Holiday Lights, Music and more

What makes a great holiday family outing?  Driving around to see all the Christmas lights in the area.  There are some spectacular houses and streets.  We'd love to hear your vote on the "Best Light Show in Town" so add your comments below.

A local holiday tradition for 65 years, the residents of this small street in Baltimore go all out on Christmas lights.  Every house is decorated, each one is unique.  View a history of the 34 street tradition:

Baltimore's Miracle on 34th Street 

For something a little closer to home there nothing better than Glenn Zior's house in Mt. Airy.  Glenn decorates his house and yard with over 50,000 lights, characters and scenes.  You can listen to accompanying holiday music broadcast at 95.3 FM.  Glenn takes donations for CASA of Frederick County which helps abused and neglected children in our area.

Always a holiday favorite, the Maryland Ensemble Theater is presenting Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol at the Carroll Arts Center Dec. 21-22nd.   Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for children and seniors.

If you have a good recommendation for family outings to celebrate the season, please leave us a comment below.

We hope you enjoy this wonderful time of the year!

 - Mike & Kristen

Design feature - Fire Pits, Pros & Cons

There are few things more inviting on a cold evening than a warm fire and friends to share it with.  Fire pits are becoming more popular all the time.  In fact, I just read one statistic indicating fire pits are now the #1 requested design feature for outdoor patios and living spaces.  Built in fire pits or fireplaces create a real focal point to your space and are a great place for families to gather, roast some marshmallows and drink a cup of hot chocolate.  

Built in fire pits are designed with safety in mind; away from the main house structure, placed on level and well prepared surface and integrated into the overall look of the patio space.  For those who may have built a patio before the fire pit craze began, there are also a lot of free standing models that you can purchase from local home & garden centers or online.  When installed properly, a free standing pit can provide all the same great things as a built in but they do present fire safety issues that must be considered.

Circular pit on curved patio

Before building or purchasing a fire pit I recommend checking your local city ordinances or home owners associations to ensure there are no restrictions on their use.  For those of you with only wood or composite decks and no patio area, I DO NOT suggest ever using a free standing fire pit.  I’ve seen ads for new products like fire resistant mats or tiles that say they are safe to use on a deck but the heat generated from a fire pit is intense, especially at the bottom, closest to your deck surface.  Wood will combust and composite materials will discolor or even melt.  It’s just not worth ruining your deck or siding.  

For existing patios make sure you place the fire pit on a stable and level surface at least 15-20’ from the house.  Ensure proper clearance around and under the pit.  A good rule of thumb is at least 3’ around the pit and 4-6” beneath it.  Once lit, use the screen, flying embers can land anywhere and you don’t want your wood pile to go up in flames.  Always have a bucket of water or hose within arm’s reach and never leave a fire pit unattended.  Before calling it a night, ensure the fire is completely out – douse it with the bucket of water.  It may make a little more mess but not extinguishing embers is one of the primary causes of a fire reigniting and spreading without the homeowner’s knowledge.

Integrated rectangle pit with seating area

With proper precautions you can enjoy a fire pit year round.  Next time roast a marshmallow for me and enjoy the glow on a winter’s night!

-      - Mike

What a difference a year makes...

Lily and friends on the course

Last Sunday, on what turned out to be a perfect day for a 5K, team Cedarbrook proudly took part in the Lily's Hope 5K benefiting the Patty Pollatos Fund.  We sponsored this event in 2011 partly because the event's namesake, Lily Weaver, was a classmate and friend of our kids.  Last year Lily was just finishing intense treatment for cancer and had to watch the race from a distance.  This year, Lily proudly wore bid #1 and walked the race with all her buddies.  Truly, what a difference a year makes.  

Skipping to the finish line!

This year's race raised over $12,000.00 for the Patty Pollatos Fund, which raises money for families coping with cancer.  


The Frederick News Post has a great writeup about the race and the Weaver family.  You can read the full article here.

Visit the Cedarbrook Facebook page and view our race album.  

For full coverage of the event and race results - plus more great photos of the entire race, visit the Potomac Highlands Distance Club website.

As Thanksgiving approaches all of us at Cedarbrook are counting our blessings for family, friends and community.  We hope each of you finds time to give thanks, share a meal and be with loved ones.

