Terrace, Veranda and Balcony
A balcony garden:
A house with land is not necessary to look at gardening. If you live in an apartment, a small balcony is sufficient not only to have the flowers, but also for herbs, vegetables and fruit.
The geranium is, without doubt, the most common plant on the balconies and window ledges where its bright colors bring a touch of gaiety to the façades. For planting or out, wait for late April that any risk of frost is removed quickly and get on the inside when the cold season arrives. The climbing nasturtiums or pea are very esthetic to the balcony as long as you wrap around the railings.
To start a garden apartment sow herbs in a garden, thyme, basil and cilantro do little maintenance apart from regular watering.
In separate pot, place the seeds of chives and mint flavor to your summer dishes. The cultivation of vegetables and fruits requires more attention than the spices. Soil and fertilizer are needed to help them grow and watering should be done twice daily, morning and evening, after hours of heat.
Enjoy the terrace in autumn :
Indian summer or autumn temperatures, the off season, with its narrow and days a lot of leaves, although inevitably announces the arrival of the next winter. This is when ever enjoy the pleasure of a moment on the terrace.
Wait a bit before storing for winter, barbecue and garden furniture and equip your terrace with heating and lighting adjusted. Gas or electric, they are on foot to be moved easily; mini versions, they sit on the table for a friendly warmth without bulk.
The wall murals are perfect for lighting your patio optimal. A decorative purpose, terminals, or posts recessed spotlights provide a light that can be very nice evening. You can combine several types of individually powered lights that you activate as needed. The trend favors the terminals to be recharged with solar energy the day, even in winter, and return automatically at dusk. Combined with a new generation of light bulbs, they provide a very white light.
Terrace: coatings adapted
Outside, the material chosen for the realization of your patio or your aisles must combine functionality and aesthetics. Tough, durable and easy maintenance, it must be matched to the style of your home and, if possible, make an extra aesthetic touch to your garden.
To pay your future terrace, first, take account of its harmony with the façade of your home. Then, choose your coating that must be maintained in good condition with the passing years. In addition, be careful with the advice of maintenance, some materials are more demanding than others in terms of maintenance.
On the market, you will also find many surfaces such as concrete or stone that materials such as wood, natural stone or terracotta.
Inviting the wooden terrace always has the wind in their sails with a clear preference for the exotic species that are resistant to thermal differentials. The exotic wood requires annual oiling and aging better on a sunny terrace.
Paved, unpaved, coated, layered, your driveways outside can deal many coatings according to your tastes and the desired effect. In all cases, stay in harmony with your home when selecting materials, and blades of wood, stones or bricks will not at all the same effect in your garden.
Create a veranda:
A play in more idealizes as the bright, spacious and intimate. A gain of space that meets certain requirements, however, the cost of which varies depending on many factors.
This is a real living room, requiring choices, shapes, materials to enjoy both summer and winter.
The proper orientation:
Several criteria are taken into account: the landscape, the orientation of the street, leering neighbors on the surface. But to get the best guidance is the most important factor.
Orientation South-east is recommended south of the Loire, in hot regions where the emphasis on shaded facades.
North of the Loire, where the climate is less favorable, the South-West direction is appropriate.
In the mountains where there are large temperature differences between day and night along the coast where the wind rages, the direction North is preferable.
MATERIALS:
The cost and the resistance are decisive for the choice of materials.
complexes : Aluminum offers flexibility of use allowing complex achievements:
- Sophisticated assemblies
- Lightness
- High mechanical resistance
- Anti-corrosive
- Easy and powder coating in many colors All these elements make a material with many advantages.
The wood is also attractive:
- Rustic appearance
- Integration with the environment. But maintenance and the thickness of the bearing are expensive.
If you have no choice, go for scents that retract like red cedar, the oriko or Scots pine.
Steel :
The steel has the advantage of profiles of great finesse stylish environment achievements. But corrosion is his enemy.
PVC:
PVC offers a lightweight, durable and insulating, durable and requiring only minimal maintenance.
A warm veranda :
Friendly, the veranda is a space that combines the advantages of inside and outside. Especially nice in winter, it allows you to enjoy the sunshine and the view without the climatic assaults.
The porch consists of multiple features: extra room, extended kitchen, winter garden, entrance … On-measure, it adapts to all the desires of creative design to beautify the house. The materials used to achieve, combined with a glazing performance, aesthetics and comfort: durable aluminum, green wood, mixed aluminum and wood, the old steel, economic PVC … The veranda aluminum is the most popular, it combines the advantages: light, practical, stainless steel and stable, it requires little maintenance and repairs easily.
To build a porch with an area exceeding 20m ², a building permit is required. Your request must be filed prior to the mayor of your town or at the Departmental Directorate of Equipment. If you are planning a small veranda, it is necessary to perform all the same advance notice of work at the town hall. In any case, check before preparing the estimates, some condominiums have common or specific requirements: permit to construct lower terrace 20m ², roof, size, colors, choice of materials …