Tag: lake home improvement

Waterproofing Your Rugs: Here’s How To Do It

Posted on Jayden Marable
Outdoor rug and patio seating group with fire pit
Photo via RugsUSA

You might ask why it would be necessary to waterproof a rug. Our answer? You live on the lake! The lake lifestyle inherently calls for outdoor activities—swimming, kayaking, exercising, and much more. But even though outdoor living is a lot of fun, it can also cause a big mess. This is especially true for families with young children. Rugs quickly absorb rain and water, making them more susceptible to the eventual growth of mold and mildew. This can be unsafe and cause unpleasant odors at your lake home, but you can prevent it. Waterproofing rugs can help preserve flooring, reduce mold and mildew, and it’s quick and easy to do!

Focus Areas

Photo via Sunset

It is best to waterproof rugs in areas of your home that typically get a lot of foot traffic. This includes mudrooms and entryways where people come and go with wet shoes, umbrellas, and coats. It’s also smart to waterproof rugs in your lake home’s bathrooms and laundry room. These areas are known for having humid conditions—along with wet feet and clothes.

Here’s How To Do It

Photo via RugpadUSA

Waterproofing your rugs doesn’t have to be complicated. First, you want to consider what areas of the rug to focus on. The upper fibers, underside, and any padding layers underneath are all important. Keep in mind that the underside is just as important as the top of the rug when it comes to waterproofing. As water can easily seep through the entire rug, you want to ensure that every area is sealed. This way, you won’t have to worry about unwanted mold or mildew.

There are several ways to waterproof a rug—all quick and relatively easy to DIY. Waterproofing techniques include rug pads, fabric seal sprays, and adhesives.

Fabric Seal Spray

This must be sprayed to prevent liquids from soaking into the rug. Not only does this help prevent rug stains, but it also helps keep the fibers from unraveling and thread slippage. Some safe and reliable options include sprays such as Scotchgard or Thompson.

Rug Pad

Rug pads help prevent unwanted water or humidity from being absorbed. The pads are placed and attached to the rug’s underside using a heavy-duty silicone adhesive. You can purchase rug pads at most hardware stores, and trustworthy options include Anchor Grip and Cloud Comfort.

Silicone Adhesive

Adhesives should be used in accordance with the rug pad that you select. Remember to choose a strong, heavy-duty adhesive that will last. For example, Loctite Clear offers a reliable and durable silicone adhesive that will endure heavy use.

Testing Time!

Photo via The Home Depot

Now that you know how to waterproof your rug, it’s time to test it! It is best to wait a full 24 hours before testing the rug to ensure the waterproofing layer is dry. To test, you will only need about a cup of water. Slowly pour the water onto the top surface of your rug.

  • If it works, you will see the liquid bead up and run off the surface.
  • If the rug absorbs the water, allow it to dry, and add a second coat of sealant spray.

So now you know how quick and easy waterproofing your rugs can be. It’s an excellent and beneficial way to prevent odor, reduce the risk of mold and mildew, and preserve your flooring while enjoying the lake lifestyle.

Preventing Shoreline Erosion on Your Property

Posted on Camille Smith
Image courtesy of Trevor Terfloth/Postmedia Network

Regardless of location, any coastline can be affected by erosion. When storms, high winds, or other natural forces blow across your lake area, over time, the line that connects land to water starts withering away. While the most damaging conditions tend to affect coastal areas near the ocean, lake homes are no stranger to this issue as well. To learn more about shoreline erosion and how you can help prevent this phenomenon from drastically affecting your lake property, we spoke with a few experts in the field. Check out these tips!

Re-Plant Native Species

Image courtesy of Greenwood Nursery

If there’s one take-home message for understanding gardening at your lake home, it’s the fact that native species will most always thrive. Knowing your gardening zone, you can determine which plants will most easily grow in your area. But did you know this information is helpful for shoreline erosion prevention too?

According to Brian Kearin, founder of Boat Easy, a simple solution is to re-plant native vegetation that was cleared away during construction. “Native vegetation will trap soil in its root system and stabilize the existing shoreline to prevent erosion,” he describes. “Here in South Florida various species of mangroves are common and are incredibly effective at stabilizing shorelines, even in the face of large waves and boat wakes. However, native semi-aquatic plants differ by region. Consult a local landscape expert or learn about native plant species yourself and DIY.”

Buy on the Right Lake

Image courtesy of The Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds

When it comes to owning a lake house and customizing your property, a generalizable lesson is to work alongside nature, not against it. For this reason, it’s important to consider the type of natural shoreline on the lake where you’re investing. Paul Johnson, founder of NorthOutdoors, adds, “Perhaps the biggest thing to keep in mind when evaluating your shoreline options is to buy on the right lake. Some lakes have sandy shorelines, others have rocky or rip-rap, and others are more grassy or wooded.  If you try to make a shoreline into something it was not intended by nature to be, you will increase your odds of erosion.”

Consider a Vegetated Dune

Image courtesy of Wild South East

If you live on a lake with a beach shoreline, such as one of the Great Lakes, building a vegetated dune might be helpful in warding off shoreline erosion. Paul says, “The dune is meant to create a backstop for larger wave days, but building a steeper “bluff” on the back edge of a beach or shoreline. The key is to vegetate it with perennial grasses or small ground cover, but something that will develop a strong and intertwined root system.” These plants, especially those with sturdy roots, will help create a barrier between your shoreline and risk factors for erosion.

Invest in Rip-Rap Shorelines

Image courtesy of Venice Hauling

If you’re looking for a more hardy solution to shoreline erosion, hiring someone to create a rip-rap shoreline at the edge of your lake property is a smart idea. Aesthetically, a rip-rap shoreline is a set of rocks that guard your yard from crashing waves and high winds. However, the strategy behind the process is more complex. Joe Palumbo from Lakeshore Guys, who installs rip-rap shorelines professionally, comments, “It’s important to note that a proper riprap shoreline is NOT a single row of large boulders placed along the shoreline and it is NOT several stacked rows of large boulders either. It’s a combination of compacted crushed rock (for a non-sandy base) laid down below filter fabric and then natural rocks (which vary 6-30″ in diameter) and it doesn’t exceed an average of 3:1 slope (horizontal to vertical).” While the installation does require a professional, the outcome — an extra-durable landscape — is worth it. 

We hope these tips are helpful in keeping your shoreline strong for years to come!