Our Company Blog
Advantages of Having a Pergola
One of our specialties at IBD Outdoor Rooms, designing and building pergolas and pavilions provide an open outdoor living space away from the house. The main difference between these two structures is pavilions are roofed, and pergolas are partially roofed. To those who have never seen a pergola, it may look unfinished because of its simple structure of vertical beams and roof beams. As pergolas have become a popular outdoor decorating trend, we would like to talk about them and tell you more about the benefits of having a pergola in your yard.
A pergola gives you defined space outdoors.
Giving you more privacy than a deck or patio, a pergola provides an area for outdoor dining, entertaining, and relaxation. Pergolas are often paired with a deck or concrete flooring, and you can add drapes or screens for even more privacy.
A pergola gives you a place to grow vines and other plants.
Depending on the soil and climate conditions of where you live, clematis, wisteria, ivy, hops or grapes are ideal climbing plants to grow to provide shade, beauty, and privacy to your pergola. IBD Outdoor Rooms can suggest which plants are the best for the area and make recommendations about which types would look best with your pergola. In the spring, a pergola wall covered with flowers can brighten your day. You can also use your pergola for vertical gardening if your yard has limited space for growing plants.
A pergola can give you a bit of shade on a hot day.
While the typical pergola does not provide total shade, the beams or latticework at the top of the pergola still give you some relief from the blazing sun. You can also use fabric as a shield from the sun. Keeping the roof open on a pergola allows you to fully enjoy the stars in the sky at night.
A pergola will add real estate value to your home.
According to ModernMom, the home renovation expert Bob Vila claims attractive landscaping can add up to 20% real estate value to your home. Think of the money you are spending on a beautiful pergola as an investment in your home that you will enjoy for years to come.
A pergola can be customized with any amenities you would like.
If you wish to use your pergola as a dining room, IBD Outdoor Rooms can design built-in seating that will stay true to the clean architectural lines of a pagoda. We can also add an outdoor fireplace to the pergola to create the perfect outdoor spot for relaxation and conversation.
Interested in adding a pagoda to your backyard? Contact IBD Outdoor Rooms to talk to our expert staff about your pergola options.
How to Choose Your Perfect Fire Pit
Relaxing on your patio or other outdoor seating area can be even easier and more enjoyable when you are sitting around a fire pit and watching a beautiful, dancing flame. Less expensive than a full fireplace and an outdoor heater, a fire pit allows you to extend the use of your outdoor living space throughout the entire year. For those who love spending a lot of time on their patio, deck, or other outdoor gathering spot, a fire pit is a valuable yet inexpensive investment. Portable and easy-to-clean, a fire pit can function as a mobile fireplace and as a grill. As sales of fire pits have steadily increased, you can find a wide variety of styles and sizes from which to choose. Since the number of options can be overwhelming to a first-time fire pit shopper, the Huffington Post created a buying guide for fire pits to help you choose your perfect fire pit. At IBD Outdoor Rooms, we offer several different types of standard sized fire pits, and we can also create a customized fire pit that fits perfectly with your backyard. To assist you with knowing what to consider when purchasing a fire pit, we would like to share a few of the Huffington Post’s tips on what you should look for when choosing a fire pit.
Consider Which Style of Fire Pit You Prefer.
The look of fire pits has evolved quite a bit since the only style you could find was the classic round fire bowl. Although this style remains popular because it is the easiest to move around, another popular type of fire pit is the square version that looks like a low table. This style is best for a roomy backyard as a stationary gathering area.
Know the Dimensions You Need.
Fire pits generally come in two standard sizes. The smaller size, 20 to 25 inches in diameter, usually is available in the bowl style, which is perfect for compact patios and decks. The larger size, with a diameter of 40 to 45 inches, is comparable to the size of an outdoor table.
Decide If You Want to Use Wood or Gas as the Fuel Source.
When buying a fire pit, you do have a choice on its fuel source. While using propane as the fuel source is much more convenient, a wood-burning fire pit is more cost-effective. Additionally, burning wood gives you the smells, sounds, and looks of a true campfire.
