About Home: Get Your Deck Ready for Summer (& Father's Day!)

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Home From Diane Schmidt, your About Home Editor I've been spending a lot of time outside on our deck. While I try to ignore the obvious - it needs cleaning, staining, and some boards replaced - with Father's Day this weekend and the weather holding out for heat and sun, I think I better roll up my sleeves and get our outdoor space ready for the Sunday celebrations. To help, I turned to the About Home Guides for their wisdom on all things deck-related, plus suggestions for last minute Father's Day gifts. How to Build Floating Decks This is a very cool DIY project. With a complete material list and detailed instructions, this step-by-step guide takes you all the way from laying the concrete blocks to placing that final board with insider comments and suggestions to keep your project on track. Search Related Topics:  decks  deck design  deck construction How to Clean and Seal Your Deck For those of you whose decks are grey and weathered and need some TLC (like mine does), this is the best advice around for how to clean and reseal it without too much frustration. Search Related Topics:  stiffen bouncy deck  outdoor renovations  installing a fence How to Stain a Wood Deck I used this guide last year on a deck we built at our old place. Of course, I had to learn the hard way that staining a deck isn't as easy as dipping in a brush or roller and going to work. Now I recommend this article to everyone I meet in the stain aisle at the local home store. Search Related Topics:  wood deck staining  deck refinishing  oil based stain Father's Day Gift Ideas for Outdoor-Livin' and -Lovin' Guys While this article isn't quite deck-repair-building related, it is about those outdoor loving guys who are more comfortable at the grill than in front of a stove. So for all those dads who can't wait to get outside, we have the perfect gift ideas for Father's Day. Search Related Topics:  pool and patio gift ideas  pool fountains  floats and lights Related Searches Deck Designs Ideas Building Cedar Deck Pool Deck Concrete Deck House Patio Wood Deck Contractor Featured Articles What is FSC-Certified Wood? Top 5 Bird Health Problems 5 Ways To Cut Your Bathroom Renovation Costs How to Remove Carpet Stains How To Replace Your Car's Lights Feng Shui for Children's Rooms   More from About.com Run Your First 5K Even couch potatoes can be ready for a 5K with just a couple months of training. Read more...> Help! I'm Too Busy Time and stress management tips to help you feel as though you have more time. Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Home newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2013 About.com   Advertisement