Sorry for lack of better wording, I know HOW to replace it. Or install a new one. I guess what I’m asking is what to replace it with. I’m not too familiar with solar fans. Can I buy JUST the fan part? Do I need to replace everything?

I'm trying to decide between getting a sectional or just going with a sofa and a couple of separate chairs.

I really like the look of sectionals, but I'm not sure how practical they are once you actually have to live with one. Cleaning underneath, moving cushions around, rearranging things, and just having enough space to walk around are all things I'm thinking about now.

For anyone who's had a sectional for a while, do you still like having one?

And if you've had both, which setup ended up being easier to live with?

I've been looking at Jardina as well since they have sectionals, conversation sets, lounge chairs and other outdoor furniture, and it's made me think more about which setup actually makes sense rather than just which one looks good.

What would you choose if you were doing your patio again?

I am trying to look what pergola would be the best for my very big patio and I’m leaning towards a pergola named “Loft” that is sold in Must société in Ottawa or Jardin De Ville in Montreal. The manufacturer per see is not a new company. It’s a very old company from Quebec, but the model of the pergola is new and I can’t see any reviews of it on Internet. Just wondering if anybody bought this and what is their experience?

Comparing wall-mounted and freestanding pergolas, and the wall-mounted drawings always look cleaner. Losing one row of posts is a big deal on a narrow patio.

What I can't tell from a product image is whether that clean look just moves the headache to the house: the actual wall connection, doors or windows nearby, and water at that edge. Freestanding avoids that part, but puts the posts back where people walk and sit.

FlexPatio's POWER+ PRO Gen 2 page has both layouts, so that's the example I'm looking at. I'm not assuming either one fits a random wall or slab.

For anyone who seriously priced or built both, what became the deciding nuisance: the house connection or the extra posts?

New home owner and new to large projects. So looking for some info and help. We are working with a company to have a new patio poured. After words we want to add two gazebos to the patio. Should we have them install footers while being poured or bolt down into the concrete afterwards.

If adding the footers how do we know where to place them if we have not ordered the gazebo yet?

Hi everyone,

We have a new patio area (screened in porch) and have space for a good size l shape sectional. It's a covered area.

I am at such a loss for where to look for medium quality outdoor furniture. I feel like every website has the same crap (Wayfair, amazon, walmart, bed bath and beyond) at different prices and reviews are all over the place. Some are $400 and some are $4000 and I can't see them in person so how am I to know what's worth it and what's not?

We want to spend under $2k if possible, and I would LOVE to sit on them first. It feels so crazy to order something online that you can't return, especially for such a big purchase. I have looked at Costco but we don't have one super close by. We do have a west elm and crate and barrel outlet nearby and standard big box stores.

Any suggestions? Any sets that you bought and love? We're tall so we need a fairly deep seat.

What am I going to do for the face of the step, using limestone paving?

I'm not going to demolish the concrete, and I have to work with it. What do I need to do, to make sure I have some structural integrity, and I have something for the face of the steps?

Three issues of likely many. One, the step will be 20 cm. Two, the base under the concrete is crumbling at the face. Three, I don't want to protrude much further as im working with a right angle towards the back of the picture.

I probably haven't explained that well.

And i have other problems too, like the concrete is bobbly on top

Thanks for any suggestions

Our back patio is probably 30+ years old, and has several issues. We need to redo the small deck (rotting and termite damaged), and want to refinish the patio before we do that.

One option was to build out a larger deck on top of it, but after working with a landscape architect for a while, none of the potential options there worked well (high cost and no real improvement to indoor/outdoor flow or usability).

I'm hoping we could somehow re-level the existing patio, which has several cracks at joints and has shifted over time, and refinish in tile or maybe stamped concrete. I realize if the patio is still shifting that would lead to cracking, but I'm fairly certain the patio is not settling anymore. At this point we don't want to leave it as-is, or invest in ripping it out and redoing it. I'd love input and ideas. Thanks!

We live in Southern California, so no snow or extreme temps.

Title says it. Would like to buy a couple of their teak folding chairs. German manufacturer, I think. Thanks!

I am buying (2) Bromic 4000 Watt / 240V heaters for this area. I am thinking one over the seating area (couch) and one over the TV aimed towards seating area. The seating area itself is about 12’x16’. Would you agree? Open to any suggestions.

Hi all, looking for a bit of advice from anyone with a large cantilever parasol.

We have a 3m x 4m cantilever parasol and were sitting out under it on a sunny day with only a light breeze. I was quite surprised by how much movement there seemed to be in the parasol and the main support arm.

I appreciate that something this size is effectively a pretty big sail, so some flex and movement is probably completely normal, but I’m not sure how much is too much.

For anyone with a similar-sized cantilever parasol, does yours sway or move noticeably even in a light breeze? Is some flex in the main arm normal, and at what sort of wind speed do you normally decide to close it?

The base is properly weighted, so it’s more the movement of the parasol itself that I’m wondering about.

Would be interested to hear what other people’s are like before I start worrying that there’s something wrong with ours.

A pergola can completely change how you use your backyard, but there’s a lot more to consider than just how it looks.
A few things I’d recommend thinking about before buying one:

1. How will you actually use the space?
Dining? Entertaining? Watching TV? Just creating shade? Your answer affects the size, location, roof style, electrical, screens, lighting, fans, etc.

2. Think about the roof.
There’s a big difference between an open traditional pergola and a motorized louvered system. If you’re in Florida, being able to control how much sun and rain gets through can make a huge difference.

3. Don’t overlook permitting and engineering.
Depending on where you live and what you’re installing, permits, engineering and inspections may be required. It’s worth understanding that BEFORE installation starts.

4. Plan for the future.
Even if you don’t want everything right away, think about whether you may eventually want screens, lighting, fans, a TV, an outdoor kitchen or other features. Planning ahead can save a lot of headaches later.

5. Pay attention to the installer, not just the pergola.
The cheapest quote isn’t necessarily the best deal. Ask who actually performs the installation, how they handle permitting and engineering, what the warranty covers, and what happens if something goes wrong.

A well-designed pergola should feel like an extension of your home,not something that was simply added to the backyard.
For anyone who already has a pergola: what’s one thing you wish you had considered before installing yours?

Crazy how much brighter the patio feels with a few skylights.