The Materials Used to Construct the Fire Pit Make a Difference.
Fire pits can be made from stone, stainless steel, copper, and tile. Since stone is the heaviest of these materials, it is best used to make the larger square fire pits that will remain stationary and unmoved. Stainless steel fire pits are also best used as stationary fire pits. Although a stainless steel fire pit is more expensive, it is a great investment as it is easy to clean as well as rain- and rust-resistant. If you are just looking for a standard small fire pit, IBD Outdoor Rooms recommends copper fire pits. Powder-coated to be durable enough to stand up to weather elements, a copper fire pit is also a nice, shiny look.
Interested in adding a fire pit to your backyard? Contact IBD Outdoor Rooms to talk to our experienced staff about your options.
The Functional Versatility of Outdoor Kitchen Islands
If you have an outdoor kitchen or are considering adding one to your backyard, installing an island creates more storage space and more room for food preparation. At IBD Outdoor Rooms, we specialize in creating your perfect outdoor kitchen, and we feel an island is an essential part of this space. We have six different designs for outdoor kitchen islands that can be modified to your specific needs and wishes. Kitchen islands provide you with so much needed versatility, and being able to select exactly what features and design you want makes this aspect even greater. We would like to share with you a few of the benefits of outdoor kitchen islands so that you can see why we feel they are so important.
Storage Space
Everyone needs more storage space in the kitchen, especially an outdoor kitchen that is not equipped with as many cabinets. An island gives you extra storage space for your grilling tools, plates, glasses, silverware, snacks, and more. Not having to bring all of the necessary cooking and dining utensils outside every time you use your outdoor kitchen makes entertaining on your patio much easier. We know you will be so thankful for the extra storage room your outdoor kitchen island provides.
Buffet Serving Area
Outdoor kitchens generally do not have a lot of counter space, which can be challenging when you need to set up a buffet serving station. An island allows you to have the perfect spot for arranging food for a party or gathering. You will not have to take up valuable dining space to set up your buffet on a table. Nor will you have to make your guests go inside to get food placed on your indoor kitchen counters. Your outdoor kitchen island is the ideal and convenient place to set up a buffet for your family and friends.
Security
Some of our clients at IBD Outdoor Rooms choose to create a top-quality outdoor kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances. We can enclose your grill and refrigerator to keep it safe from weather conditions and possible thieves. Strong winds can cause your grill to topple over, which could damage that expensive appliance. eHow Home recommends your appliances be surrounded by a sturdy brick, stone, or wood island to protect them from the elements. Additionally, enclosing your grill and refrigerator makes it impossible for anyone to even attempt to steal them.
Decor
Not only are outdoor kitchen islands functional and versatile, but they also add an attractive addition to your patio and outdoor kitchen area. IBD Outdoor Rooms can customize and build your outdoor island to your exact specifications and decor tastes. We carry six basic designs, the Santa Fe Straight, the Versailles V Shape, the Lexington L Shape, the Trenton Tri Shape, the Ultimate U Shape, and the Custom Concord and Serpentine Curved. We can use whatever material you wish — brick, stone, or wood — to accent and coordinate with the rest of your outdoor kitchen.
If you are wanting to add an island to your outdoor kitchen, contact IBD Outdoor Rooms today. We can also design and construct an entire outdoor kitchen to best suit your needs.
There Are Good Choices In Outdoor Cabinets
At IBD Outdoor Rooms, we specialize in creating the outdoor kitchen of your dreams. Of course, grills and wood fire ovens are the stars of the show. However, cabinets are essential for storage space. When choosing outdoor cabinets, the main aspect to consider is how will they stand up to the weather elements in your climate. The best outdoor kitchen cabinets are made from weather- and termite-proof materials like stainless steel, marine-grade polymer, teak, high-quality resin, and stone. When you design your outdoor kitchen with IBD Outdoor Rooms, you have several options of cabinets made from these materials. We are proud to sell NatureKast outdoor kitchen cabinets, and we would like to tell you more about this brand and their selections of cabinet choices.
