44 page booklet:
This booklet is a collection of our best columns about decks and patios. The material has been distilled from hundreds of articles written over the past decade. The topic of each article was chosen from questions most frequently asked by the readers of our nationally syndicated home- improvement newspaper column which is distributed by The Associated Press. We have included answers to the questions most asked by callers to our nationally syndicated radio program and by the viewers of Home and Family, the television show that we appear on regularly.
Thousands of hours of research plus feedback from readers, listeners, viewers and industry professionals preceded the creation of these articles. They consist of tips, guidance on how to do projects by yourself and when to hire others to do them for you. Not all home improvements are easy, but with this input, they can save money and even provide pleasure and a sense of accomplishment.
And, a tip of our paint-splattered caps to AP graphic artist Stan Kohler for his easy-to-understand renderings. We suspect that in a previous life he was a contractor.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Building A Lasting Deck.................6
Redwood Decks............................8
Wood Deck Maintenance.............10
Deck Options...............................12
Building Deck Stairs.....................14
Cleaning Wood Decks..................16
Do-It Yourself...............................18
Patching a Wooden Deck.............20
Repairing Outdoor Structures......22
Fences.........................................24
Building A Fence..........................26
Fence Repair...............................28
A Brick Path................................30
Retaining Walls..........................32
Interlocking Concrete Blocks......34
Patio Makeover..........................36
Restoring Concrete Patios.........38
Mixing Concrete.........................40
Blocks and Bricks for Patios.......42