We’ve finally reached the summer season, and if you’re blessed with a day of sunshine, you may be ready to start spending more time outside. Particularly if you have a balcony, back deck or porch area, now is a perfect time to spend some leisurely mornings and pleasant evenings lounging outdoors (at least between showers!). So why not capitalise as much as possible by doing a bit of work to make your deck summer-ready?
This may entail different things for different people, and naturally it depends on what kind of balcony or deck space you have. But these are four of the things I’d personally recommend for anyone looking to spruce up this kind of outdoor area for the remainder of the summer.
Fire pits + BBQ’s:
No matter how humble your space there’s loads of great BBQ and fire pit options you can try. One fun Country Living write-up pointing to 65 individual patio ideas for 2016 showed a brilliantly designed fire pit in a stone deck at a lakeside home somewhere in the States. That’s not something you can just put together, of course, but there are plenty of simpler, more portable fire pit options that can be considered for a standard porch or patio area! Often these are cheaper than you’d expect (like this one from waitrose for £149), and installing one on your deck is a wonderful way to completely change the area for the summer. Nothing quite beats sitting around an outdoor fire OR sizzling sausages on the BBQ on a summer evening.
Spruce up the floor:
What’s the fun of lounging outside in the warm weather if you can’t do it barefoot!? We have laid artificial grass over our balcony space which gives it an instant carpeted feel. If you have a deck over the course of the year (or many years without attention) a deck floor exposed to the elements can quickly become coarse and even splintery. Fortunately, there’s an easy fix: smooth them out yourself! Sanding can be a dull and surprisingly trying chore, but there are ways of making it easier. Screwfix’s site can give you a feel for the different types of sanders at affordable prices, all of which can make this job a lot easier and quicker. With the right tools in hand, you can smooth out your deck in an afternoon and enjoy the feeling of smooth wood on your feet for the rest of summer.
Keep Up Regular Cleaning & Maintenance
It’s not the most exciting step, but while we’re discussing sanding it’s worth mentioning that you shouldn’t neglect cleaning and maintenance as the summer moves along. It’s actually kind of shocking how quickly a deck can get dirty or damaged by the elements, so regular washing, sweeping, etc. is always a good idea. In fact, along these lines, you may even want to consider painting the floors once you’re through sanding. It looks nice, but it’s also protective.
Stock Up On Live Plants
You may have seen this one coming, if you’ve been following my instagram you’ll know I’m a budding gardener. You can find all kinds of fun and creative ways to beautify a balcony or porch with plants on Houzz, from installing hanging containers with leafy greens to setting up potted flowers on tables or other surfaces. The whole point of setting up a deck area for summer is to enjoy the outdoor atmosphere, after all, so why not bring some nature onto the deck itself with an assortment of beautiful plants?
Stay fabulous
Christine
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