Despite the weather’s erratic changes, it is officially summer and that means attention turns to the garden and getting it ready for relaxing evenings socialising with friends and family.
Once the basic maintenance of cutting the grass and freshening up the flowerbeds is out of the way, it’s time to add some personal creative touches to ensure that your garden is the place to be for all of your guests this summer.
Rather than heading out and buying from the garden centre’s summer range of furniture and decorations, one of the best ways to imprint your own style is by getting creative – and it can save a lot of money too! One of the most versatile materials to use for craft projects are acrylic sheets which are easy to work with, inexpensive, lightweight and incredibly strong.
Here are four ways that the DIY enthusiast in all of us can bring some unique style to those outdoor summer spaces using acrylic or solid polycarbonate sheets.
1. Garden Mirror
Not everyone has a huge garden, but with a few creative tricks it is possible to make the most of your space, regardless of its size. Decorative touches will add some charms, but to give the illusion of space, mirrors are essential.
Buying framed mirrors can be expensive but you can easily create your own unique creation with a second-hand frame and a sheet of mirrored acrylic. Aside from cost, acrylic has many other benefits over glass. Being lighter means that it is easier to manage and can allow you to have a larger mirror without worrying about the burden on the fittings. Increased flexibility and strength also help to protect against damage and reduce the risk of breaks.
Acrylic is also simple to clean. While it is more sensitive to scratches than glass, they are easy to remove and general maintenance is minimal.
2. Greenhouse
If you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse, you will appreciate the extremes of weather they have to withstand throughout the year– and the damage a stray football could cause. This means that by summer, chances are there will be a panel or two that needs replacing. Thankfully, acrylic sheets offer a viable alternative to glass, meaning that future repairs will be easier to perform, and the end result will be stronger and more reliable.
While it can be cut with a knife, if you are working with larger sheets, companies like Plastic Sheets Shop can cut your sheets to size, meaning all you have to do is fit them.
Unlike glass, acrylic is lightweight and extremely strong, with an impact resistance of more than six times that of traditional glass. Better still, acrylic is easy to cut to size, making it quick and easy to replace broken panels.
3. Revive your patio furniture
While it looks great when you first get it home, after a few years garden furniture can look tired and weather-beaten. But rather than buying a new set, use this as an opportunity to be creative – it’s time to give your furniture a makeover!
As a starting point. consider a fresh coat of paint for the chairs and a new surface for the table. Both jobs are quick and simple, but will re-energise your outdoor furniture.
The best part about this tip is the opportunity to really let your imagination and creativity run wild. For example, why stick to pastel colours when you could use bright colours and stencils to create an eye-catching and totally unique design. Similarly, acrylic tabletops do not just have to be clear. From coloured, to tinted, frosted or even fluorescent. Your inventiveness is the only limit.
4. Patio Cover
Let’s face it, even the best summers always seems to include a few rainy days (most likely around the August Bank Holiday), but that doesn’t mean you have to head indoors.
Similarly, the heat can sometimes become too much and your guests may begin looking for the shade. While a parasol might do the job for when you are alone, a patio cover is essential for larger groups.
It might not be a job for an inexperienced DIY enthusiast, but if you are looking for a rewarding project, then building a patio cover might be the best way to get your garden space ready for the summer party season. Using lightweight polycarbonate materials will help to make the construction quick and simple and means that your cover will also be durable enough to protect your party from the elements. Instructions can be found here.
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