Shade Sail

How to Maintain Your Shade Sail

July 8, 2017 The Amateurs Digest 0

Adding shade sails to your property has many advantages, but just like anything else, they last longer and look better if you do some maintenance on them. This is not difficult and it will make a big difference to the look of the sail as well as ensuring it remains in great condition for longer.

Sometimes, no matter how carefully the sail is positioned, sticks, leaves and dirt seem to stick on the top of it. Add dew or rain showers and it soon becomes a dark stain that should be washed off. However, it can’t be removed from the bottom side, so how can this be done?

The best way is the undo the tensioning chain and take it all down. This is not as difficult as it sounds as it is made to take down when necessary. Once the sail is down, you need to treat it with care to ensure it is not damaged in any way. Lift it to a clean spot, either on the lawn or a concrete driveway. Don’t fold it up as creasing it will damage the finish.

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4 Uses for a Gazebo

October 17, 2016 The Amateurs Digest 0

A gazebo will add a touch of elegance to your outdoor area and if you choose the covered in style can have many more uses. When compared to a verandah, they are relatively cheap to build, depending on the style, size and building materials used. If you were wondering whether it would be worthwhile to add a gazebo to your garden, here are 4 uses to consider

  • First and foremost, the gazebo is used as a place to sit down and relax while enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Yet because they have a roof they also provide shade when the sun gets high and hot overhead. So if you would like a sheltered place to enjoy viewing your garden, have a coffee or talk to a friend, a gazebo is for you.
  • A gazebo can be built close to your custom swimming pool to use as a dressing room. You can pull the curtain closed for extra privacy and keep a chest or cupboard in there with towels and spare swimmers – and even clothes. It makes a good place to sit in the shade as well as somewhere to store pool toys.

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How to Maintain Your Colorbond Roof

March 24, 2015 The Amateurs Digest 0

One of the best advantages of a Colorbond roof is that it is so easy to maintain. Usually, all that is required is rain on the roof to wash off the dust and debris that collects over time. However, there are a few other things to be aware of that will protect your roof and guttering even more.

Why debris may collect on the roof

When things are added to the roof, it can cause a build-up of leaves and debris to remain around where it is connected to the roof. If it is large enough to throw shade and you have a spell of cold, wet weather, mould can develop that causes dampness to remain on the roof and this will eventually cause rust. Items such as a satellite dish can have this effect.  It is therefore important to clean the area off every 6-12 months to ensure no damp debris remains in place. A hose down and a wipe over with a soft broom or brush should be sufficient to remove the mould.

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Cut Glare with a Pergola

March 17, 2015 The Amateurs Digest 0

The rise in popularity with people getting pergolas installed in the homes is because many people who live in the south or southwest areas of Australia find that the windows of their homes let in a great deal of glare. There are two main reasons for this.

  1. The sun is at a much lower angle in those areas
  2. The home was not oriented to take advantage of the best angle

There is not much you can do about the sun, but there are several things that can be done to cut the glare.  Using blinds is not always the answer, because then the rooms become too dark. Even Venetian blinds don’t work well because that glare is so blinding it still shines in through the narrow gaps between the slats.

Awnings don’t always work

Many homes in those areas have external awnings that help, but these are not always very attractive to look at, from the inside or the outside. Growing a tree or shrub may also help, but this may not be possible, depending on how much room there is outside. Usually the fence prevents anything that would be large and bushy enough to do any good.

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