Experimenting with durable materials and cypress wood led to an amazing product.
In business for over 20 years, Michael Moras, the owner and president of NatureKast, came across a high-density resin that looked exactly like coral stone. So impressed with the durability of this material, he began using high-density resin to create cabinets, fireplace mantels, range hoods, and even wine rooms. However, he continued to mainly use real cypress wood to build outdoor kitchen components, including cabinets. As his business grew and became known as the expert outdoor living area company in Northwest Florida, he began having problems with the cypress wood products warping, fading, and falling apart. Working with finish experts, he tried every finish possible to attempt to best preserve the wood in the coastal conditions. If his customers continued to oil or varnish their cabinets, the success rate was excellent. Nevertheless, not everyone wanted to deal with that sort of extra maintenance, and replacing the cabinets became a big part of his work. Remembering how well the high-density resin works, Moras created a cypress door out of the material, which led to the development of the revolutionary NatureKast outdoor kitchen cabinets.
Building outdoor cabinets with 100% waterproof materials does not mean you must sacrifice style.
While stainless steel outdoor cabinets are weather-proof and match most grills, some people prefer the look of wood cabinets, and NatureKast outdoor kitchen cabinets give you that style using a molded wood grain resin with a UV-resistant finish. You can choose to order your cabinets primed to stain or paint yourself, or your cabinets can arrive custom painted or stained. Available finishes with NatureKast cabinets include a designer weathered finish in charcoal, graphite, desert tan, Spanish moss, and driftwood, as well as stains and glazes in chestnut, cypress, walnut, silver birch, and espresso.
With different cabinet choices in regards to design, you are able to customize your outdoor kitchen to best fit your cooking needs.
With grill and side burner base cabinets, including a yeti cooler pull-out cabinet that can hold ice for up to five days in 100 degree weather, you have the option of installing a suspended cabinet unit in between standard base cabinets, panels, or support posts. These “floating” cabinets give an airy, open appearance and make cleaning below easy. If you use a Big Green Egg, NatureKast has base cabinets made specifically for this grill.
Ready to make some outdoor kitchen cabinet choices? Contact IBD Outdoor Rooms to find out more about your options. Alongwith the NatureKast cabinets, we also carry a selection of stainless steel cabinets for the outdoor kitchen.
Outdoor Kitchen Finishes
Let’s Talk Finishes for Your Outdoor Kitchen
When IBD Outdoor Rooms creates custom outdoor kitchens in and around Concord, North Carolina, it doesn’t take long before we get to the point where we get to hammer out all the design details with our customers. One of the most fun things to pick out is the type of finish they want on the stone used to build their outdoor kitchen island, outdoor fireplace, or wood-fired oven. This is the fun part, where you get to pour your creativity into your outdoor kitchen space and make it look, feel, and function exactly how you envisioned.
The finishes we use most commonly include stone, brick, tile, and stucco—all beautiful surfaces that you are likely familiar with. Another favorite finish is something we call Granitech, which is a finish we’ve pioneered that uses a base of pure natural granite granules.
Granitech is available in eight colors, ranging from White Pearl to Black Pearl with lots of variations in between. We can also produce custom colors and can perform color matching. You can read more about our Granitech finish system below, although we also invite you to contact us with any questions you may have about possible finishes for your outdoor space.
All About Granitech
One of the finishes we use most often is called Granitech, a mixture of granite granules and clear polymer. This substance has been a huge hit for us because it is beautiful and low maintenance and gives homeowners the look of granite without all the expense.
The six-step Granitech finish system allows the substance to “flow” over the masonry surface, bonding to the substrate. We begin the process of applying Granitech by sealing all the joints and fasteners on the IBD Outdoor Rooms modular component. We then apply a primer and hand trowel the first coat of Granitech over the whole unit. Once that dries, we apply another coat and finally a “seal coat” that will protect your outdoor kitchen from abrasion damage or staining.
Have questions about which finish will work best in your outdoor space? Call IBD Outdoor Rooms, proud members of the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, at 704-960-4530.
