This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.

Related Posts:

• Building a Deck – What is the Best Decking Material?
• How to Design Your Landscape to be a Sponge for Rainwater
• Using Aerial Photos to View a Water Saving Landscape Renovation – Before and After
• 5 Reasons to Reconsider your Hatred of Juniper Bushes
• What Not to Do – Turfgrass in Parking Lot Islands

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

A beautiful deck starts with careful planning and design.  The best looking deck often reflects some architectural elements from the house and uses them in the deck.  If you have multiple decks on your home consider using matching handrails and decking material for uniformity.  Consult with your builder or designer for the many options available today.

Overall deck costs tend to range from $25-$35 per square foot and cost varies due to height and complexity of construction.  The cheapest decking material on the market is probably pressure treated pine the most expensive include exotic hardwood species and top-end coated composite decking.  Here is a quick run-down on some of the decking materials available:

Decking Materials:

Redwood – soft wood prone to damage from hail, includes the removal of old growth forests that take centuries to recover.  Redwood takes hundreds of years to mature and therefore is not a sustainable wood source.  Redwood coast around $3-4 per linear foot depending upon the quality ordered.

IPE – Brazilian rainforest lumber that is very dense (hard) and durable.  It has a dark color and requires pre-drilling for fasteners.  I do not know of any that is sustainably grown / harvested lumber.  IPE costs around $4 per linear foot depending on thickness used.

Tigerwood – Brazillian or African rainforest lumber that is very dense (hard) and durable.  It has a light dark color variation (tiger striping) and requires pre-drilling for fasteners.  I do not know of any that is sustainably grown / harvested lumber.  Tigerwood costs around $4 per linear foot depending on thickness used.

Cedar – Soft wood prone to damage from hail, be sure to specify better grades of wood and tight knot or better, can come rough sawn for beams or trimmers and  works well for handrails.   Tight knot cedar cost around $2 per linear foot and the price almost doubles for clear cedar.

Pressure treated pine:  Typically made from southern yellow pine which is pressure treated forcing chemicals into the wood that resist rotting and insect damage.  The treatments usually contain copper compounds & other chemicals that are highly corrosive to metals, so extra zinc treatment to galvanized fasteners is recommended to avoid rusting.  Older treated wood, produced prior to 2004, often contain arsenic & chromium which can be easily released if burned.  It is important to allow the wood to dry out prior to staining or sealing.  Pressure treated wood is prone to warping, splitting and twisting and these qualities seem to be exacerbated in dry climates.  I believe that staining & sealing these woods can help their look and performance.  P.T. pine should be either screwed in place nailed with 16d ring shank nails all fasteners should be hot dipped galvanized.

Composite:

Should you use real wood or composite decking?  In the last ten years composite decking materials (plastic/ wood particles glued together) have taken hold of the market and are used on over half the decks being built.  Several companies use 90% recycled plastics in their products which will help reduce waste.  However, I do not know of any composites that are recyclable when they need replacement.  If decking could be continually recycled it would truly be a sustainable product, but no companies, to my knowledge, have produced such a product.  All composite decking materials rely on a type of adhesive or glue that bond all of the plastic and wood particles together.  These adhesives can be any number of polymers(resin) some which can cause environmental concern if released into the environment especially if burned.  The life span of composite decking is similar to a wood deck that is maintained, around 25 years.  Eventually all decking materials will end up in a landfill.

There are around ten different companies producing composite deck materials in the U.S. with Trex being one of the first and widely know.  These materials include decking and handrail systems and most companies offer different product lines that vary in color and consistency.  One California company even offers a bamboo composite BamDeck which uses 30% bamboo and 70% recycled plastic.

The cost of composite decking varies from $2-$4 per linear foot of decking board.  Common sizes for composite decking boards are 12’, 16’, 18’ and some 24’ lengths are available from certain manufacturers.  Try to design your deck so that no butt joints are required.  Composite boards require spacing butt joints from 1/8”-1/4” for board expansion which can be unsightly.