Have a great holiday - 
Mike

Join Team Cedarbrook for Lily's Hope 5K

The 2nd annual Lily’s Hope 5K Run/Walk is an event to raise funds and rally support for Lily Weaver, a courageous young girl battling Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. The event is being coordinated with the Patty Pollatos Fund, Inc., a non-profit organization that raises funds for families dealing with the financial strain caused by cancer and other challenges.  

Lily's Hope 5K 2011 - Team Cedarbrook

The Cedarbrook team had such a great time supporting this event last year we will be sponsoring and walking in the event again this year.  Join us on Sunday, November 11th, 2012 at the West Winds Tennis and Fitness Center at 8:30am.     We are easy to spot wearing the bright yellow Cedarbrook T-shirts!

You can register online here.  Registration fees go up on November 1st so don't wait - register today!

From Potomac Highlands Distance Club blog: “This past year, we gained first-hand experience in the financial and emotional toll that a cancer diagnosis places on a family.  We were extremely lucky to have the support of family, friends and absolute strangers – but other cancer patients aren’t so fortunate.  Many have nothing or no one to help.” expressed Amy Weaver, Lily’s mom.  “We look forward to giving back to the community that rallied behind us during our most difficult time.”

Here's the really great news:

Lily Weaver is back in her New Market middle school this fall and will participate in the 2nd annual Lily’s Hope 5K run/walk on Sunday, Nov. 11. She will wear bib No.1

 Hope to see you there.
 - Mike

Deck Cleaning Products

Fall is the best time of year to clean and restore your deck surfaces and railings. We are frequently asked for recommendations on composite deck cleaning products. There are several good products on the market.  Some are specifically designed for composite decks while others can be used on a variety of surfaces.  Some can be found at your local home improvement center but a few are only available on-line. I thought I'd give you a list of some of the products we or our customers have used with good results.

•  DeckMAX PVC Deck Revitalizer -This product rejuvenates your deck color, removes scratches or marks and is plant based, making it user friendly to work with and easier on the environment.
• CHOMP Pro Algea & Mold Stain Cleaner/Remover - Good for multiple surfaces such as composite decks, concrete pavers, siding and even outdoor furniture cushions.  The product contains NO bleach and is a great value for the price.
• Mr. Clean Magic Eraser - Yes, this thing has a million and one uses but it works especially well at cleaning marks and stains off of metal deck railings.  It won't damage the paint finish either.

If you have a wood deck, you should take a look at DeckScapes® by Sherwin Williams.  We have had several customers recommend this product as a top notch wood deck care system.

If you have used any products that you think work well, please pass them along in the comments below. We are always interested in your feedback.

The pros and cons of "maintenance free" decking

With winter approaching, deck owners may find it's time for some basic maintenance  to ensure their deck remains both sound and beautiful for years to come.  During this time, you might ask "Is there really such a thing as a maintenance free deck?" I'm sure you've heard the saying "There is no such thing as a free lunch."  The same goes for decks.  While new composite decking material does eliminate the need for resealing every 2-3 years, no product that is subject to the elements is completely maintenance free.  Whether you build with wood or a composite decking product, there is always some care and feeding required.

There are a number of advantages to building with a composite decking product: 

• Wide variety of products, colors and finishes
• Low maintenance - does not require resealing
• Won’t crack or split
• Environmentally friendly – some materials include post-consumer recycled content

Keep these tips in mind if you use a composite decking product:

• Keep the deck clean of debris - leaves, tree sap and even grease from a grill can stain composite decks.  Hose them off and use a mild cleaning solution to remove sap or grease, rinse thoroughly.
• Keep pots and other plant containers off the deck surface.  Place them on trollies, available at most home improvement centers.
• Check for mold in shady areas.  You can purchase cleaning solutions specifically for composite decks either on-line or at your local home improvement center.

At Cedarbrook Outdoor Design & Build we build custom decks and patios using several products.  Check out some of our latest projects:

• Trex deck with steps to patios area, Ellicott City, MD
• Fiberon Ipe with black balusters, Maryland
• Azek deck with diagonal herringbone pattern, Finksburg, MD

If you have questions about decks, patios, porches or other outdoor living spaces, please leave us a comment below.