If you are in the market for a carport but are feeling exposed by an open street frontage, why not think about this as a solution?

Outside Concepts builds great carports—in timber, steel or aluminium or any combination of materials.

Here at Outside Concepts Sydney West we are creative thinkers – driven to finding a solution for you. We’re conversant with all the council planning regulations, building trends and have a great network of suppliers—that makes us ready to work with you to find a solution which best fulfils your needs!

In choosing a garage door you have to evaluate available head clearance to allow for door storage while open. There are two main types of garage doors on the market—the Panelift and the Roller door with a range of manufacturers producing good quality doors of both types.

A panel lift door is generally more expensive than a roller door and requires less overhead clearance which may be beneficial in situations of limited head height. They also provide more options in terms of appearance. The famous Australian roller door, is a more economical solution, however it requires more clearance (approx. 450mm) above the opening so the ‘roll’ can be stored.

If you need to know more about how your carport can be built and fitted with a garage door, give Outside Concepts a call today.

One of our favourite products of the day was found at the Danpalon stall. We’ve talked about Danpalon before along with the other modern polycarbonates and their many uses in outdoor living. But Danpalon has released a new product called Controlite and we think its an industry winner!

Controlite is a new kind of polycarbonate panel. It consists of twin wall encasing a series of small louvres called RotaBlades. The beauty and ingenuity of the Controlite system is that as the sun passes overhead the blades rotate which gives effective sun block at the hottest time of the day and lets light in as the angle of the sun diminishes. They optimise light transmission when open and closed.

These clever little louvres - and they are quite discreet, perhaps 2cm in width – continuously adjust their position to achieve the right balance of light and comfort as determined by the user. Sensors are placed both inside and outside to detect the level of

light in both areas. The intelligent system then balances light levels, solar heat, and shade to transmit uniformly diffused light and create a comfortable indoor environment. The user’s control panel and controllers (wall mount or remote control) are used to set the angle of the RotaBlades and the desired light levels.

And the best bit it that the guys at the Danpalon booth tell us that its retailing at about the price of the big names in roofing lourves. That makes it a sophisticated and affordable choice for your Outside Concepts pergola, patio or covered deck!

So if you want to transform your outdoor living area by using Controlite or any of the other great products we support, call Outside Concepts Sydney West today!

And here at Outside Concepts we have a range of the very best. Our trade partnership with Pinz Blinds means that we can offer you high quality PVC or Shadeview fabric

blinds at a great price! All our blinds are customised for your exact space – we measure, quote and install which takes all the hassle out of trying to do-it-yourself with lower quality blinds purchased at your local hardware store.

Pinz blinds are made of the best quality materials and can be installed as roller blinds, or with the patented ZipTrack system. They can be supplied with head units which extend the life of the blind by ensuring it rolls firmly, cleanly and without debris. They can also be made fully motorised with the best blinds coming with a pretensioning system ensuring the blind is pulled taut and stays that way.

All in all, outdoor blinds by Outside Concepts are what you’ll be wanting – they’ll protect your outdoor living space from cold winds and trap the warmth of the sun within. They’ll let you stay outside longer enjoying your deck or patio well into the Autumn months.

Richard says ‘The three big players in this new niche market are Kleva Clip, Deck Max and Camo. All three systems are slightly different but all rely on proprietary products making them more expensive than screwing down the deck from above. All three methods involve fixing the board from the edge or side, rather than surface fixing. It means your deck remains free of holes, protrusions and those nuisance lifting boards. Hidden fastenings ensure the deck can be easily sanded and refinished in the future’.

Kleva clip uses a

galvanised metal fixing plate screwed to the joist. On top of that 5 boards are fixed to the plate and secured by hammering closed the teeth or claws at the side of each. Kleva Clip comes in 2 sizes for 90mm Merbau or a range of composite decking boards. ‘This is a good system, however it could be difficult trying to replace one board for some reason – you won’t be able to get it out and likely will have to lift the entire set of five’ said Richard.

