground when opening. Depending on the type of hinge you have, you may be able to adjust them to allow the gate to come back up to level and swing easily.
If your gate is just too big and heavy, you can add a wheel to the underside of it so the weight is transferred to the wheel.
Ensure there isn’t any soil up against the fence and remove any unwanted vines that have grown over winter.
Give the fence a low-pressure wash (remember, water blasting can damage wood).
It’s a good idea to clean them with an outdoor cleaner that will remove any moss, mould or algae.
It might be time to consider giving your fence another coat of stain or paint. Using a spray gun is a great way to get the job done fast.
Get your outdoor furniture sorted
If your wooden outdoor furniture is looking tired and weathered, it’s easy to get it looking as good as new and keep it protected.
Give the wood a good scrub with a deck and timber prep product to remove any stains, grease or mould, being careful not to let the product dry before washing it off.
Let it dry completely, then crack into staining it. Just follow the instructions on the stain you choose.
While you’re cleaning your outdoor furniture, it’s a good idea to tighten all the nuts, bolts and screws.
It’s easy to build your own, too, if you’re keen on a project.
A good one is building your own outdoor bench seat, which you can squeeze more people on when you have a full house.
Make sure you’ll be sheltered
We all know how changeable our weather can be, so extend the time we can spend outdoors by giving some shade and shelter.
For shade on hot summer days, something as simple as a shade sail or large umbrella will do the trick. But if you’re wanting something more permanent, building a pergola or adding some polycarbonate sheeting to an existing pergola, is a great option.
Just be sure to check the Building Act Schedule 1 Guidance to know whether the work you’re looking at needs a permit or not. One key aspect is that the roofed structure cannot exceed 20sqm in size.
If it’s wind you’re escaping from, adding a few well-placed potted plants or a wooden trellis will do the trick. There’s a great range of decorative outdoor screens available to create privacy and break the wind.
Check your lighting and irrigation
Garden lighting is easy to install and can add real value to an outdoor space. If you already have it installed, turn on the lights and check that all the bulbs are working. Clean the lamps to remove any debris and dirt to ensure they’re ready to go.
While you’re in the garden, check your irrigation system. Turn it on, inspect all the outlets and adjust the sprayer direction if you need to. Test the timer function and ensure it functions properly. Make sure the pipes are hidden in the ground and well secured.
If you don’t have an irrigation system, these are easy to install. With a timer control, an irrigation system can be a great way to control the amount of water you’re putting on the garden and ensure it’s at the right time of day (late at night or early morning).
Stan Scott is a licensed building practitioner with more than 33 years’ experience in the industry. He is also a building consultant and frontman for Mitre 10’s Easy As guides.