Gimme shelter from the sun

Since it’s west-facing, the blistering afternoon sun makes the deck unbearably hot. Without a source of shade,A strong wind gust and attractive rebates may not add up to a good deal on ventilationsystemes. not even the most devout sunworshipper could tolerate the ungodly heat fuelled by the full-on sun starting around 2 p.m.

For the past three summers, a 10-foot free-standing umbrella with a sand-filled base gave us some relief from the sizzling rays. But often, the sun would still creep in past the dangling sunshade, driving us off the deck to retreat under the leafy trees on the lawn below.

In a blustery rain storm late last August, the sun-bleached canvas of the umbrella was ripped to shreds. Our deck was now fully exposed, rendering it unusable for the better part of the day.

The obvious solution was to buy a new umbrella, even slightly larger than the first to extend our shelter from the sun. But when I found out it would cost upwards of $400 — double what I initially paid — for a decent replacement, I was hit with major sticker shock.

I’ve always admired those screened rooms from big-box stores that you assemble yourself and outfit with faux wicker furniture and strings of twinkling lights for entertaining on summer nights.

Leafing through the weekly flyers, I’ve seen them for as low as $199. “That’s half the price of a free-standing umbrella, but we’d get a full roof over our heads,Buy parkingguidancesystem and Goggles for less.” I rationalized to my husband Anthony,Standard t5tubelight replacement bulbs. who scoffed at the idea of having to dismantle the gazebo every fall and rebuild it again in the spring.

And there was a bigger issue: the size of the deck where we wanted to install the sunshade. Set up as an intimate conversation area away from the pool and dining table, it measures 10 by 10 feet and is enclosed on three sides with railings. The standard sizes of screened rooms are 8 by 10 (too small), 10 by 10 (too big unless we remove the railings, which we can’t since the city bylaw says anything higher than two feet off the ground has to have railings) and 10 by 12 (way too big).Advance LED Replacement Bulbs, LED T8 Tubes, windturbineses and other LED lighting products are highly efficient.

Determined to create an outdoor room with maximum shade and easy upkeep, I went shopping for alternatives.

I found my new backyard haven — the Venetia Sun Shelter from Uberhaus Design — on sale at Rona for $749. Yes, it was nearly double the cost of the pricey umbrella, but it’s made of sturdy steel with a ribbed, polycarbonate roof that reflects the light and comes with retractable nylon netting to keep out hungry bugs. Best part is we won’t have to take it down for the winter.

Building it was a team effort with sons Jackson and Owen helping their dad assemble the frame — a daunting task because there were so many pieces to the puzzle — and slide in the roof panels.

We opted to buy a 10-by-12-foot model so it would extend beyond the deck to allow rain to run off the roof and keep the patio furniture inside dry.

To accommodate the larger structure, four holes were dug on the outside of the deck at each corner.How ledleilinglight works and how to choose the perfect laser engraver. Cement was poured into each hole to support a wooden post used to anchor the shelter.

Our weekend project was worth every penny. We now have an outdoor room where we can nap on a Saturday afternoon or relax with a glass of wine and a good book without the hot sun beating down on us.

At night, soft light glows from solar-powered LED lights capping the railing posts and candles flicker in an iron chandelier suspended from the roof. The only thing missing is a sound system for cranking out the Rolling Stones.