THE GOOD

• Composite decking does not require as much maintenance as natural wood products.
• Does not splinter or split.
• Have built in slip resistance.
• Are consistent in color, shape, and texture.
• Grooved boards can utilize hidden fastener systems which are attractive.
• Boards can be heated and bent into circular patterns.
• Boards are often made with recycled plastic materials up to 90%, which make it more sustainable.

THE BAD

• Boards without a pvc treatment are prone to staining from many different sources.  PVC treatments usually cost around $1 more per linear foot of board.
• Material holds heat and can reach temperatures that will burn bare feet in the summer.
• Material is not structural and typically requires a maximum joist spacing of 16 inches, which also limits what can be done with handrails.
• Material shrinks and swells more that wood which requires spacing at butt joints if used.
• Material requires pre-drilling in many circumstances for fasteners.
• Catastrophic failure, rapid deterioration is possible and almost all manufacturers have had to warranty their product for this reason at one time.
• Material is not recyclable.
• Polymers used to glue product together can be harmful if released into the environment, i.e. burning.

People often ask me what is the best composite to use and to be honest I don’t know.  The reason for this is that almost all of the companies making composite materials have produced materials that have failed and needed to be replaced.

In 2009 Louisiana Pacific recalled around 48 million linear foot of decking that was sold under three different trade names (WeatherBest®, ABTCo., and Veranda®).  Many other companies have had warranty claims for products that are less than five years old.  When composite decking fails you will often notice that the color comes off like chalk when you rub it with a finger.

Once composite decking boards start to fail, they can simply start to rot or you may notice flaking, splits, bubbling or other abnormalities.  Boards can also break between joists in extreme failures causing injury.  Warranties vary from company to company, but in general you can expect a limited 20 year warranty.  One thing to note is that the manufacturer’s warranty will only cover material replacement, not labor to remove the old boards and replace them, which can be a substantial cost.  Therefore, do your homework and make an informed decision based on a company’s track record.

Some things you should consider if you are planning to use composite decking:

• Texture (slip resistance) especially in frost prone areas.
• Color – try to compliment your homes color.  Most composite deck materials fade 30% in the first year and then stabilize.  Some even change color so look at samples that have been weathered when possible.
• Cost – almost everyone is on a budget so pick the best material you can afford.
• Warranty – since there have been failures in the past research the company’s products that you are considering and find out their track record and read the fine print on warranties.
• Maintenance – consult manufacturer’s suggestions but most can be cleaned with mild soaps and water.

There are a lot of things to consider when it comes time to build or replace a deck.  A new deck can cost as much as a new car so take the time to weigh your options and hire a competent builder.  I suggest that you not only talk with a builder’s past client but also take the time to see one of their completed projects.

No decking is completely environmentally friendly or sustainable.  In general, many of the natural wood decking products available are from hardwoods or slow growing softwoods which make them less sustainable.  Pressure treated southern yellow pine is a faster growing, more sustainable wood product but it utilizes chemicals for rot and insect resistance.  If the composite decking industry can develop a product that is recyclable and will consistently perform it will climb to the top of the sustainability chart and my “A” list.

This is a guest post by Bruce Kehr.  The owner of Sunlit Builders, LLC, Bruce is one of the top deck builders in Colorado.  You can reach Bruce via email at info@sunlitbuilders.com.

Related Posts:

• How to Design Your Landscape to be a Sponge for Rainwater
• What Not to Do – Planting a Large Tree Directly Under Power Lines
• 5 Reasons to Reconsider your Hatred of Juniper Bushes
• Arvada Residential Landscape Makeover
• Collecting Rainwater Still Illegal in Much of Colorado

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

How can this be applied to our own residential and commercial landscapes?

Brad advocates a change in the way rainwater and storm drainage is thought of. Often times buildings are designed to get water to drain off of the site as quickly as possible, and into an elaborate system of storm drains. This approach treats rainwater as a nuisance, where it is not being used on the site at all. With a landscape design and drainage design that captures and directs water so that it can be used for gardens, flowers, and trees, this water can be utilized on-site as a valuable resource.

