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Open House

Sumer Backyard Bash, Top Grill Models, Best Materials for Decks

Aired July 09, 2005 - 9:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

GERRI WILLIS, HOST: Looking for a summer paradise? Create one in your very own back yard.
ANNOUNCER: Today on OPEN HOUSE, our summer backyard bash. Forget the basic rectangle. We have the latest in pool designs.

Then, you can't have a barbecue without a great grill. We show you top-of-the-line models for less.

And build the deck of your dreams with the best materials on the market, next on OPEN HOUSE.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIS: Hello, and welcome to CNN OPEN HOUSE. I'm Gerri Willis.

I'm here in Greenwich, Connecticut, at this fabulous house to show you how to make the most of your own back yard. What better place to start than the pool?

(voice-over): Where does nature end and manmade construction begin? It's hard to tell, and that's exactly the point. From seven- acre estates to suburban back yards, pools are getting an extreme makeover.

KATHY CHAMBERLAIN, POOL OWNER: With this pool, in this area, we felt that it needed to be a much more natural look than just your traditional blue-water square pool. We wanted something that looked like it belonged here.

WILLIS: It could also belong in a Caribbean resort. People are literally carving out hills, adding boulder rocks, stone finishings, fireplaces, Jacuzzis, and waterfalls.

BUD SUDHOP, AQUA VISION CONSTRUCTION: They're looking for fun, and they're looking for an entire exterior environment, as opposed to just the backyard pool. And it kind of ties in with spending more time with the family, which we've seen in recent years. People are staying home, as opposed to traveling abroad. And it's -- for our business, it's been great.

WILLIS: This trend is adding a big splash to the $8 billion residential pool industry, because more natural means more expensive. While traditional in-ground pools cost between $7,000 and $15,000, these pools can start at $50,000. JOE SOLANA, OWNER, CARLTON POOLS: A boulder waterfall is about $8,500. Now, you add a spa to that, a spa is easily $3,000, and the pebble finish is another $7,000.

WILLIS: A backyard oasis makes some feel like they're always on vacation.

CHAMBERLAIN: There's many, many times when we're sitting out here and we're saying, We don't have to check out at 12:00. You know? You're close to food, you're close to the bathroom. It's nice. We like it.

WILLIS: But when it comes time to sell, will others like it?

LYNN RINKER, COLDWELL BANKER: We're looking at an average return of 35 to 50 percent on the dollars invested in it, whether it's a standard, rectangular blue-bottom pool or one of the luxury black- bottom pools with waterfalls and lights and sound and so on.

WILLIS: So while a nature-inspired pool may not add a lot of value to a home, these homeowners agree, it adds value to their lives.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIS: There's a lot to think about when you're designing your own pool.

Here to help us today is Martha Baker. She's the author of "The Swimming Pool." And she designed the pool you're looking at right here.

Martha, welcome.

MARTHA BAKER, LANDSCAPE DESIGNER: Thank you, Gerri.

WILLIS: Well, let's talk about the idea of form and function. You say the two have to go hand in hand to get a great pool design. What do you mean?

BAKER: I think that when you're deciding on including a pool in your house, that you have to decide whether it's going to be close to the house, an extension of the living room, whether you have a family, and you have children that are spending a lot of time in the pool, and you want to be close to where they are, but still taking care of whatever household things you have to, or whether you really want to have it as a retreat on your property, and really pull people through the space of your property, and, perhaps, use areas that you might not ever use otherwise.

WILLIS: So that tells you where it goes on your property, whether it's close to the house, far away. What about the shape of the pool? How do you decide? Is a rectangle the big thing, or is there a new way of thinking about it?

BAKER: Well, I think most pool manufacturers will have you think that a rectangle is the way to go, because that's the easiest thing for them to build. And there's a whole costing setup for a 20 by 40 pool. That's why you see those the most.

But the pool shape really is defined by how you're going to use it. If you're going to do laps, you want to have a pool that's at least long enough to do your flip turns. You don't want to have steps at either end filling up both ends, or one end, because you can't do your flip turn.

