Don’t Let the Weather Dictate Your Outdoor Experience
On Balance, Colorado’s climate is as wonderful as it is unpredictable. Warm days with scorching sun can give way to either light afternoon showers or heavy thunderstorms. It seems to me that the older homes of my parents’ and grandparents’ day had covered porches and patio covers as a standard. In my youth, I remember a lot of summer afternoons and evenings spent gathered relaxing, dining, and listening to ballgames in the comfort of these covered, protected outdoor spaces. Over the years, builders stopped building covered porches and deck and patio covers on homes to save on costs, which left homeowners limited in their outdoor living enjoyment. Today consumers are looking to expand their outdoor living experience by adding decks and patio roof additions. A great custom deck for your backyard space is a great start to creating your ideal outdoor living room. However, the roof addition is what will help that space become more functional, which will allow you to relax and entertain in and fully enjoy your space without regards or worry about the[...]
Korean Beef Kebabs
Ingredients 1/3 Cup White Wine 1/3 Cup Sugar 3 Tablespoons Sesame Oil 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce 2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed 1 Asian Pear, Grated 2 Scallions, Thinly Sliced Short Ribs, Thinly Sliced Directions Mix everything but the short ribs and scallions in a sealable bowl. Place the short ribs and scallions inside, and marinate overnight or for a few hours before cooking. Preheat the grill on high. Skewer the meat and scallions so the meat lies flat. (If you’re using wooden skewers, soak in water for 20 minutes prior to grilling.) Grill the kebabs, turning until the meat is charred on the outside but pink on the inside, 3–10 minutes.
Client of The Month: Bob Meddles
Have you had enough? Enough of idiots circling the parking lot for 20 minutes to get that space right up front before heading to their aerobics class? Enough of morons pulling crazy stunts and then acting surprised when they end up in the emergency room? Local comedian Bob Meddles sure has! After over 12 years working as a newspaper editor and freelance writer, Bob started SlapTheStupidPeople.org based on a comedy campaign with the slogan, “We may not be able to eliminate stupid people, but at least we can identify them by the red welts on their cheeks.” Bob now travels the country performing standup comedy bringing his hilarious take on modern culture, relationships, and life in general to the stage. “It’s something I love doing. I also travel around and work clubs and corporate events — wherever the mic takes me.” Bob became a DeckTec client in 2011, when we built a custom outdoor room and deck outside his beautiful West Woods home, and it’s sure gotten plenty of use! “We watch a lot of baseball[...]
What is the Best Material for a Deck?
From the beginning of time, wood has been used to build everything from boats to homes. History has shown that wood has the capability to stand the test of time, and a deck made from naturally stable and insect-resistant material, like redwood, cedar, and mahogany, does, too. Don’t be deceived - compared to plastic decking, wood wins out in every category. It not only withstands weather and ware, but it is also friendly to the environment and your budget. Building with redwood, our preferred decking material, fits right in with living green too! Redwood makes it easy to be green without sacrificing quality or elegance. Redwood is renewable and recyclable, and cleaner to produce than composites or plastics. Another fantastic material that is being used more and more on our projects is mahogany. Yes, it's a bit more expensive, but a well maintained mahogany stands the test of time and is gorgeous. People love mahogany for its hardness, rich color, tight grain, and knot-free appearance. It naturally resists rot and doesn't splinter, especially with a good[...]
Is a Deck a Good Investment?
The best! In fact, for many years decks have been the highest returning home improvement investment you can make! Nothing increases marketability more than a unique quality outdoor living addition. Like a home itself, the true value of an outdoor living area cannot be measured simply in financial terms alone. Adding a custom deck, patio or roof addition to your home can increase its value. Especially in Colorado, value depends on location, views, space and more. As Colorado continues to gain popularity as a great place to live, homes with a quality outdoor space will have a selling advantage over a home with outdated or unfinished spaces, selling faster and at a higher price. Simply put, a deck is a great investment! Check out the annual Cost vs. Value Survey, which compares average costs for popular remodeling projects, and shows decks are the highest home improvement investment you can make. Also noteworthy is that the return on wood decks is 10 percent higher than a synthetic deck!