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

Related Posts:

• Using Aerial Photos to View a Water Saving Landscape Renovation – Before and After
• Save Money and Water by Converting Sod to Xeriscape
• Building a Deck – What is the Best Decking Material?
• Why Do Water Providers Want You to Use Less Water?
• The 2 Common Types of Rebates Available for Renovating Your Landscaping to Save Water

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

In the project above, we worked with a home owner’s association (HOA) to design and oversee the installation of a water-saving landscape renovation.  Significant drainage problems were also addressed in the design. The aerial photo above shows Phase 1 of the improvements.  Because the high water-use turf areas were replaced with low water-use Xeriscape plantings, the renovation shown above will result in water savings of over 900,000 gallons of water per year that will no longer be needed for irrigation.  Because of the success of the project, the client asked us to design 2 more large phases that were subsequently completed.

The site in the second example, shown above, included a long narrow strip of irrigated lawn along the border of a multi-family property.  The lawn area was not being utilized by the residents, and since it was on a west facing slope the grass did not grow well and the irrigation water often produced wasteful run-off onto the parking lot and into the storm drain.  Furthermore, the adjacent wood fence along this strip was getting severely damaged by the overspray from the irrigation.  As I noted in a previous post, this is a condition to avoid.

The design solution for this landscape renovation was to limit the lawn areas to smaller, yet large enough to be usable, areas for the resident and their dogs.  We also utilized non-irrigated native seeding (visible in the lower left hand corner of the site) in the back areas along the fence.  This landscape renovation project resulted in significant reductions in water-use and maintenance, saving the community association a substantial amount of money in their annual budget.

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

Related Posts:

• Xeriscape Rebate Programs Provide a Great Opportunity for HOA’s and other Property Owners
• Save Money and Water by Converting Sod to Xeriscape
• The 2 Common Types of Rebates Available for Renovating Your Landscaping to Save Water
• How to Design Your Landscape to be a Sponge for Rainwater
• Up to $25,000 Rebates Available through 2010 Aurora Xeriscape Program

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Juniper bushes are common in older landscapes. Here they were not given adequate room, so they have been sheared off along the walkway.

Why is this?  I think there are a few main reasons, aside from the fact that they are prickly beasts that we have all tangled with a one point (either landing in one while playing as a kid, or getting that annoying rash on your arm while trimming them) :

1) They were simply overused in the past.  People are just tired of them and want something unique and new.  And since they live for ages and rarely die, they are often the only living survivors guarding the front doors of homes in any older neighborhood.

2) They were not planted with enough room to grow.  Many of the varieties get quite large after say, 20 years, and quickly outgrow the planting bed.  Because they grow too large for their setting they require excessive pruning to keep them at a manageable size.  This pruning then exposes all of the dead old growth inside the base of the plant- ugly!

3) The aforementioned prickliness.   And good luck getting the baseball you were tossing around out of the center of that green monster.

Given these negatives, why then should you consider using Juniper plants in your landscape?

1)  They require little water and are very well adapted to the western and southwestern United States.  That is why in places like Eastern Colorado (where few woody plants survive, and water is a scarce resource) they are used by landowners and farmers for windbreaks.  They are an excellent Xeriscape plant.

When used correctly, such as in this Denver Xeriscape, Junipers can be an attractive addition to the landscape.

2)  They are long-lived plants.  In some places native specimens have lived for several hundred years in the wild.

3)  Given an appropriate amount of space, they require almost no maintenance.

4)  They are evergreen, so they provide good winter interest.  They can be used to add texture and scale to a landscape, and make terrific visual screens, hedges, and windbreaks.

5)  There are many forms and colors available that offer endless design possibilities, ranging from narrow upright forms to low mat-forming spreading varieties, and everything in between.  Colors can range from dark green, to blue-gray, to bright green, to yellow green, with some varieties changing to purplish-red shades in the winter months.

So, the next time you decide to tear out those old Juniper shrubs, consider re-introducing them into your new landscape design to enjoy all of the benefits these versatile plants have to offer.

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

Related Posts:

• Scenes from a Colorado Garden – June 2010
• The 20 Best Xeriscape Plants for Colorado
• Building a Deck – What is the Best Decking Material?
• 5 Ways to Use Landscaping to Enhance Your Christmas Decorations
• The 2 Common Types of Rebates Available for Renovating Your Landscaping to Save Water

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Most of this is treated water that has gone through a long and expensive process of being collected and travelling through a complex system of catch basins, detention ponds and storm drains.

