Lexington, KY - Linda Bies, a teacher for 35 years (with nearly a decade at The Lexington School), has a love and appreciation for summertime that most people can't fathom. Her home in the Hartland neighborhood came equipped with particular seasonal amenities perfect for summer vacation and lounging: two large patios tucked behind the residence.
Unfortunately, numerous trees in the backyard jutting up to the platforms rendered Bies' refuges filthy with debris, and she often spent more time keeping them clean, rather than relaxing outside and enjoying their true intentions. Also every season, she had to face the painstaking task of keeping the surfaces stained to prevent weather damage. In the end, the two porticos were essentially two additional uncovered rooms that required a lot of maintenance.
This spring, Bies decided she would do something about it. Bies loved the trees, so having them removed or cut back was not an option. Under the guidance of designers and builders at BACK Construction, the larger patio (nearly 500 square feet) was transformed into a comfortable screened-in porch with high cathedral ceilings and the second was refashioned with a new durable building material that requires no painting or staining called Trex.
Both patios were actually reconstructed using Trex, a building composite made from a combination of wood and plastic fibers which come from reclaimed or recycled resources, such as used pallets from woodworking operations and recycled plastic grocery bags from all over the country. Aside from an alternative to decking, Trex Company (headquartered in Winchester, Va.) products are used for railing, fencing and trim.
"You never have to stain it or anything, which suits me," Bies said.
The most striking feature of the larger screened-in patio is the high ceiling, which was paneled on the interior using rustic colored beadboard (a tongue and groove material comparable to Trex in that it doesn't endure the weathering process of traditional wood panels). The high ceiling gives the large patio an even larger sense of expanse.
Outside of the larger patio, Bies wanted to make sure that the walkway between the two outdoor structures was preserved, but she also wanted a place for the grill outside of the covering. The designers were able to construct a functional grilling station immediately outside, off the ground, which didn't obstruct the original walkway.
One of Bies' main concerns with the new covering on the back patio was the possibility that the new structure would appear bulky and out-of-place with the rest of the house, given the fact that the new covering had to properly join with the already existing roof on the home. With the recently finished product, Bies is more than happy with the outcome.
"It looks like it's always been here," she said. "I was afraid it would be like a big obstruction, but it looks so natural."
The covered patio is now large enough for two sitting areas, and can be furnished with accessories that won't be compromised by the elements. In the end, Bies essentially had another room added on to the back her home, perfect for outdoor entertaining, or, more immediately, for getting the full experience of all that summer vacation has to offer.
"I'm just going to sit out here all summer and read and enjoy it," she said.
For more information on BACK Construction, visit www.backconstruction.com. For more information on Trex, visit www.trex.com.