Renovate Without Reservation by Staying on Budget
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Steven & Chris – Full Interview
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Text by P. Gerbrandt
It’s pretty hard to beat a barn raising when it comes to the efficiency of traditional barn construction, but canvas and laminate rafters for “bio-tech” shelters offer an alternative that can be put up in just a couple of days.
In one case, a customer and his helper were able to get a canvas-covered structure up in just one day. Ease of erecting these durable storage facilities is probably the biggest factor in their favour. The canvas shelters provide storage for farm machinery and hay, or offer shelter for recreational vehicles of all kinds. A “bio-tech” shelter can also serve as an uninsulated garage.
Heavy-duty canvas, available in a variety of colours, is amazingly strong and stands up well to Manitoba’s varying weather conditions. The canvas withstands wind, heat and cold, and snow and rain slide right off. Reasonable care should be taken not to put undue stress on the canvas, and to avoid puncturing or slashing it. Under normal conditions, and with a minimum of maintenance, these canvas structures can serve for years.
The hidden strength of these buildings is in the carefully crafted laminated arch rafters. Once the 3/4” segments are laminated, they are put into a jig and formed into the desired shape. At first, the rafters were made primarily for barns and Quonsets but now these rafters form the skeleton for the increasingly popular canvas structures.
The spans for canvas shelters range from 20 to 46 feet wide. The length of the shelters is determined only by the customer’s needs or budget constraints. The cost of these canvas shelters may be considerable less than that of a storage shelter made with conventional materials. Standard 12 oz. tarpaulin canvas, are available in white, red, black, green and blue.
To prepare the site for the canvas structures, 6” x 6” posts are sunk into the ground, extending 4’ above the surface. The rafters are fastened to the posts. A few weeks after the canvas is put in place, it may need to be tightened.
As temporary shelters go, they provide excellent value. There’s still time to put up a shelter for your boat, RV, or for the hay bales or machinery that need to be protected from snow, rain, wind and sun. It’s hard to top the benefits of a canvas shelter.
Project: How to Build a Fountain Using Retaining Wall Stones
Text by Blair Korchinski
Required Tools
Shovel
Hand compactor or power tamper
Carpenter’s level
Scissors
Straight edge
Required Materials
¼ sand or ¾ down crushed limestone
Retaining wall stones
Flexible pond liner
Pond pump
Landscaping fabric
Fountains, streams, ponds and even waterfalls have become a common landscape feature. They look good and the soft burbling of the water is relaxing and pleasant. They seem complicated though—something that requires an experienced landscape architect and a crew of workers.
A simple solution is to build a fountain made from the same mortarless blocks used to build retaining walls. You can build a fountain to act as a centrepiece for your yard, make it part of a larger water feature, or build a series of them to add interest to a large yard. Since you are building the fountain, you can make it as high or as low as you like, and by choosing the blocks you use, you can determine what the circumference will be.
Step 1:
Dig a circular hole where you want your fountain to be. The hole should be deep enough to contain six to eight inches of ¾ down limestone and part of the first course of blocks. You will want about one inch of the first course below ground level for each eight inches your fountain is to be above ground, so the depth of the hole will vary slightly. The sides of the excavation should be as close to straight up and down as possible.
Step 2
Lay landscape fabric in the hole. This allows the earth to accept moisture so you get proper drainage and helps keep weeds from growing up through the base and poking out around the edges.
Step 3
Fill the hole with crushed limestone.
Once the sand or gravel is in the hole, screed it level using a straight 2×4 or other suitable straight edge. It is important that the base be level so that your retaining blocks don’t shift.
Pack the sand or gravel using a commercial vibrating packer, a hand-pulled packer, or a manual tamper.
This will provide a solid base while allowing excess water to drain when necessary.
Step 4
There is more than one kind of mortarless block on the market. Some are formed to fit tightly together and others use some sort of connector. While it is not important which you use, it is important that you let your retailer know what you are building so they can recommend the proper product for your project. You should be careful to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for joining the courses together.
Lay your first course of blocks. Start at one point and work in a circle checking the level of every block. If the first course is a little off, the problem is likely to worsen with each additional course.