Next, the water is treated at a water treatment facility to the point where is certified drinking-quality tap water- often it is of better quality than what you would buy in a bottled water.

Finally, the water leaves the facility and travels through a DIFFERENT extensive system of pipes to your home or business.  The system, and all of the maintenance on it, is paid for by you the taxpayer.

Why then, would you design or maintain a landscape that sheds drinking quality water every day right back into the storm drain?

Water Running off Into the Gutter

Narrow islands like the one above should never have sod on them.  This photo was taken at a commercial site where there are literally dozens of these island.  Judging by how green the grass is, most likely they are getting watered like this twice a day.  In a future post I will give some calculations on typical water use-  but it is safe to say this property is sending  thousands of gallons of water down the drain every day.

Two other problems with this photo:

1)  The fact that they are “raised” islands makes the situation worse.  Water will quickly run off the slope before it is absorbed by the soil and lawn.

2)  Notice the cracking in the curb-  What is the number 1 cause of damage on parking lots and curbs?  Water.  The daily dousing of the curbs and asphalt will cause big maintenance costs.

ALTERNATIVES

• First off- never design the landscaping this way.  We never design turf areas within parking lot islands unless there is an areas that is flat, and over 8 feet in width.
• This property can be renovated to save water.  The renovation will save the owner in watering costs and landscape maintenance costs- while also limiting the amount of water damage to the asphalt and curbs.
• Here is an example of an alternative design, using Xeriscape planting on drip irrigation:
  

  A Low Water-Use Xeriscape Parking Lot Island

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

Related Posts:

• How to Design Your Landscape to be a Sponge for Rainwater
• Using Aerial Photos to View a Water Saving Landscape Renovation – Before and After
• What Not to Do- Placing Irrigation Heads Next to Fencing
• Save Money and Water by Converting Sod to Xeriscape
• Photo of the Day – Creative Use of Logs for a Stream Crossing

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Below is a photo slideshow with before and after images of a residential landscape renovation that we completed in fall of last year:

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

Related Posts:

• Building a Deck – What is the Best Decking Material?
• How to Design Your Landscape to be a Sponge for Rainwater
• Using Aerial Photos to View a Water Saving Landscape Renovation – Before and After
• 5 Reasons to Reconsider your Hatred of Juniper Bushes
• Going from “builder bushes” to an Attractive and Unique Landscape

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

The project includes extensive therapy gardens and many interesting site features for the residents and their families.  Site design for elderly and special needs users presents many unique design challenges and opportunities.

This plan is conceptual and subject to change.  I will provide more images and details about the project after the design and construction are completed.

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

Related Posts:

• Outdoor Design Group Unveils a New Online Portfolio
• Outdoor Design Group Moves into Olde Town Arvada Office
• Photo of the Day – Creative Use of Logs for a Stream Crossing
• Building a Deck – What is the Best Decking Material?
• How to Design Your Landscape to be a Sponge for Rainwater

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

One of the ways that I challenge myself to learn and to stay on top of the latest trends is to keep my eyes open for good and bad designs and ideas as I travel around my area or out of town.

The fence on the right is located near my home, in what appears to be an HOA (home owner’s association) maintained area next to a single family housing development.  This is just one example of fences like this that can be found all over Denver.  The root of the problem is that they have put sod directly against a wooden fence.  Sod is typically irrigated by overhead spray and the water from the irrigation is discoloring and deteriorating the fence.

Problems with placing irrigation heads directly next to fencing

• Discolored fencing is unattractive:  Obviously this is an aesthetics issue- these fences are a real eye-sore for these developments and the surrounding community.
• Shorter lifespan of the fence:  Water is one of the most damaging elements for a fence.  Irrigation systems often run every day, which discolors the fence and causes the wood to rot much sooner than it would naturally.  The ground around the posts also gets saturated, which causes the posts to rot and even break off at the ground during high winds.
• Boring design:  This type of street frontage design lacks creativity, and does not distinguish a place as unique for pedestrians or vehicles traveling by.  Shrubs and ornamental grasses could be used instead to provide more visual interest-  and choosing locally adapted or native plants give the area a stronger sense of place.  These plantings also can help screen an older fence that is deteriorating.
• Additional landscape maintenance:  Another less obvious issue with putting sod directly against a fence is that it requires additional maintenance to go back and trim the lawn at the bottom of the fence, where mowers can not get close enough to the fence.

