Wednesdsay April 4, 2001 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER C7 Homes & Gardens Take time to plan patio before beginning construction By Jean-Fran$ois Gagnon SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER When planning a patio, your first job is to determine the kind of structure you want and from there it's all planning...and sweat. (NC)-- In a few weeks' time, it will be time to plan the outdoor projects that you would like to carry out around your house, in order to make the most of the summer season. If building a patio is one of your projects for this coming summer, here are some RONA tips that may prove very handy. What is a good time to start the work? It is advisable to wait until the ground has com pletely thawed out-- around May-- in order to make sure that the soil has sufficiently drained, is less muddy and has better load-bearing capacity, which will make it easier to efficiently install the founda tion of the structure on stable soil. Tips to remember: Installation of foundation When planning a patio, the first step is to choose the type of structure that you want for your patio: 1) a foundation that is protected from frost with the foundation bed planted 4 feet deep into the soil, or 2) a surface foundation that is not protected from frost. If you opt for a foundation that is protected from frost, there is a new product that makes it eas ier to put it in place with maximum efficiency and minimum effort, time or risk of damaging the land scaping of the house. It's called a "spud pile". Available on the market for the past few years, it is very simple to install, as it works on the same prin ciple as a screw. In fact, the spud pile is installed very easily as it can be inserted into the soil using just an ordinary 2 x 4 . You'll therefore be able to save time and money! Building the patio floor Building the patio floor requires particular atten tion. In fact, securing the planks must be thought out with efficient draining and aeration in mind in order to keep the patio in perfect condition. To do so, it is advisable that you allow for space between the planks so as to ensure efficient evacuation of water, good air circulation and expulsion of debris-- like suckers and little plant buds-- that can become lodged in the floor and promote the emergence of mould over the long term. Don't forget that wooden planks will shrink slightly during the first year. So you have to count on spacing of approximately 3/16 in. -1 /4 in. between each one. Dry framework! Remember how important it is to keep the struc ture protected from water seepage at certain critical locations as, for example, at the intersection of the floor planks and the joists of the structure. To pre vent such a situation and keep the structure dry, you must apply strips of black tarred paper, 3 inches wide, on the joists of the framework before securing the floor planks, therefore creating an "umbrella" effect, which will prevent the water from touching the structure and will reinforce the protection of your structure against mould. Contemporary landscaping had roots in northern Europe (Continued from page C8) soil. T he lan d scap es ten d ed to be an id ealiz atio n o f n atu re. T he lan d scaping w as strictly co m p o sed and gen erally q u ite the static. T he form al design w as not c re a te d as a p lace to co n tem p late n atu re but ra th e r as th e c e n te r fo r actio n , m ostly in the form o f g ard en in g . C o n te m p o r a r y L a n d sca p in g : C o n tem porary lan d scap in g began to em erge in n o rthern E urope d u r ing the first h a lf o f the cen tu ry and c o m b in e d e le m e n ts o f E n g lish la n d sc a p e g a rd e n in g alo n g w ith som e in flu en ces th at re su lted from m o d ern arch ite c tu re. In the early stag es it ten d ed to be a lo t like a b s tra c t p a in tin g an d it b ro k e dow n som e o f the strict, form al ap p ro ach es w e had seen in the p ast. N ow w e b egan to in c o rp o rate new m aterials such as w ood, c o n c re te , m e ta l a n d g la ss and o th er non- trad itio n al m aterial's in the creatio n o f the new vitality. T he c o n tem p o rary d esign u tilized v a ria tio n s in scale, tim e, space d iv is io n and te x tu re to c re a te ab stract p attern s. N ew er designs also created in n o v atio n s in lig h t and space, often told in co lo r -- creatin g new focal points and v isu al p attern s. Brian Burton is a regular contributor to many of Canada's leading landscap ing and gardening publications. m en t o f C o rp o rate P artn ersh ip s Mr. for Burton is also responsible for develop Com m unities in Bloom , a nationw ide non-profit volunteer organization that encourages and prom otes com m unity involvem ent in environm ental efforts, heritage preservatio n, urban forestry and civic beautification. DE JONG HOM ES Quality / Custom Additions & Renovations 332-6711 dejonghome@sympatico.ca Your Opportunity to Join in a Celebration o f Good Taste Fri., April 6,2001 - 5pm to 10pm Sat., April 7,2001 - 12noon to 10pm Sun., April 8,2001 - 12noon to 6pm Beers, wines and beverages from "AROUND THE WORLD" See celebrities, award winning chefs, demonstrations and how-to's at the "ASK THE EXPERT" stage. 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