Outdoor living is no longer the hip new trend. It’s the new “necessary” extended living space to everyone’s home. Of course, the pandemic accelerated everyone’s need to expand. The need to be with their families to stay united was a priority. Well now is the time you can take a breath and perfect your outdoor living space into your outdoor paradise. Whether you see yourself barbecuing with your family on a beautiful deck, lounging with friends under the pergola on the patio, or just relaxing by the firepit, the best way to turn your ideas into reality is to get started on them now. To help craft the backyard into your outdoor oasis, Kim Williams, the SVP of Retail Operations at Williams Lumber & Home Centers located in the Hudson Valley, shares her ideas.
Go for low-maintenance decking
Trex is a high performance, durable, eco-friendly alternative (95% recycled material, made in the USA) to wood decking. Trading up from wood to Trex means ditching hours of annual upkeep that costs you way more than you bargain for. Williams points out that although the upfront costs maybe more with Trex over a wood deck, the time, labor and money for maintenance will add up over the years on the wood deck. You may even break even today or be ahead with the escalating treated lumber prices. Trex offers a variety of decking and railing collections so that everyone can build their dream deck.
Enhance & protect outdoor living spaces
Freshen up your paint or stain. Your outdoor spaces should enhance your home, so start by sprucing up the exterior. Williams states, painting or staining your home may be a job more suited for a professional but a deck is certainly manageable. Williams recommends a premium paint like Benjamin Moore. Arborcoat stain advanced technology offers superior durability and protection. Williams likes that you can get pint size samples of different opacities and colors to test stain selections on the actual wood you will be coating. But the most important part of your deck project, Williams stresses that preparation is key to any painting or staining project. Wood surfaces should always be properly prepared in order to improve stain longevity and ensure the best long-term results.
Plan the perfect outdoor kitchen
Grilling has become a year round crusade but the warmer weather always kicks it up a notch. Investing in a new grill or an additional “alternative” grill is a great idea. Weber Grills offers a broad range of grills from their classic Weber charcoal kettle grill to their multi burner propane grills. Williams states, Weber’s Summit series is their high-end models with all the bells and whistles that will make your indoor range jealous. Weber has recently come out with a wood pellet grill, Smokefire and the Weber Smart Gas Grill, Weber Connect, allowing you to connect with your smart phone and grill amazing food no matter what you are doing. If you are into the wood-fired flavor then Traeger grills are the answer for you. Traeger’s 6-in-1 ability means you can gill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, bbq, with pure hardwood flavor. Williams points out that using a Traeger grill is way different from your traditional charcoal or gas grill. Grilling on a pellet is all about “low and slow” and patience is a virtue. Last but not least is the Kamado Joe, egg style ceramic bbq smoker. Kamado style cooking is born from an Asian cooking tradition which replicates wood oven cooking. The ceramic egg benefit is the ability of heat retention which leads to a more consistent temperature. Williams likes that Kamado Joe is designed for low and slow cooks but could also be used for charcoal grilling. Of course, Williams adds that one should not forget all the accessories that go along with grilling. The possibilities are endless.
Design an outdoor landscape
Unilock pavers and walls are designed to offer beauty, longevity, and low maintenance. Their five categories of products help you transform your landscaping nightmares into a dream oasis. Unilock adds a touch of elegance to your outdoor living space, pavers echo the timeless, rustic charm of natural stone, while offering a durable and uniform solution for hardscaping. “Pavers don’t have to be just for a patio.” Williams says “They can be used around your pool area, a path through or to your garden, or your driveway. The beauty of Unilock is you can always add on to your project.” Unilock even offers an eco-line that provides a permeable pavement system. Unilock has been proved to withstand the demands of heavy use. It has been used in commercial projects such as the Navy Pier, Chicago, IL. and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Williams loves that Unilock promotes, “If you can dream it, we can make it happen!”
No matter what you do to create your outdoor paradise, let it be you!
To design your ultimate backyard, head to the certified designers and associates at Williams Lumber and Home Centers for expert advice. Williams has seven convenient locations across the Hudson Valley for all your home needs.
6760 Rte 9, Rhinebeck; 845.876.WOOD
2424 Rte 44, Salt Point; 845.605.3520
317 Kyserike Rd, High Falls; 845.687.7676
908 Rte 82, Hopewell Junction; 845.221.2751
3679 Rte 9, Hudson; 518.851.3641
9-11 East Market St, Red Hook; 845.758.5615
34 Bloomer Rd, Tannersville; 518.589.5200
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