Solutions

• Avoid planning and designing landscapes in this way.  Instead of putting sod directly against the fence, design a planting bed that is a minimum of 5′ wide (or wider, depending on the design) against the base of the fence.  Separate sod areas from the bed with an edger, and locate the irrigation spray heads at this new edge.
• If planting is not an option, then create a simple 2′ wide rock mulch strip on each side of the fence.  Again, seperate this area from sod by using an edger and place irrigation outside of this strip.
• If you have an existing property with this problem, hire a landscape architect that specializes in site renovations (we would be an excellent choice) to design a renovation solution that meets your needs.
• Use drip irrigation for any planting beds against a fence.  If there is no way to avoid having sod against your fence, consider using a sub-surface drip irrigation system that is designed for sod areas.

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

Related Posts:

• What Not to Do – Turfgrass in Parking Lot Islands
• Photo of the Day – Creative Use of Logs for a Stream Crossing
• Building a Deck – What is the Best Decking Material?
• Why Do Water Providers Want You to Use Less Water?
• How to Design Your Landscape to be a Sponge for Rainwater

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

The plain old high-maintenance traditional landscape is on the left, and the same property is shown on the right after one of our renovations using a Xeriscape approach.  The finished product has numerous beautiful flowering shrubs and perennials, ornamental grasses, and trees that will continue to grow over the next couple of seasons into an attractive and lush landscape.

What are the other advantages, you ask, and how does this save money?

* As an example, we have estimated the first phase of the project above will save over 380,000 gallons of water per year, at a savings of   over $6,000 per year.  Thats a lot of water.
* For the entire property, we estimate a potential savings of  4,500,000 gallons of water a year, at a savings of over $31,000 per year!  ~Now, that is a LOT of water!
* We have found that Xeriscape vs. sod has a 20-40% reduction in maintenance costs (aside from the water savings).  It turns out that all of that weekly mowing, trimming, aerating, thatching, fertilizing, etc. and all the gas required for the equipment to maintain large areas of sod can really add up.  The Xeriscape, by comparison requires little maintenance (more on that in a future blog post).
* Ask any engineer and they will tell you putting water around the foundations of buildings, onto parking lots, retaining walls (almost anything) will lead to structural failures in freeze/thaw climates.  Eliminating the need for all that watering is a good idea.
* Drought-  Colorado had a big one from 2000-2003.  California is experiencing one now.  There will be more, and when they hit do you really want to pay twice as much for extra irrigation water, or watch sod go brown due to watering restrictions?  Xeriscape can handle drought much better, and is more adapted overall to our arid climate.
* Many water districts, cities, and municipalities are offering sizable rebates to convert to lower water-use landscapes.

Don’t get me wrong-  some areas of bluegrass sod are fine.  Everyone loves to step barefoot onto some freshly mowed grass!  And you can’t beat the green color-  That’s why in our designs we locate appropriate areas for sod where they will have the most impact, where people can enjoy them, and where they can be easily maintained.  But sod on a south-facing slope in full sun that bakes to a crisp is no good-  and have you ever stepped barefoot onto a sodded parking lot island?  Me neither.

With the right planning and design guidance, these same principles can be applied to properties of any size- from small residences to large office parks.  For some great examples of how this can be applied to different types of properties, see our case studies for commercial, multi-family HOA, single-family HOA, metro districts, and office properties.

This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects.  For more information about our business and our services, click here.

Related Posts:

• Using Aerial Photos to View a Water Saving Landscape Renovation – Before and After
• The 2 Common Types of Rebates Available for Renovating Your Landscaping to Save Water
• How to Design Your Landscape to be a Sponge for Rainwater
• Up to $25,000 Rebates Available through 2010 Aurora Xeriscape Program
• Xeriscape Rebate Programs Provide a Great Opportunity for HOA’s and other Property Owners

Be Sociable, Share!

•