Camo is a system which uses a proprietary tool and custom screw. The tool is used to to insert the screw at an angle in the side of the board. It caters for a board 80 -140mm wide using the adjustable tool and is suitable for a range of decking timbers. ‘This is probably the most flexible of the three systems I have looked at, however Camo is limited to the board sizes you can use’ he said.

So if your are looking to reduce maintenance time and want a deck with immaculate finish then one of these systems might work for you. Call and talk to us at Outside Concepts, the outdoor living specialists, we keep abreast of the trends and can inform you of all the ins-and-outs of outdoor construction and the best way to get your desired result within budget.

Clear polycarbonate roof over hardwood deck: Outside Concepts Sydney West

If you’re considering adding a covered patio, verandah or deck to your home, think about the benefits of clear polycarbonate as a roofing solution. Then ask Richard van den Broek of Outside Concepts Sydney West. He’ll build you a well-considered solution; like this large and spacious deck in Springwood, orientated

to capture the winter sun while utilising the large trees for summer shade.

Building with polycarbonate is a clever solution and being a modern and sophisticated product, it won’t craze, crack or deteriorate like the old fibreglass sheets of the past.

Many of our clients choose the tinted versions of the product which is available in colours such as Pearl grey, Bronze and Smoke and while these provide reduced heat transmission and added shade, if your deck or patio is orientated to avoid afternoon sun or if you live south of Sydney you may well benefit from using a clear polycarbonate. Additionally, if your deck is an elevated one it will likely pick up more breeze than if it’s at ground level. In situations like this, clear polycarbonate can be a perfect roofing solution.

Having a clear roof reminds us we are connected to the great outdoors and creates for us a micro climate much like the old English conservatories. Positioned correctly, a clear polycarbonate roof can direct light and warmth into your pergola or patio making it the perfect spot on cold Autumn afternoons and Winter mornings. The roof will protect your deck increasing its longevity, making it more liveable all year round and making it much easier the keep clean.

You can read more about the benefits of polycarbonate here.

Call us today for advice and smart solutions to your outdoor living dreams!

Curved roof pergola by Outside Concepts Sydney West

The reason we’re all talking about this job is because it illustrates the level of design expertise and technical know-how our franchisees possess. This custom designed and built pergola by Richard van den Broek from Outside Concepts Sydney West, required advanced technical understanding, industry know-how and significant planning, to achieve the quality result.

Curved roof pergola showing twin wall polycarbonate.

These engineered arches were rolled from 100 mm galvanised steel RHS. To withstand rolling to the required radius, Richard made sure the steel was specified at a 3mm wall thickness and had the sections sand-filled to resist buckling and maintain their shape during the rolling process.

He suggested to the clients they consider reverse rolled corrugated Colorbond sheeting as their roofing material. Reverse rolled corrugated sheet is painted on the underside of the sheet rather than the top ensuring a premium appearance and seamless finishing.

For effective weather-proofing, Richard nominated Palram twin wall polycarbonate which was installed using rafter brackets to create a clerestory effect maximising the entry of diffused light. Twin wall polycarbonate provides increased insulation and a level

of opacity effective in filtering harsh sunlight and radiant heat compared to corrugated or flat sheet polycarbonates.

And finally, Merbau decking was installed directly over the new concrete slab using timber batons dyna-bolted into the slab. This technique is recommended when a deck is close to ground height and there is no room for bearers and joists. Merbau was also teamed as vertical screening, giving the job a neat, co-ordinated and detailed appearance.

Richard van den Broek demonstrated he knew really what he was doing when he designed this job. And you won’t find that sort of expertise from just any old bloke with a ute!

LouvrLat gazebo by Outside Concepts Sydney West

This secluded Springwood gazebo built by Outside Concepts Sydney West features extensive LouvrLAT screening which functions equally well to filter sun and increase privacy. LouvrLAT is available in both aluminium and steel. It’s also made locally in Penrith by Dunn and Farrugia and so was the preferred choice for this job, however several other reliable brands are available Australia wide including Aliwood and Deco Wood.

