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4 Long Lasting Garden Improvements to try!

As much as everyone loves a garden project, once they are done, everyone is glad not to have to worry about them again for a while! To help you plan your next DIY Project, we have summarised the best long-lasting garden improvements you can do to elevate your outdoor space with low maintenance requirements. This guide includes four great garden improvements with tips on how they can be realized including:

Lean To or Pergola – build your tailor-made outdoor shelter roof
Build an all-weather space with garden screening
Install a weatherproof decking area
Construct a car port to match your house style

Out of these four projects, the garden decking and carport projects will require a little more planning whereas garden screening and a pergola can be put together a bit quicker; so, to help they are listed in roughly in order of planning time from quickest to longest:

Lean to or pergola – build your tailor-made outdoor shelter roof

Lean to Ideas – a quick and easy way to realize your outdoor covered BBQ area

Outdoor cooking should not be limited to a hot summer's day but be an option all year round. An outdoor shelter roof keeps the mess outside and ensure will assure that weather won’t be the deciding factor when it comes to dinner. If you have to make it work in a smaller space, maximising coverage is key, so a lean to against a house wall is a great option.

A lean-to roof is an easy DIY project to complete, giving you an outdoor shelter roof for your cooking and also the freedom to design a custom shelter without much difficulty. Whether you choose classy solid plastic sheets or more cost effective Multiwall and Twinwall Polycarbonate Roofing Sheets the installation of a lean to is straightforward for DIYers even with a little experience.

Creating an outdoor covered BBQ area with a lean to also gives you the use of the back wall which can be used for installed a worktop and setting up BBQs, a Pizza Oven and other appliances. If you are looking for a cost-effective work top then using a reclaimed timber beam or old stone slabs.

Pergola Roofs - the ultimate outdoor eating canopy

Thinking big? How about upscaling your covered BBQ roof project to a full garden pergola? This type of roofing project would help extend your living area outdoors and create a completely separate location in your garden for socials. If space permits then a standalone pergola can look very classy and be the crowning piece of a garden. A well-constructed pergola can keep both your outdoor kitchen and garden furniture well protected throughout the seasons, especially if you enclose the sides using a glazing bar system that can be installed vertically.

Not only will your pergola be a popular entertaining space to be enjoyed with friends and family, but it could also be multipurpose as a cover for pets and children playing outside. There are some key considerations when tackling your DIY pergola roof so for more tips and tricks head over to our blog which covers the Top 7 Considerations for building a pergola.

Build an all-weather space with garden screening

Wind can make you just as reluctant to enjoy the outdoors as rain. To make your garden an all-weather space to relax in you should consider building garden screening. These can be used as windbreaks for the garden or you could create a secluded area by utilising them as garden privacy screens. The best product to realize this garden screening idea would be a type of polycarbonate plastic sheets which come in a range of options. Any of the glazing options can be easily installed onto your pergola or a carport roof using an aluminium glazing bar system.

You can go for a low-budget option or give your garden screening a high finish with glass pane-like plastic sheets which are very strong and virtually unbreakable. Patterned and tinted sheets can be used for a garden privacy screen whereas clear panels will create the perfect windbreak for the garden without blocking the view. With so many options to choose from we created a short breakdown for you, shortlisting the best options for your garden screen panels:

Wind Screens
	Clear Multiwall & Twinwall Polycarbonate Sheets are a great low-budget option for your garden windbreaks. This plastic sheet is lightweight and easy to install. Even though this sheet will give you full light transmission, the flute lines a a degree of privacy.
	Solid Clear Glazing Sheets are a good option if you are looking for a glass-like finish. This plastic sheet offers a clear view and is also a much safer option than glass being virtually unbreakable, giving you a long-lasting wind break for your garden.
Privacy Screens
	Patterned Solid Polycarbonate Sheets offer a high light transmission as well as obscuring the visibility to add a good degree of privacy. Compared to its glass version, Stippolyte glass, this plastic sheet will have the same finish but is much stronger and long-lasting.
	Opal Solid Glazing Sheets will give your garden privacy screen a glass-like finish but a lot more privacy with a translucent finish. Creates a nice clean white appearance.
	Opal Multiwall & Twinwall Polycarbonate Sheets will give you a very good light transmission but only shadows and outlines will be visible on the other side. As with the clear garden windbreak options, this sheet will show flute lines.
Sun Glare Screens
	Bronze Solid Glazing Sheets are a great option for reducing sun glare with a high quality finish and just a little light transmission
	Bronze Multiwall & Twinwall Polycarbonate Sheets are the most cost effective way of providing shading and reducing sun glare next to a kids play area or outdoor living area

