Enhance Your Home's Curb Appeal With Wooden Window Boxes
Looking for a simple, low cost way to give your home's curb appeal a major boost? Look no further than a wood window box. Window boxes allow you to bring the beauty of a garden to the exterior surfaces of your home. In order to get the most out of this addition, here are just some of the factors you want to consider.
Choose Wood Wisely
To get the most long-term use out of your window box, keep the local climate in mind when selecting wood. Even if you plan to seal the wood before installation, starting with a good wood choice will only boost the efforts of the sealant.
If you live in a climate that experiences frequent moisture or has high humidity levels, avoid pine as it can rot fairly easy in this type of environment. Cedar, cypress and redwood all make excellent options because they can sustain high moisture levels without the fear of warping or deterioration. In a dry climate, hickory is a great choice.
Install Properly
Window boxes are best installed with a metal bracket that is attached to the outward facing side of the window box on one end and the exterior wall of your home on the other side. While using these brackets is self-explanatory, your home's surface material will determine which type of fastener to use.
Using the appropriate type of fastener will ensure a secure connection and prevent damage to the box and the exterior of your home. Stucco, concrete or brick surfaces need masonry screws to keep the bracket secure. For vinyl siding, wood siding or cedar shake, use a wood screw for the best result.
Create A Drainage System
Soil that is too wet limits the amount of oxygen a plant is able to receive, eventually causing it to wilt and possibly die. Having dead plants in your window box isn't appealing, so you want to avoid this. In order to ensure the plants are able to thrive, make sure you design the window boxes with a drainage system.
Installing a drainage system is as simple as using a drill bit to create small holes on the floor of the box that allow the excess water to flow out. While there isn't a set number of holes you need, keep in mind that only the water not absorbed by the soil will drain out, so don't worry about having too many holes.
When done correctly, window boxes can be a beautiful addition to your home. Contact a company like ML Condon Company Inc for more information.