If you have -- if it's going to be used for recreation for kids, then you don't want it to be too small. If you're using it for laps, then it can be very long and linear.

But the great thing about pools right now is that there are so many more possible shapes. People are really becoming more playful about their pool shapes. You see ovals. I did a beautiful one in my book, a square...

WILLIS: Wow.

BAKER: ... that fit in perfectly. It was an extension of the house...

WILLIS: OK.

BAKER: ... and it fit in with the lines of the house beautifully.

WILLIS: Well, you've got to think about that too. It has to match the house and the property. You also say access is a big issue. What do you mean by that?

BAKER: Well, getting in and out of the pool. When I grew up, it used to be a ladder at one end of the pool. But it's so much more convenient to the user now. There are pools -- there are steps at either end, there are steps across the long side, like stadium seating. There's choices of getting in the water.

WILLIS: And I noticed at this pool, you've got beautiful steps leading into one end. And it's just attractive in its own right, in addition to being functional.

BAKER: It's adding kind of to the sculptural element of the pool. Plus, if you have very wide steps, then those who don't want to swim can sit at the edge and cool off, or if they have a young child, they can sit there with the toddler.

WILLIS: You know, one of the issues is shade. I'm always -- when I'm at the pool, I'm always looking for an escape after I've been out in the sun for a while. The idea you have here is this beautiful little place to seat over underneath the awning. What other kinds of ideas can you use, though?

BAKER: Oh, there are lots of choices. The one you see the most (INAUDIBLE) umbrellas. But umbrellas now are coming in so many different shapes. You can have round, square, rectangular. They're now so huge that it's like sitting under an awning. Pergolas are very useful around a pool, because it gives you the room to put several chaises, or even having an outdoor dining experience under it, and being protected from the sun.

WILLIS: Right. You know, one of the ideas I've seen is having trees close in on the pool. But the thing I wondered about is, what about when those leaves get dropped in the fall? Is there anything you should know before you plant close to the pool?

BAKER: I -- that is a concern. And yes, it's nice to have a -- have trees close to a pool, from the point of view of the reflection of the trees in the water, also providing a natural shade situation. But don't put it too close to the pool, because of the droppings. And also, it's not as inviting to go in a pool if it's shady.

WILLIS: If it's cool already. Thanks, Martha.

Coming up on our OPEN HOUSE backyard bash, great grills. We take a look at the top grills on the market at rock-bottom prices.

Plus, design the deck of your dreams. We'll show you how.

But first, your tip of the day.

ANNOUNCER: A healthy lawn means just the right amount of care.

First, fertilize with nitrogen, mostly in spring and fall. Too much in summer can burn your grass.

Next, mow once a week, cutting only one-third the length of the grass blade to help control weeds.

And water every other day in summer if it's not raining. So you add about three-quarters of an inch of water per week.

Fertilize, mow, and water, but not to excess.

That's your tip of the day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WILLIS: Welcome back to our special OPEN HOUSE backyard bash.

When you think of summertime, you think about grilling.

Allan Chernoff takes a look at the best grills for the best prices.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Gerri, when I was growing up, barbecuing was easy. All you needed was a little barbecue set for $10, $15, some charcoal briquettes, lighter fluid, and you were all set.

Today, people are spending hundreds, even thousands of dollars on fancy grills.

What are they getting for their money?

How about $3,200 for a gas grill? This is one of the granddaddies. It is a Viking, as you can see, stainless steel. And we are here at "Consumer Reports." We've got them all tested out.

And joining us is Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman. She is a resident expert on gas grills.

Celia, thank you for joining us.

CELIA KUPERSZMID LEHRMAN, SENIOR EDITOR, "CONSUMER REPORTS": You're very welcome.

CHERNOFF: What's so fancy about this? Why should we even pay $3,200 for this type of grill? What does it offer?

LEHRMAN: Well, actually, it doesn't offer anything that you can't get in a grill that would be several thousand dollars less.

WILLIS: Stainless steel seems to be extremely popular these days. And, of course, the Viking has got plenty of it. Celia, this is fancy stainless, huh? What about the others, how do they compare?

