Posts Tagged Lumber

Build A Solar Hot Tub

Posted by outside_voices on Thursday, 22 April, 2010

Are you dreaming about a long soak in your own hot tub under the stars – perhaps with some friends to share it with?

Buying and installing a conventional hot tub will cost you upwards of 4,000 dollars.  Then you have to face the heating bills. But a solar hot tub can be made for about 400 dollars, and the heating bills will be zero.  Free! 

A diy hot tub is very straightforward.  You will get a great addition to your backyard and you will be able to enjoy it in all weathers.  The water will actually get so hot that you will need to fit a pressure relief valve for safety!

Begin with a good set of diy plans.  Included should be a full list of materials needed, clear step-by-step instructions and diagrams, plumbing schematics and setting-up details.

These are the main parts of a solar hot tub:

  • Solar collector box
  • Stand-alone tub
  • Filter
  • Pump (optional, depending on the site)
  • Various CPVC plumbing parts
  • Pressure relief and control valves

The solar collector can be a simple sheet of corrugated tin in a shallow wood box.  A sheet of ½ inch plywood will do for the bottom of the box, edged with 2 x 6 inch lumber (or whatever you happen to have in your shed), and line it with a 1 inch sheet of insulating foam.

The water is heated in a series of ¾ inch CPVC pipes, laid and glued along each groove of the corrugated sheet in a serpentine pattern so that cold water enters at the lowest point and exits at the highest. Do not use PVC for the pipes, it has a lower heat threshold than CPVC. The whole inside of the box and the pipes are painted flat black, and a sheet of ¼ inch (or thereabouts) polycarbonate glazing is attached to the top of the box to close it.  

The tub can be any suitable stand-alone stock tank, from 150 gallons capacity (for 1 or 2 people) to 500 gallons or more.

Mounting the solar collector at least one foot lower than the tub will enable thermosyphoning of the water.  Otherwise a suitable pump of about 120 to 150 GPH rating will need to be fitted in the outlet pipe run.

Pipe runs should be as short as possible, and avoid sharp bends.  Fit an inline filter at the tub outlet to avoid the chore of regular water replacement. Finally you should fit inlet and outlet flow control valves as well as a safety valve to relieve excess pressure in the system.

After testing the solar hot tub for leaks fit as much insulation as possible – all outside plumbing, the sides of the tub and the tub cover (vital to minimize nighttime heat losses).

The tub will not need any external support so you will be free to build any structure around it you want, to hide the plumbing or provide an access platform, for instance.

Proper positioning of the solar collector is very important.  In northern latitudes place it facing due south, or within 10 degrees of it, and sloping at between 15 and 30 degrees from the horizontal. Also you should slightly tilt the solar collector lengthwise to enable better water flow.

What time can you expect to take for heating the solar hot tub water?  It depends on where you live, but it could take up to a couple of days to reach a comfortable temperature of about 110 degrees the first time. Then you will need to keep the water temperature down rather than up!

It is essential, however, that you plan in thorough detail before starting to build your solar hot tub.  Decide on the size of tub and where to locate it.  Then invest in some good professional advice – you will not regret it.

 

 

 

The Benefits Purchasing Plastic Outdoor Furniture

Posted by outside_voices on Friday, 2 April, 2010

I am willing to bet that most individuals take into account plastic material outdoor furniture to be tacky. Usually it is however genuinely, it boils down to what you may need. It’s kind of such a having an unused treadmill around the house. Thus, examine the future if you’re thinking of purchasing plastic material. Plastic Outdoor Furniture is light and also therefore is easy to rearrange and retailer. Typically, plastic material chairs might be stacked. Along with plastic material folding tables, they get up little space when you will need to put them away.

Plastic material is affordable as well as readily offered. You don’t need to resort just towards local chain home improvement store. Often, plastic home furniture is sold at general shops and also sometimes even at the supermarket. Since it really is hence economical, you can afford to replace the complete set two, 3, or even additional moments before you would reach the cost of getting just one mid level outdoor furniture collection. Performing therefore is really wasteful even though and also not friendly to our environment.