7 Tips for Staying Safe in The Sun
As the largest organ in your body, your skin is essential to everyday function in many ways: It provides a barrier between your internal organs and the germs and bacteria of the environment, manages temperature and fluid control, and manufactures vitamin D to keep your bones strong. That said, far too many of us neglect proper skin care practices that keep it functioning at full capacity. As you spend more time outdoors this spring and into summer, protecting your skin becomes even more vital. According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is by far the most common type of cancer. With more than 3.5 million new diagnoses every year occurring in the U.S. alone, there are more new cases of skin cancer annually than every other type of cancer combined. While these statistics may seem bleak, there’s some good news as well: Skin cancer, in many cases, is largely preventable by simply adding a few minutes to your daily morning routine, or taking some precautions before spending a day in the sun. Keep in mind[...]
7 Stunning Outdoor Rooms Under $40,000
Whether it’s inside or out, there really is no big difference in how people use their space. They like to cook, eat, and relax with their favorite beverages possibly around or in front of a fireplace, watch and follow their favorite sports teams, and they like to entertain with friends and family. But instead of being surrounded by walls covered in tapestries or pictures, you’re looking at beautiful landscapes and extended views. Things just feel healthier and more relaxing when you’re outside enjoying the open air. As it grows in sophistication, outdoor living has become even more important to homeowners’ leisure lifestyle. In addition, outdoor living structures have become the highest returning home improvement investment you can make. Imagine creating a beautiful space to enjoy with friends and family while adding value to your home. Browse these beautiful custom DeckTec designs to get a sense of what we can do for you! This is a perfect example of an outdoor room that really does have it all! The partial roof covering offers protection from the elements,[...]
Heaven’s Kitchen: Bringing the Kitchen Outdoors
In many cases, the kitchen is your most-used room and likely the heart of your home. Many types of events involve food, and as people’s leisure living migrates outdoors, it’s only logical that the kitchen would move outdoors as well. Having not only a nice barbecue, but a nice barbecue area is becoming more appealing and in demand as an important element of the outdoor living environment. While the barbecue is still the key appliance needed for cooking your food, it doesn’t address all the aspects of meal preparation, serving, and outdoor enjoyment, especially when you’re entertaining, so outdoor kitchens are becoming more popular, and even necessary. Too often, the little wings on a grill fail to provide sufficient space for all the ingredients and utensils necessary to conveniently cook and serve a meal. The outdoor kitchen provides space for food prep, serving, side dishes, and condiments, which are often either left indoors or crowded onto the main table, preventing your friends and family from dining comfortably. Imagine if your kitchen had no counter space! It[...]
Featured Vendor: Marina Pool, Spa & Patio
In 1979, mother-daughter duo Peg and Margaret Mangieri founded Marina Pool, Spa & Patio and began selling pools and accessories from their garage. Since that time, they’ve expanded to offer a full range of patio and outdoor living fixtures such as luxury patio furniture, outdoor kitchen appliances, and fire features. For the last 22 years they’ve been operating from a low-overhead location in Lakewood, Colorado, that allows them to offer high-end, name-brand products at incredibly low prices to customers all over the Denver area. Stop by their showroom on Wadsworth and Jewell to see all the ways you can transform your backyard into your own personal paradise, and don’t forget to say that DeckTec sent you! Marina Pool, Spa & Patio is located at: 7777 West Jewell Avenue Lakewood, CO 80232
Why Does Beer Go So Well with BBQ?
It’s that time of year: Coloradans from Durango to Sterling are saying “good riddance” to the season’s last snows and heading outside to fire up their grills. No doubt we’ll be washing down all of that grilled goodness with a few of Colorado’s favorite craft-brewed beers. But why does beer go so well with barbecue? The truth is that beer is a great complement to all types of foods, but the caramelization of meats that happens on the grill is particularly suited to be complemented by the toasty, roasty, and smoky flavors of beer. In fact, the chemical process, known as the Maillard reaction, is the same when grilling meats and malting barley. Thus, combining the roasted flavors of meat and malt to enjoy on your deck is a no-brainer. Here are some combinations to consider when grilling this barbecue season: Hamburgers and American-Style Amber Ale The caramel notes of the beer complement the grilled beef, while the aggressive hops cut through the richness of fat, cheese, and condiments to refresh your palate. Grilled Seafood and[...]
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