Cool Spaces: 'It doesn't get any closer to heaven' than this log cabin in the …
After raising their five children in a west Mobile neighborhood off Schillinger Road, the Wilsons decided it was time to build the home they'd always talked about – a log cabin, like the ones they'd stayed in for years whenever they'd gone on vacation …
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Fresh ideas for redesigning your outdoor space
Houseplans.com, the largest online collection of ready-made house plans, features thousands of home designs that can be bought by prospective homeowners to be used for building their dream home. The site features plans for bungalows, cabins, log …
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15 DIY indoor activities for a rainy Father's Day
This Father's Day, Tropical Depression Bill and other severe weather will force families across the country indoors. But don't fret — Youthletic has come up with 15 activities to ensure the special dad in your life has a weekend to remember. Use our …
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Building a porch is not as complicated as lot of individuals might believe. The most challenging of the tasks that you needed to do in the project is to acquire all the materials that you will need. The comfort that you will gain from the whole set-up will be worth the trouble.

MATERIALS THAT YOU NEEDED IN BUILDING A PORCH

The materials that you needed for the set-up are pressure-treated four by four wood post stock, board for the deck, cement, H20, sand, footing clamps, nails, base tubes and screws.

TOOLS

The tools that you needed for this project are saw, drill, measuring tape, chalk line, wheelbarrow, hammer, gloves, wooden stakes, pen and paper and shovel.

STEPS IN CONSTRUCING A PORCH

Examine your yard where you want to construct your porch. Begin by installing the wooden stakes at the four corners and at the area for the stairs. If you are connecting it to an existing structure, you may need to acquire construction permits from your local municipality. But if it is a structure that has a standard or sliding entrance, you need to use a ledger board to serve as a reference in your area.

Begin by looking for a main point at least three inches under the entrance-add an inch to the upper part of the ledger board. This is usually a two by ten board that needs to be installed into the sill of the set-up. Use a footing to keep it firmly connected to the ground. Dig four inches holes for the footings.

Create a mixture using one part sand and three parts cement and then add H2O so that the end product is firm. Place the cement mixture into the base tube that has been place in hole to reach three inches under the surface.

Install the anchors into the footing. Once you have installed the foundations and the ledger board, begin installing the joists and the decking boards. If the whole project is big, you can do it by portion. Carefully place the boards and install the joists at sixteen inches from the middle.

If you can build the deck in portions, install the joists into position and secure them with nails into ground. You do not have to wait to install all of the joists before placing the railings. But before installing it, you need to ask your local building inspector as building codes differ from place to place.

You can also use pre-constructed railings that you can buy from home improvement stores. Secure the railings to the deck by using nails and place the support posts. You can now just sit back and relax and enjoy your masterpiece.

Peter Frost Crain's Dining
The national chain Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill plans to open its 66th restaurant, and first in the Chicago area, July 13 in Mount Prospect's Randhurst Village shopping center. It will feature a patio with a fire pit and a late-night menu. It's the …
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Mixed-use Village projects gain support at DPR
photo The owner of this 76 gas station on Pearl Street plans to demolish it and build a two-story mixed-use project that would include four commercial spaces (possibly a natural foods market) and 12 condominiums. File …
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New Residence Inn coming to Great Valley area
The release added that “…for relaxation, there will be an outdoor patio with barbeque and a fire pit, as well as a fitness center and indoor pool. Each evening, will feature the Residence Inn MIX, Residence Inn's trademark evening socials from Monday …
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New County Construction Project to Benefit Area Firefighters
The commissioners accepted a bid to build something called a drafting pit at the Centre County Emergency Services Training Facility. Essentially, the drafting pit will be a massive underground water reservoir with 30,000 gallons of storage capacity …
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Construction of first building, model near completion in Carrara at Talis Park
Phase II will also include the completion of a resort-style pool with a large pool deck and a rotunda with a two-sided fireplace overlooking the 18th green. A Kitson & Partners community and recipient of the Collier Building Industry Association's 2014 …
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Writers retreat nearly complete in Dyea
Dyea's history as a starting point for adventure and exploration make it a fitting site for a new retreat project nearing completion, which will begin accepting guests in 2016. …. Guests included Alaskan writers Christine Byl, Seth Kantner, Don …
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Register for Eden Prairie's Night to Unite on Aug. 4
… to put together a neighborhood celebration, turn on the front porch lights, gather with neighbors and friends, get to know one another, catch up on things, play some games with the kids, enjoy a few hot-off-the-grill favorites and build a sense of …
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Here are eight factors to consider before you build or buy a tiny house:
Porches, decks and room to roam outdoors become more important when your indoor space is limited. Fivecoat-Campbell has a covered front porch, a large deck and acres of land. "The winter times are harder because you can't get outside," she says.
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Guest Commentary
Today families might not gather at a fire pit or wood burning stove, unless they are camping (what fun!), but still gathering … According to Brotherson, "the most important thing about family meals is to make them frequent, fun and family-centered …
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Drunken man wields knives, threatens kids | Federal Way Police Blotter
Man tries to use fake movie money: At 2:16 a.m. on June 7 at 27515 Pacific Highway S., a white male, with a medium build in a blue sedan attempted to use counterfeit money in the drive-thru at McDonald's. The man left the scene prior to police arrival …
Read more on Federal Way Mirror