LEHRMAN: Yes, there actually are different grades of stainless steel. We actually subjected them to a salt-spray test. So, you know, it may not be quite as durable as the better grade of stainless steel, but it's substantially less expensive. And a $30 or $40 grill cover would take care of the problem, because then it wouldn't be exposed to the elements.

CHERNOFF: All right. Let's see how the $200 grill, the Barbecue Grillware, compares to that fancy-shmancy Viking grill.

Put a few burgers on.

LEHRMAN: Well, this is one of our ""CONSUMER REPORTS" best buys. This did a wonderful job, it did a very good of cooking burgers, steaks, chicken.

CHERNOFF: We've got another "Consumer Reports" best buy here. This is one is by Vermont Castings. It's a medium-sized grill. Celia, for $400, it looks pretty nice. Is it good?

LEHRMAN: This was our top-rated grill, top-rated medium-sized grill. And it did an excellent job of cooking all types of food.

CHERNOFF (voice-over): If you're looking for a bigger grill with a few more bells and whistles, "Consumer Reports" says you should consider the Great Outdoors Pinnacle.

LEHRMAN: This was also one of our ""CONSUMER REPORTS" best buys. It did a very -- did an excellent job of cooking food and different types of food. So it would an also, a very, very good choice if you do cook for a large crowd, because this is one of the larger grills. CHERNOFF (on camera): Here we've got a Charbroil, goes for $500. So how does this compare to the Viking?

LEHRMAN: It did a better job of cooking. It has many of the same features as the $3,000 Viking, but at a, you know, much more reasonable price for the average consumer.

CHERNOFF: To me, plain old guy, I mean, they all seem to cook, right?

LEHRMAN: Do you want to be able to just cook on it, or do you want it to make a fashion statement? You can sort of do both these days.

CHERNOFF: As we've seen, you don't need to spend thousands of dollars to get a fine gas grill. A few hundred dollars will do just fine. And for traditionalists, there's always the $15 charcoal model.

Gerri, we've got plenty of franks for you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIS: Great tips, Allan.

Once you find the right grill, you'll want a great deck to entertain on.

For help, we turn to Scott Gibson of "Fine Home Building" magazine.

So let's talk decking materials. Lots of choices out there, starting with the old-fashioned choice, right, Scott?

SCOTT GIBSON, "FINE HOME BUILDING" MAGAZINE: Yes, good point. This is Southern yellow pine. And it's interesting to note that the deck that we're standing on, which has seen better days, is made from this material.

WILLIS: So let's get, let's show people this. Look at the comparison. This is the same material right here, right?

GIBSON: Same material...

WILLIS: That is amazing.

GIBSON: ... 10 years' difference.

WILLIS: And not a lot of care here, obviously, right?

GIBSON: No.

WILLIS: So tell us about this. Is this a good material today for decks, or is it really old-fashioned?

GIBSON: It is still one of the dominant players in the market. This is what is most decks, maybe 80 percent, perhaps, are going to be made from. It's a pine or a soft wood. It's the least expensive decking option you have. But...

WILLIS: How do I take care of it?

GIBSON: You've got to maintain it with a clear preservative at least every other year, and some people would say every year.

WILLIS: Wow. That's a lot of work (INAUDIBLE) people.

GIBSON: That's a lot of maintenance, yes.

WILLIS: And do you power-wash these things (INAUDIBLE)...

GIBSON: You can, yes. You need to keep it nice and clean, and it needs to be -- the wood itself doesn't have a lot of resistance to weather. So it needs to have some kind of a preservative put on it.

WILLIS: All right. Here are two other wood options. Now, tell us about these, Scott.

GIBSON: These are both Western softwoods. This is a redwood.

WILLIS: It's pretty.

GIBSON: And this is a cedar.

WILLIS: Nice.

GIBSON: They're a nice, knot-free heartwood, meaning that there's no outer layer of sapwood on it. So these are very resistant to weather.

WILLIS: OK.

GIBSON: This is an old growth. You can see -- I'm not sure that the...

WILLIS: It's a very fine texture here.

