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Creating A Fun, Safe Garden For Your Children

As the mum of five young children, I know how important it is to have access to a safe outdoor space for your children to play. Being cooped up in the house all day isn't good for the kids or the parents, but you also can't let young kids play in a space that's hazardous. When we bought our new family home, there was a lot of work to do in the garden to make it childproof, and we also wanted to make it a fun place for the kids to play. We erected a new fence, fitted a combination lock on the garden gate, had poisonous plants removed, cordoned off the pool and created a play area complete with swings, a slide and outdoor games. I started this blog to share my DIY gardening tips, and I hope you find it interesting and useful.

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Creating A Fun, Safe Garden For Your Children

Outdoor Improvement: Classic Material Options for Patios

by Darlene Jenkins

If you are planning on enhancing your residential outdoor space, you should consider building a patio. This feature will provide an exterior entertainment and relaxation area. Moreover, it may add some value to your property and attract more buyers when you choose to sell your home. If you decide to take up this type of project, there are different pertinent elements that you must consider. The most critical aspect is probably the patio building material. This will determine the durability of the new feature, project expenses and the long-term maintenance demands. Here are the primary classic options to consider for a stylish and timeless home.

Flagstone

Flagstone is an ideal material for patio construction because it has unique authentic appeal which can merge with gardens and turf. This type of stone is obtained from sedimentary rock, which is formed by the gradual deposition and accumulation of geologic materials like minerals, sand and other similar sediments. The common flagstone used in paving patios has an earthy look because of the red, brown and buff hues. You can choose irregularly shaped quarry stones for your patio for a traditional look. There are also regularly shaped alternatives which have been modified through human intervention. These are easier to install, so consider selecting these for DIY building projects.

Clay Brick

Clay bricks are suitable for both traditional homes and contemporary structures. These pavers are moulded using malleable clay into rectangular units which are easy to handle and install on the patio sites. These clay modules are usually fired in kilns at high temperatures to cure and harden the building material. Therefore, the brick pavers are resilient and can withstand heavy usage. Usually, these building materials are reddish brown in colour but the exact hues might vary depending on factors like the clay used exposure to sunlight. When buying your brick patio pavers, ensure that you have selected products that are suitable for the local climate and rated for outdoor applications.

Concrete

Concrete is a durable material, and it presents numerous options with regard to design. When building the patio surface, you can choose to use poured or precast concrete. The latter can be purchased in the form of brick-like pavers which are highly durable and available in diverse sizes and colours. If you choose poured concrete, you can install a plain, minimalist grey surface. You can also colour, stamp or use other texturing techniques to improve the visual impact. With professional patio builders, you can request for a concrete surface that 'imitates' flagstone, brick or other materials.

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