Aluminium louvres or slats offer many benefits – there’s no need to paint, they don’t twist or warp, they offer excellent resistance to salt and UV light, won’t fade and importantly, it really looks like timber!

Available in a textured wood grain finish and a range of credible colours, one of the main reasons Outside Concepts Sydney West likes to work with aluminium screening is because it won’t bleed. When fixing hardwood timber to a vertical surface the resins tend to bleed and drip down the wall or onto the paving below. This is unavoidable and

will stain freshly prepared surfaces quickly and render them unsightly. If you use a timber substitute this problem is avoided.

If you want this kind of good advice, construction know-how and materials that are fit for purpose, call us today! We are the outdoor living specialists.

Brick, tile and Colorbond Gazebo by Outside Concepts Sydney West

One of the things Richard van den Broek of Outside Concepts Sydney West does really well is, design his outdoor structures to meet the rigorous bush fire standards in the Blue Mountains.

This client initially wanted a timber gazebo with hardwood floors. However, they also lived in a Bal 40 zone precluding them from using any structural or cladding  timber (unless protected by an appropriate fire protection system).  Instead of giving up on the project Richard came up with a structure which ticked all the boxes and

still delivered the outdoor living benefits provided by an Outside Concepts gazebo, patio or pergola.

Free standing and supported by four brick pillars, the gazebo features a Colorbond roof and a Villaboard ceiling. The use of Villaboard in this situation requires ‘setting’ the joints. This is done by a plasterer resulting in much sturdier and seamless joints,  compared to the result when using industry-standard plastic cover strips.

Notice the quality and style of the build – this is one of the hallmarks of Outside Concepts Sydney West – the recessed ceiling complete with fans and downlights provides a contemporary modern feel to the gazebo, highlighted to perfection by the large grey floor tiles.

And all built to the exacting construction requirements of a high-risk bush fire area.

Metal carport at Strathalbyn by Outside Concepts Eastern

A carport and verandah combination designed and installed by Outside Concepts Eastern branch has made this happy owner really feel like king of the castle!

LED downlights in Strathalbyn carport by Outside Concepts Eastern

Built in Lysaght Firmlok with double sided Colorbond roofing (Wilderness/Paperbark) this mighty carport was designed with extra height to accomodate the owner’s truck and work vehicles.

The customer chose the Colorbond colour Jasper (have a look at the colour here) for the posts and surround beams and teamed all other beams in Paperbark. A perfect combination to enhance the bricks of the existing structure while preserving the reflected light in the verandah area.

In this particular castle, the gable end of the carport has been infilled, adding weather protection and enhancing the aesthetics of the structure by providing a feature. Here Outside Concepts franchisee, Jock Dean has added contrasting vertical cover strips and LED down lights on the underside of the carport roof.

The adjacent 17 metre verandah has been constructed using Lysaght Living Collection with Flatdek Colorbond Roofing.

If you want to feel like the king of your castle, call us today for a free-onsite quote!

Refurbished Swan River Red deck after oiling

Got an old deck? Don’t despair – just call the outdoor living professionals and get their advice. That’s what the really happy owner of this deck in Crafers did – he spoke with Jock Dean of Outside Concepts Eastern branch.

And Jock knew exactly what he was looking at. The deck was indeed old and had been previously painted, but was the perfect candidate for a refurb! Many other contractors would have pulled this old beauty down and built a treated pine one instead. And what a waste that would have been!

Refurbished deck by Outside Concepts Eastern branch

Outside Concepts handled all the tedious business of removing the old decking boards, checking and replacing rotten joists, and then cutting and refitting new decking boards using stainless steel screws to hold the boards in place

– a far superior method than nailing.

The beautiful Swan River Red (Kauri) was cleaned before being coated with Intergrain decking oil. Intergrain is one of the best products on the market and as you can see really brings out the colours, which by Jock’s good design, was matched to the hardwood colours inside their house.

If you want your old deck made new, call Outside Concepts today!