A terrace is a part of the house or garden log cabin which connects it to the yard or the garden. It is not only a practical part but also a decorative element of your exterior, which is often associated with some pleasant moments and rest. The terrace can also be installed further from the house, it depends upon the needs one has.
The terrace near the garden cabin can be installed either by specialists or you could lay it by yourself. “DOING IT YOURSELF” is becoming more and more popular. People get involved in doing things by themselves not only in order to save some money, but also to seek some item originality and ‘hands’ warmth. “DOING IT YOURSELF” is also a way to have a rest, release your creativity, spend some pleasant moments with your friends or the family.
If you decided to install a terrace, however, you do not know what to start with, these are the main steps which would help you to lay the terrace by yourself:
* Remove the grass layer (approximately at 25-30cm depth)
* Place a geotextile layer
* Pave it with breakstone till the height required
* Place large slabs (sidewalk type)
* Place adjustable PVC pedestals
* Place the bearers on PVC pedestals
* Adjust the height
* Lay the terrace boards and finally treat it with terrace oil
It is essential to follow the steps provided above in the sequential order and not to miss a single step. It is also important to know what type of wood the terrace is made from. It is commonly assumed that any terrace would fit as long as it is made from wood. However, inappropriate wood used for the terrace could turn it into a nightmare: the terrace boards would become deformed, would start squeaking and rotting, and as a result, a frequent repair would be required. You can see below one of the non-qualitative examples: the terrace boards with no firm base, they are uneven and not convenient to walk on. Moreover, the moisture damages the boards from the underneath. It is also seen on the picture that the wood used is inappropriate (a soft wood wears out quickly, it is not moisture-resistant and starts rotting after several seasons already).
What wood would be the most appropriate for the garden log cabin terrace? Assuming that this part of the house will be affected by moisture regularly, the best wood to use would be a heat-treated wood. A heat-treated wood is absolutely stable, it does not contract or widen, does not become deformed in any way, does not split and peel off unlike ‘live’ types of wood. It does not have resin and sugar sacks, as a result, there are no conditions for fungus or mould to spread and it does not rot. Such wood is much firmer and does not change its qualities up to 20 years. A heat-treated wood is resistant to the atmosphere and temperature changes, that’s why it fits ideally for changeable climate, residential cabins and for such places as terrace.
