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A Look at Antique Fireplace Mantels
So your home is decorated with fine furniture passed down from two generations of your family.
You're thinking about setting up a fireplace with an effective mantel, but don't want to sacrifice the traditional feel of your living space. An...
A Steel Building Provides the Perfect Storage Solution
Steel buildings are enjoying a resurgence as a storage solution
for everyone from sportsmen to farmers. Able to withstand the
harshest weather conditions - heavy snow, thunderstorms, and
even hurricanes - steel buildings have distinct advantages...
Building a Home Additon
Besides providing your home with more living space, a home addition can be a terrific investment. However, before embarking on such a project the homeowner should first consider several important items. These items include: home market values in the...
Choosing Fireplace Mantel Shelves
Stone and wood shelves are the preferred choices of material for fireplace mantel shelves. Stone and wood shelves are quite popular these days and both have quite a history with its association to fireplaces.
Wooden mantels, for instance,...
How To Choose The Perfect Granite Work Surface
How To Choose The Perfect Granite Work Surface By Edward Green My Grandmother used to say to me “Nothing cheap is good and nothing good is cheap”. This ring true when dealing with the purchase especially on the internet of Granite Work Surfaces....
Metal Prefab Buildings Offer A Number Of Benefits Over Building With Wood
When considering a building project, one might hear the term ‘prefab’ or metal prefab buildings as a possible option. But what exactly does ‘prefab’ mean? ‘Prefab’ is simply a shorter way of saying prefabrication, which is the making of the parts...
Patios And Garden Pavers
Is your concrete or asphalt driveway an eyesore? Do you need to create an attractive retaining wall? Although most people use garden pavers to create patios , driveways and other hardscaping elements are often created using garden pavers, as...
Style Your Home With Decorative Plantation Shutters
Choosing plantation shutters for form or function? Plantation shutters offer both to today’s homeowner. These unique window treatments trace their roots to ancient Greece. The Greeks used them for both privacy and security. Interior shutters...
The Benefits of Steel Storage Buildings -
Steel is gaining in popularity as a building material due to the many options it offers, its strength, and its affordability. Steel storage buildings are one of the many options available; they range from airplane hangars to garden sheds. The...
Tips for Working on Plaster Walls
If you live in an older house, say 50 or 60 years or older, there is a good likelihood that you have plaster on your walls. Plaster walls were very common, especially in the late 18th century and 19th century. Plaster was fairly readily available,...
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Mahogany's Beauty and Durability Makes it Ideal for Deck Construction
A couple of years ago I had the chance to tour several newly constructed Adirondack homes. One of the areas that particularly stood out for me while touring these homes were the decks. All used Mahogany lumber for both the decking and the railing systems. The red color and the general beauty of the Mahogany wood was unique to anything I had ever seen before in decking material.
After completing my home tours I went out and researched Mahogany further. First, there are several species and colors of Mahogany, supplied by various countries around the world. Not all are the same, however. It is the species known as American Mahogany that has the rich red color that I had observed. American Mahogany comes from the West Indies, Mexico, and Central and South America. It is generally viewed as a harder wood that is extremely durable and resistance to moisture and insects. Also, because it is a hard wood it has a tendancy to not split, twist or check. So be sure to ask about the species, prior to buying Mahogany. Note however, Mahogany is a little more expensive than pressure treated decking and railing systems, however it is well worth it in terms of quality, looks and durabilty.
Since discovering and researching Mahogany, I have built two deck systems using this material. As I had indicated earlier, it is a hard material that as a result, requires a little more effort in its installation.
Fastening the Material
First, use stainless steel nails or screws on both the decking and railing systems, as other types will not penetrate this material very well. My preference was the stainless steel nails, however
pre-drilling holes is mandatory if not using a nail gun. Even with stainless steel nails, they will bend trying to simply nail them into the wood. I found that with the stainless steel hex head screws that they chewed the wood going in and left somewhat of a ragged finish on the surface of the wood.
Second, when installing the decking material, I found it aesthetically most attractive to create a frame on the outside perimeter of the deck surface using long Mahogany boards. Once the outer frame is installed, the main Mahogany decking boards can be simply installed within this outer framework. The result is a cleaner line when viewed from a distance or standing on the deck itself.
Regarding the Railing system, screws and bolts should be used exclusively as the material use in this part of the deck is typically thicker and requires more rigidity.
Painting, Staining or Sealing
Mahogany takes paint and stain well, however I have preferred to apply a clear sealer. The clear sealer enables the natural red color of the Mahogany to shine through, while still providing a layer of protection from the environement. Typically I re-apply the clear sealer every year to continue to preserve the color. If you do not, the Mahogany will bleach out.
About the Author
Me_Donovan@comcast.net
www.homeadditionplus.com
Over the past 20+ years Mr. Donovan has been involved with building homes and home additions. Mr. Donovan's formal education & profession have been as an Electrical Engineer & Marketing Manager.
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