In the end, plastic is super simple to clean and also would not stain very easily. This really is spefically eye-catching if you’ve young children who, naturally, are extremely prone to spilling stuff. There is certainly one particular form of high quality plastic that’s new about the market. Its known as Poly-lumber and also its created from recycled plastic bottles. The stuff is processed as well as sold into common lumber form. It truly has the appearance of painted wood and its mechanical properties are stronger than that of timber. Several home furniture manufacturers are starting to make high end products with Poly-lumber.

Poly-lumber is outside the range of the majority of finances. So, the vast the greater part of men and women are simply interested into standard plastic material home furniture. If style isn’t important to you, then plastic may possibly be the finest selection for you.

We provide additional tips and guide about modern outdoor furniture and discount outdoor furniture.

How To Build A Hot Tub In Just A Few Steps

Posted by outside_voices on Saturday, 14 November, 2009

How to build a hot tub is not complicated and can be done in a few simple steps. A bath tub in a much bigger shape when filled with hot water becomes a hot tub. This is here in this hot tub where people usually spend time to have some relaxation and to have some fun after a long day of work. This hot tub also provides fun, with a lot of entertainment when your friends join you in the hot tub. Choosing a right kind of hot tub is very important; it should match your life style. As importance of the selection of hot tub is the placing of the hot tub.

The platform of the hot tub should be very strong so that it will be able to withstand a lot of weight, when it is filled with water and also occupied by the persons. The main things required for the construction of the hot tub is concrete, chemically treated lumber, screws and nails with rust proof, chop saw, solid wooden panels, and hand tools.

The steps of the construction of your hot tub is follows, the hot tub foundation should be very strong. To have a strong foundation, use concrete to stabilize the posts on ground. For easy maintenance of the tubs, pour concrete slab under the hot tub.

Once platform is constructed, try to strengthen it. Calculate the number of persons going to use the hot tub at a time. The total weight should be calculated, which the hot tub can withstand including filled hot water and the occupied persons. Retailers may help you for this problem.

If you are providing steps to go to the edge of the hot tub, then it will be difficult for small children to climb up the step and then jump into the tub. Whereas keeping the hot tub below the surface of the platform will help everyone for easy access and it can be used from all the directions.

Since a pump is involved in this hot tub working process, atmospheric air is needed to be circulated over it. For this make use of the lattice panels to surround it. Place the pump outside the lattice panel for the easy access for it and install all the solid panels outside the platform.

Finally use chemically treated water resistant lumber for the hot tub, in order to avoid any damages caused by the wet bodies sitting or walking on the hot tub. The wooden lumber used should be properly treated so that no damage occurs. Usually red wood is used.

Get free and useful resources about home saunas  and how to build a hot tub when you visit: http://www.the-home-sauna-center.com/ 

 

Got Green Fever? Build A Greenhouse From Recycled Materials

Posted by outside_voices on Sunday, 25 October, 2009

I am sure that you realize the importance of the green lifestyle. It took me a long time to realize that recycling really is essential. If you are looking for information on how to build a greenhouse, don’t ignore the recycled option!

I now look for products that are marked as recycled, have started going to salvage centers as well instead of only buying new building materials.

Why do you want to build your own greenhouse? You say you want homegrown organic food for your family, so I say why not build that greenhouse out of salvaged and recycled materials? I know that I feel better, as I am sure you do, that we are working to leave behind a better world for our children.

The foundation is an important and integral part of your greenhouse plans. I bet than if you looked, you could save quite a bit of money buy purchasing foundation material at a salvage yard.

If you look hard enough I bet you can even find a demo site that may have bricks and blocks you can take, and for the lucky few windows and door frames. When the foundation has been laid you can begin building your greenhouse.

There are two ways to build with recycled material—using salvaged material or buying products that contain recycled materials. Building supply stores now even carry materials that aren’t quite new, and you could never tell the difference.

When looking for salvaged materials remember that what you see is what you get. No one can argue that you can find a better deal on building materials such as windows, doors and lumber.

It is time to learn how to make a greenhouse. By doing your part to save the Earth, you are also saving money and your family by feeding them organic food. After all, you are going green for a reason, and nothing demonstrates that better than a greenhouse built from recycled materials.