It is important that your garden screen panels are securely fixed to assure they can withstand wind and rain for many years to come. Alongside a strong frame that is fixed on a solid foundation, the right glazing bars for your garden screening ideas will make all the difference. The fastest way to install garden screening is using timber posts and a vertical glazing bar system that simply clamps the sheets to the post.

Install a weatherproof decking area

One of the biggest safety hazards in a garden can be your decking. To avoid issues in a couple of years after installation, you should always plan your garden decking with longevity in mind. Aluminium decking will not only give you a long lifespan but offers many ways to get creative to make it a standout feature in your garden. There are many reasons why aluminium is the best decking option now days and becoming one of the most popular types, compared to composite options etc. Here’s 3 reasons why you should install garden decking:

Make your garden look bigger with garden decking

If you are planning to install your aluminium decking in a smaller space, why not extend your patio to the full width of the garden? This will cheat the eye into making the garden look wider. If you only have a small patch of grass then a contrasting colour of garden decking can elevate your garden and add a splash of colour. You could have your aluminium decking boards painted in a custom colour. As with many buildings products grey is a popular decking colour but you could also consider choosing more unique black, dark navy or even green!

Cover the mess with one big aluminium decking area

You might be struggling with some areas in your garden that seem impossible to improve; poor topsoil preventing anything from growing or an old, ugly patio that sticks out above the rest. Aluminium decking will give you a quick and easy way to transform these areas. Instead of building a foundation to stop weeds from growing, you could simply cover the area with a membrane and build your subframe on top. The best aluminium decking options are waterproof but using the membrane will give you a guarantee that even the most persistent weeds will stay away.

Colour match your decking boards

Wooden decking or paved patios only give very limited options to make them stand out. Realize your decking ideas and get creative with custom aluminium decking boards. Colour match them to your wooden pergola or to the rendering of the house to create a seamless look. If you looking to make your aluminium decking area stand out, you can customize your aluminium decking boards to a big variety of RAL colours.

These are only a few benefits that aluminium decking will give you over any other type of garden decking that is available. To find out more about this topic and how you can take advantage of many other benefits of aluminium decking head over to our blog dedicated to this.

Construct a car port to match your house style

A carport roof can be an outdoor shelter for many different uses beyond just parking your car! For example carports are a great place to work on restoration, upcycling or DIY projects away from the risk of rain damage! To make sure this structure will not disturb the overall look of the garden you should consider roofing products that will blend or contrast with your current house style. Corrugated roofing sheets are the most popular option for carports and lean to roofs due to the wide range of different options and styles that are manufactured.

With so many options to choose from, we listed the benefits of each sheet below to make this a quick and easy decision for you:

Stormproof Corrugated Roof Sheeting

Virtually unbreakable – 20 times stronger than glass
Excellent light transmission
UV protection assuring superior light transmission for years to come

PVC Corrugated Roof Sheeting

Lightweight roofing option
Excellent light transmission
Low-cost option for a smaller budget

GRP Corrugated Roof Sheeting

Strong and rigid low-cost option
Translucent roofing sheet ideal for skylights in sheds and barns

Premium Bitumen Corrugated Sheets

Heavy duty bitumen sheets
Ideal for bigger projects like garages and stables
Available in 2 different colours

DIY Grade Bitumen Corrugated Sheets

Low-cost roofing sheets to waterproof your shed and shelter roofs
Available in 4 different colours

TOP TIP: Once you decided which corrugated sheet will work best for your project, ensure you have the correct flashing and fixings to install them! A corrugated roofs lifespan is very dependent on the installation and accessories!

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