The second course is laid on top of the first, with the second block covering half of each of the two blocks it is resting on. Be sure to check the level often.
Continue laying courses on top of each other until you reach the second to last course.
Step 5
Insert your liner. The liner is a thick, flexible material that is waterproof. Place it in the centre of the fountain so that it is in contact with the sand or gravel base and the sides of the fountain. Pull the edges of the material up and fold them over the top of the blocks you have already installed.
With the liner in place, install your last course of blocks over it. This will hold the liner in place.
Step 6
Install your pump. Simply place it in the bottom of the fountain and attach the plastic plumbing line to the desired height.
Run the cord from your pump up over the side of the fountain that will be the least conspicuous.
Step 7
Fill the fountain half to three quarters full with water and turn on the power.
Final Touches
Once your fountain is completed you may want to add some rocks to the bottom or some floating water plants. This will make your fountain more attractive and the water plants will help to keep the water clean. Choosing additions is up you; just be careful not to use anything with sharp edges that may cut the lining.
Transform an Ordinary Back Yard into an Oasis
Text by Nancy Johnston
If your back yard is just a place you cut through to get to the back door from the garage or somewhere you let the dog run around, you are missing out on what could be your own little oasis from the storm of life. Inside our homes we surround ourselves with things of beauty and things we love because our homes are our refuge and remind us of what is good about our lives. Since we don’t stay indoors all year round why not create the same feeling outside by turning your backyard from drab to fab!
Transforming your yard can involve changing the “hardscape” which refers to the ground and all construction materials or the “softscape” which refers to all plant material, or both. The first step is to assess your yard. An approximate yard size is necessary before you can even begin to calculate cost. Photographs of the area from different viewpoints in the yard are very useful for planning purposes. Then you need to decide how involved you want to get.
At the one end of the spectrum you can hire a landscape architect that will consult with you and handle the whole project. Alternatively you can hire a reliable landscaper and give him your plan or work with him to develop a workable one. Either way you are probably going to need some professional help in order to carry out the transformation unless you are an avid gardener/designer with a passion for manual labor and are committed to a long-term project. If that’s the case or if you don’t want to go all out and intend to just accessorize, you might not need the services of a professional landscaper. A one-time consultation with a landscape designer or architect who will offer professional advice and give you a set of drawn up plans may be sufficient. As well there are numerous software programs that help design outdoor space and some nursery and garden centers offer softscape advice and even planting plans as part of their service.
Just like any other time you hire a professional, do some research, get some quotes, check references thoroughly and view work completed several years previous so you can judge long term results. Get everything agreed upon in discussions, including start and finish dates in writing.
Yard size, budget and function are the top considerations when planning a back yard makeover. Count on a budget of anywhere from $2,000 for do-it-yourselfers with modest plans to $15,000 for a piece de resistance. Following those considerations are material and color. Decide whether wood, iron, concrete or other material will blend best with your garden theme and how the ornamentation choices will mix and match with each other. Is there any existing material hard or soft that can be incorporated?
As far as themes go, you can carry your indoor theme outside or choose a new one from many existing outdoor themes such as traditional, modern, Asian, Mediterranean, Japanese, Southern or Tucson inspired, or eclectic. Another option is to create your own theme.
There’s no doubt a certain ambiance can be affected by the choosing and proper placement of garden/yard accessories. Consider the tranquility of a water fountain, the mystique of hidden garden art or perhaps a centerpiece sculpture. The visual appeal of some wrought iron artwork, a sundial or a statue, a birdbath or some other personal treasure can add to the overall effect. Whether you choose the natural, classical or whimsical style of ornamentation, it’s important that your yard reflect your personal tastes.
Keep in mind while garden ornaments can provide focal points, they should also draw the eye to the natural beauty of the landscaping and enhance it as opposed to distracting you from it. Native grasses, shrubs, flowering trees and bushes, a gazebo or outdoor living enclosure and lighting on paths and in corners, highlighting certain plants or objects all help to complete the look.
The next time you pass by the back yard take a moment and imagine yourself basking in the glory of your own luxurious oasis. It all starts with a vision. Of course some spare cash comes in handy too!