GIBSON: Very fine texture, very -- lines very close together. Each one of those lines is a year of growth. And you can see how much faster this grows. So this will be a very dense, weather-resistant wood. It will fade in time, and it too should have some sort of preservative put on it regularly.

WILLIS: Now today, I think a lot of people consider this the sort of the Cadillac of materials. Why?

GIBSON: Well, it needs practically no maintenance. You put it down and more or less forget it. It's a wood called ipe, which is very heavy.

WILLIS: It is.

GIBSON: It's probably twice the weight, maybe.

WILLIS: Absolutely. GIBSON: Yes, very heavy. It's about twice as expensive as this, maybe not as expensive as these old standards.

WILLIS: Where do they source this? Where does it come from?

GIBSON: This comes from South America. And it does come from -- you -- it's available from certified forests. So if you're interested in the ecology end, you can find good sources of it.

WILLIS: That's good to know. How much am I paying for this?

GIBSON: You're going to pay about $4 a square foot for the material alone, not including installation.

WILLIS: Now, we talk a lot about composites on this show. And we're looking at some here. I got to tell you, these sort of look like wood. I guess they'll pass. And they're certainly better than they used to be. Are you a fan of the composites? And what are they made out of?

GIBSON: Well, I'm not a huge fan, just because it's not my taste. I'm sort of old school, I like the wood. But I'll tell you, the composites have a lot of advantages to them. They don't need...

WILLIS: What are they?

GIBSON: ... any real maintenance. You scrub them once in a while. They're never going to check, crack, rot. They're impervious to weather. And they have guarantees that go up to 50 years.

WILLIS: Well, let's look at this kind, because it actually has holes in it. What's the purpose of that? And is it better than a solid?

GIBSON: Well, I don't think it's a better-than situation. There are about 60 or more different types of composites. They're made all over the place. And the manufacturing processes are just different.

WILLIS: So, Scott, tell me about these plastic materials.

GIBSON: Well, it's all plastic. There's no wood involved in it whatsoever. So we've got no mold problem, and less of a moisture problem with it.

WILLIS: Lasts forever, I would think, right?

GIBSON: Lasts a long time.

WILLIS: Does it look like wood to you? I'm a little concerned that people would say, Nice plastic deck.

GIBSON: Well, it doesn't look like wood to me, but there's not any maintenance involved with it. It can get hot underfoot in direct sunlight. That's one thing to keep in mind.

WILLIS: OK. All right GIBSON: But no maintenance involved.

WILLIS: Beautiful. Thanks, Scott, for giving us the tour. I appreciate it.

GIBSON: Good to be here.

WILLIS: Once you build your deck, maintenance is key.

To prevent it from becoming like this -- worn, gray, and even dangerous -- start by inspecting the deck for signs of worn boards and rot, especially where the deck comes into contact with the ground and water can pool.

Hammer in nails that have sprung, and tighten the bolts that connect the deck and the house.

Next, wash the deck down. Look for cleaners that contain oxalic acid, which can remove stains but won't harm the finish.

You'll need to use some elbow grease and a stiff bristle-brush or a power washer.

If your deck is wood, you'll need to add a protective stain that will keep the wood protected from the summer's harsh rays.

Keeping up with the maintenance will allow to you enjoy your deck for years to come.

Coming up on OPEN HOUSE, our weekend project. Increase your home's curb appeal. We have small improvements that will make a big difference, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WILLIS: welcome back to our special OPEN HOUSE.

A little color, a little cleaning can really improve the look of your house. In today's weekend project, we tackle curb appeal.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIS: So Nairn, it's summertime, people want to know how to fix up the outside of their house. What would you do?

NAIRN FRIEMAN, HOME STAGER AND FLORAL DESIGNER: Well, first of all, clean, polish, add color.

WILLIS: How do you add color?

FRIEMAN: Flowers. It's the cheapest and the fastest way to give your house a pop of color.

WILLIS: And you're going to clean, for example, this house by doing what?

FRIEMAN: Well, windows, always. But in this case, we're going to take a really close look at the siding.

WILLIS: All right.

FRIEMAN: Clean the siding, the trim.

WILLIS: Sounds like a lot of work. Let's get started.

