End of Winter

Spring promises new life for our outdoor living spaces that have largely been dormant for several months.

If you are like us, then you love to be outdoors and have probably incorporated outdoor living spaces into your home environment. And like us, have found that those spaces are left unused for much of the Winter months. After all, we do live in Virginia and Winter weather can be quite challenging here. As we make our way through March, the gateway month to Spring, we begin to pine for the days that will breath new life into our outdoor living rooms. Our excitement to fire up the bar-b-que grills and outdoor kitchen grow with each sunny day above sixty degrees.

March is a great month to prepare our outdoor spaces to get them ready for coming season. If we start early enough, we might be able to beat the rush at home and garden centers because once the weather is warm we will all have the same thing on our mind, Spring cleaning! Winter weather can wreak havoc on outdoor furniture if not covered or stored away. A quick check on tables and chairs may reveal some maintenance that is required to maintain their safe use. Wood furniture, such as the ever popular teak, will benefit from a good cleaning and a refreshing coating of oil to ensure its longevity. Perhaps this is the year that new seat cushions and pillows are acquired for a fresh look. One of the things that we really enjoy while sitting outside is the throw blanket. For starters, they are perfect for the chilly afternoons during Spring and those cool Summer nights, and they are a great way to add a pop of color to complement the cushions and pillows. We like to have several draped over the chairs and couch. The patio umbrella will need some love while you are at it also. The fabric tends to fade over time as it is exposed to quite a bit of sun. Its water repellency will also diminish over time. There are some great products out there that you can use to clean and restore the color and water resistance of the fabric. We use many of the 303 Brand’s products around the home. The 303 Fabric Guard for outdoor fabrics does a great job and if you want to go up to the next level, they make the 303 High Tech Fabric Guard for marine and recreational use.

There is no doubt that you have some concrete or masonry products incorporated into your space. Pavers, patios, retaining walls, etc. that are made of concrete or concrete based products may need some repairs. As resilient as concrete and masonry products are, they can have a tough time escaping a particularly hard Winter. This has to do with the freeze-thaw cycle that we experience here in our Virginia climate. Once our weather warms up enough to the point that we do not have to worry about having another freeze, then you can inspect your home and outdoor living areas for any damage that might have occurred over the Winter and make those repairs well before you are ready to relax on your outdoor sofa or hammock. Power washing these areas on an early warm day is also a great idea. Not only does a good washing make everything look new again, but it also removes layers of dirt and organic growth that can actually create future damage when allowed to accumulate over time. Power washing is not only for concrete or masonry areas but just as important for wood and vinyl areas, such as your planters, decks, house siding, etc.

We are pretty excited for the coming of Spring, just like you are! While it is still a chilly forty-seven degrees outside this afternoon, the sun is shining bright and the wind seems to have settled a bit. Today might just be a good day to bundle up and head out to tackle some outdoor living space maintenance. However, power washing might not be on the list for today. Perhaps some new mulch or some additional stones might spruce things up a bit. At any rate, let’s get ready for Spring!