Canofix is one of the great items for home improvement design.

Canofix is one of the great items for home improvement design.

As you can see in these photos(1,000 X 2,000mm), Light grey Brackets harmonised with modern and elegant house in Kent.

Customers can choose colour of Bracket; Light Grey or Black.

Please check out our website:

http://www.canofix.co.uk/

http://www.canofixeu.com/

http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/canofixuk

Landscaping for Energy Efficiency

Landscaping your garden to be energy efficient can help you reduce your energy costs and make your home more comfortable to live in. To do it properly takes some planning, but a well-designed landscape can save enough energy to pay for itself in less than eight years.

This "Xeriscaped" yard in Texas uses very little water and hosts native plants.

FIRST, MAKE A PLAN

• Start with a to-scale drawing of your home and surrounding property, and include: sheds, fences and decks, flower beds, trees, play areas, walkways, overhead utility lines, and slopes in the ground.

• Mark areas where sun and wind (summer and winter) impact your house and yard to determine which walls and windows need protection. Also to determine the survivability of plants in those locations.

• Be aware of following factors:
  • Certain trees don’t do well in windy locations.
  •  Many types of flowers can’t handle direct sunlight or excessive moisture.

• Improve air quality by planting more trees; they trap pollutants, pollen, and dust, while producing oxygen.
  • Trees also improve soil quality by feeding it with organic matter.

PLANT WITH SUN AND SHADE IN MIND

• Plant a couple of tall-standing deciduous trees 15 to 20 feet around the sides where your home receives the most daily sun to reduce intense solar heat.
  • Deciduous trees with high-spreading, leafy branches will provide shade over your roof.

• Consider using vines and climbing plants like Boston Ivy and Clematis to create shade.
  • It could reduce annual air conditioning costs by anywhere from 10% to 50%.
  • Improve the efficiency of your air conditioner by shading the outside unit.
    • Keep the air intake free of leaves, branches, and debris.
    • Plant shrubs at least three feet away from the compressor to maintain good airflow.

• Shade hard, dark surfaces (i.e., driveway, sidewalk, patio, etc.) to keep surrounding outdoor spaces cool.

• Placing a row of evergreen trees to shield your home from harsh winter winds can cut heating costs by 10% to 50% yearly.

• Plant shrubs and bushes around the perimeter of your home, around one foot from walls to act as an insulator in summer and winter.
  • Shrubs can help trap snow and reduce drifts when placed along the windiest side of your home.

BASE STRATEGY ON LOCAL CLIMATE REGION

• Temperate Region – Mid-East Coast U.S.
  • Take advantage of winter sun for heat/light.
  • Shade your home from hot summer sun.
  • Use windbreaks to deflect winter winds coming from north and northwest.

• Hot Arid Region – Southwest U.S.
  • Shade your home’s walls, windows and roof.
  • Take advantage of summer winds to naturally cool your home.
  • Use plants to cool the air around your home.

• Hot Humid Region – Southeast U.S.
  • Channel summer breezes to cool your home.
  • Use trees to provide cooling shade in summer but warming sun in winter.
  • Avoid locating planting beds that need lots of water near your home.

• Cool Region – North-North East Coast
  • Use dense windbreaks to protect your home from cold winter winds.
  • Ensure winter sun reaches south-facing windows.
  • Shade south and west sides from sun if summer heat is a problem.

- See more at: http://www.greenbuildermedia.com/blog/landscaping-for-energy-efficiency#sthash.rLvK1I2E.dpuf

(source link: http://www.greenbuildermedia.com/blog/landscaping-for-energy-efficiency)

http://www.canofix.co.uk/

http://www.canofixeu.com/

http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/canofixuk

Backyard Patio Transformation

With not much more than a concrete slab and a patch of grass to go on, this homeowner transformed his backyard into a stylish outdoor retreat. See how he did it, and get great cost-cutting ideas for your own yard remodel project!

Beautiful Backyard

The homeowner and designer knew his backyard had potential. And he had a plan. The tiny patch of grass behind his 1950s split-level would be plain no longer! With ready-made materials and his own blueprint, the homeowner created an outdoor retreat for his friends and family.

Cold Concrete

Before the makeover, the back patio was small and cluttered. The unwelcoming concrete slab didn't scream impromptu BBQs or intimate dinner parties with friends. There was barely enough room for two backyard basics: a picnic table and grill.

Slippery Slope

The small backyard provided great green space. However, it sloped steeply into the bramble and bush of a wooded ravine.

Breaking Boundaries

With a plan in mind, the first step was to extend the existing concrete patio. First, a level surface was created on the sloping ground. A retaining wall also helped solve this problem.

DIY Tip: Use what you have. Extending this small patio solved a big space problem. Adding on to existing elements will save time and money that you would sacrifice in a major overhaul.

Water-Ready

Flexible plastic tubing was placed along the length of his retaining wall to drain water away from the block wall.

Excavate Your Space

Inside a clearly defined perimeter, about 6 inches of dirt was removed by hand, making space to lay the new patio surface.

Walk This Way

Instead of a gate, the homeowner/designer set one wood-slat panel back a few feet to create an easy walkway. Without sacrificing its sleek, contemporary style, the fenceremains functional and welcomes guests into the new backyard retreat.

(source link: source link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/11031825/Are-young-people-really-hooked-on-gardening.html/)

http://www.canofix.co.uk/

http://www.canofixeu.com/

Do-It-Yourself Outdoor Project Ideas

Sprucing up your deck, patio, or yard just got an inspirational boost, thanks to these 15 projects you can do yourself. They range from small and simple to more intricate and involved, and all are worthwhile to make the outdoors more livable and lively come spring.

By Sarah Wolf

Pallets in a Perky Palette

Wooden pallets are easy to come by on the cheap -- many businesses will even give them away! They are the building blocks of acoffee table so low-maintenance, it can stay outside year-round. Our version stacks two pallets together for height and features a window box-style planter (which we filled with Scotch moss) as a centerpiece.

Double Duty

Boost the function of a store-bought potting bench, which doubles as an outdoor serving station. Cut sections of lattice to fit the sides and back, paint them to match -- we chose a saucy hot-pink -- and fasten the lattice with screws. Use S-hooks or screw eyes to hang garden tools, gloves, buckets, or other necessities so they’re always within reach.

Fancy Fence

All fences are functional -- even the simplest ones are good at delineating the neighbor's yard from your own -- but this one takes practicality to new heights. Not only are the boards brushed with green, blue, and gray exterior wood stain for a lively striped look, but the fence also holds aloft a couple of gutter gardens. That's right: Inexpensive vinyl gutters -- the ideal shallow plant container -- were cut into 3-foot sections (folks at the hardware store can do it for you) and then sprayed with two shades of green paint. Once we attached the gutters to the reinforced areas of the fence, we filled them with potting soil and plants for an easy, almost-instant garden.

Sized to Suit

Most of us wouldn’t even try to build a house by ourselves, but shrink down the scale to the size of a garden shed, and all of a sudden we’re eager to roll up our sleeves! And why wouldn’t we be when a shed can be as detailed and dapper as this one? We designed it to be 5x8 feet so we could use standard, 8-foot boards, and it sits on a level spot so that water flow isn’t an issue. And because it’s meant to endure theelements, we used galvanized nails and weather-resistant materials throughout to avoid rust and rot.

(source link: http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/porch/outdoor-rooms/diy-outdoor-projects/#page=1)

www.canofixeu.com