FRIEMAN: OK.

WILLIS (voice-over): Create a border with flowers to add color, along with a crisp, clean feel.

(on camera): So you chose impatiens today. Why?

FRIEMAN: Well, they're very inexpensive, and they add instant color, and they do very well in shade or sun.

WILLIS: Now, how far apart should I plant these?

FRIEMAN: Go five to six inches. They're going to spread very quickly. And you don't have to plant them very deeply, which (INAUDIBLE)...

WILLIS: How deep?

FRIEMAN: Oh, couple of inches, not very deep at all.

WILLIS: Oh, OK, all right. Well, that's pretty fast, too, in addition to being cheap and colorful.

(voice-over): New flowers can take care of color, but it's up to you to keep the exterior of your house spick and span. If your siding is really dirty, consider having it pressure washed.

For a quick do-it-yourself fix, grab some cleaning solution and your hose.

FRIEMAN: First of all, we're going to rinse off the wall, then we're going to put the solution on, let it set for about two to three minutes, and then we're going to rinse again and wipe off.

WILLIS (on camera): Well, that looks great. I can really tell a difference. That's really going to brighten up the house.

(voice-over): Don't forget sports equipment. A little mildew cleaner can go a long way. Summer humidity can make mold grow like mad. So attack the problem before your white hoop goes green.

(on camera): So Nairn, this is a mildew remover.

FRIEMAN: Yes.

WILLIS: How long do I leave this on for?

FRIEMAN: Two to three minutes. And that's going to take some elbow grease. You're going to have to scrub that afterwards. WILLIS: But I hope the payoff is pretty dramatic.

FRIEMAN: Absolutely. Have your friends over to play some hoops.

WILLIS (voice-over): So you've added color and cleaned like crazy. But before you invite your friends over for your backyard bash, make the best use of your space.

Look at this waste of space. I bet we could put this to use.

FRIEMAN: Absolutely. It should be decorated as an outdoor room.

WILLIS: Well, let's get started.

FRIEMAN: Let's go.

WILLIS: So this is great.

FRIEMAN: Isn't it?

WILLIS: Remind us again what we learned today. If you're going to fix up your house, what are the three steps?

FRIEMAN: Clean, add color, and if you've got time, you know, go and maximize the space in the outdoors.

WILLIS: And the most important thing, sit back and enjoy it, right?

FRIEMAN: Absolutely.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIS: OPEN HOUSE will be right back. But first, this week's mortgage snapshot.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WILLIS: Thanks for watching OPEN HOUSE.

Coming up, "DOLANS UNSCRIPTED."

But first, the day's headlines.

Have a great weekend.

MARCIANO: Good morning once again. I'm Rob Marciano in the CNN Weather Center.

Hurricane Dennis continues to head towards the northwest, just past Key West, Florida. It did decrease in intensity overnight last night, but has regained some strength this morning now that it's in the open waters of the warm Gulf of Mexico.

Category two status, 100-mile-an-hour winds, movement to the northwest at about 13, 14 miles an hour. That sort of timing will bring it to the shorelines of say Pensacola, maybe Mobile, east towards Apalachicola, possibly, by tomorrow afternoon.

So, we're watching that carefully. But what's going to happen in the meantime, is that there's going to be some stormy weather across the peninsula of Florida, even though there won't be a direct landfall there.

Already, we've seen wind gusts over 70 miles an hour along the Keys. A couple of tornado watches out or warnings out. This tornado watch out until 4:00 this afternoon and we did have a tornado touchdown all the way just south of Tampa, over 200 miles in the center of this storm, early this morning.

So, you don't have to be in the direct path to see some damage, but there are tornado warnings out for the Keys: Dry Tortugas. And also from Steinhatchee or -- yes, Steinhatchee River to the river Pearl.

Again, here's the storm itself, gathering steam: 100 mile an hour winds. We don't expect a direct landfall until tomorrow afternoon. In the meantime, we'll keep you updated on it's progress and the potential for tornadoes across the lower peninsula of Florida, throughout the day.

Right now, "DOLANS UNSCRIPTED" begins.

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