My family knows that nine times out of 10 when they see me whiz by on the stairs I’m on my way to wash, dry, or fold a load of laundry - sometimes all three. It’s the never-ending, always thankless chore, especially for parents.

Little by little, I’ve been setting my dryer to fewer minutes per load or reducing the temperature to save energy, but the fact is that I could probably do without the dryer completely if I just had a clothesline outside. To be fair, I actually DO have a clothesline, but it’s neatly coiled in its packaging, having never been opened since my husband bought it for me a year ago. Guess he thought I’d be so thrilled to have it that I would figure out how (and where) to install it. He thought wrong.

I guess my holdback is that I don’t really want a big line permanently strung from one point in my yard to another out in plain sight and putting it between two trees in the wooded part of our property kind of defeats the purpose of hanging your clothes in the sun.

A little research, though, and there are some great ideas floating around out there for putting up laundry lines in a more creative way.

One woman figured out that the baby gate she no longer needed but never parted with made an excellent hanging rack. She secured it to the roof over her deck with a couple of bungee cords so that it hung flat overhead. When she has a load of laundry to dry, she puts the items on hangers and hooks the hangers onto the grid of the gate. What I love about this is that when there’s no laundry on the line, you can easily take the entire system down in seconds flat.

Another clever mom used the support beams holding up her deck to hold up her laundry line. She screwed some cleats into the beams and tied the lines to them and now hangs her laundry on the lines hanging under her deck. Luckily her deck is high enough off the ground that the underside still gets plenty of sun during the day. (more…)

Photo credit: PatioandMore

Lazy summer days were made for relaxing on the swing or taking a snooze in the hammock. But then again, that could be just for kids and dad. The porch might also be the perfect place for a suspended garden oasis, a season of colors and sweet fragrances. No matter how you look at it, summer is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors. Whether it’s resting in the hammock or shootin’ the breeze on the veranda. Summer is about kicking back and enjoying the season.

Installing a Porch Swing

There are a couple ways to approach this project. The most popular way to install a hanging swing is on the porch. But not all porch ceilings are built the same. Make sure the joists can hold the weight of the swing and the occupants before moving forward. If you’re not sure about the strength of the ceiling, have a carpenter check it out. Once you’ve determined the ceiling is strong enough, start by drilling pilot holes into the beam. Screw in eyebolts or large hooks and then hang your chain. You’ll need about three feet of clearance behind the swing so it doesn’t crash into the house or wall. Other options include hanging the swing from a sturdy tree limb or from a standard A-frame swing kit.

Installing a Hammock

Photo credit: ArchiExpo

There are many different hammocks in the world, some come with their own stand and are easily assembled, while others rely on rope to secure it between two hardy trees. Still others attach to hooks and are strung between posts cemented in the ground. A rope hammock can hang anywhere but it’s best suited between two mature trees. Make sure these trees are at least 12 inches around, and sturdy enough to hold a fair amount of weight. Once you’ve found suitable trees and laid out the hammock between the trees or posts, you’ll need an extra foot of rope on both ends, to wrap around the trees. In addition to the extra rope, make sure the hammock has a minimum of five feet on both sides to swing freely. To finish hanging the hammock, drill starter holes in to the trees and then tighten your hooks and hardware. Try a stress test by pressing most of your weight on the hammock; if it holds get on board and take a few swings. (more…)

Question:

“We have put cypress walls in our home and I need to know what to put in between the boards to fill the cracks. We have been told that this wood breathes and to use something that stays elastic, otherwise it will crack. I hope you can help me.”

Answer:

I do believe we can help. This question is not as difficult as it may seem. The main problem for most people is that we just don’t know that much about cypress. So first a bit on the wood itself.

Although typically grouped with hardwoods, cypress is actually a softwood, one of only two conifers that shed their leaves every year. It’s native to swampy areas from Delaware and follows the coastline through Florida to Texas’ gulf shores and the other wet regions of the South. If cypress is rare it is in large part because the swamps that it calls home can be very hard to get to.

Cypress is very durable and rot resistant thanks to oils in its heartwood, which make it a classic choice in exterior siding, shutters, shingles, trim, and fence posts. In addition to paneling, cypress’ interior applications include molding, cabinetry, flooring, and furniture. Cypress sapwood has a pale yellow color while the heartwood varies from light to dark brown. It typically comes from the lumberyard in 4″ to 12″ wide boards. (more…)