Installing New Deck Boards Over a Solid, Existing Frame
By Larry Walton I had been keeping this deck alive for several years with an occasional replacement board, some sanding, a little deck stain. I
By Larry Walton I had been keeping this deck alive for several years with an occasional replacement board, some sanding, a little deck stain. I
By Mark Clement Why do I love building wood decks so much? I think it’s because a well-crafted deck is more than a box and
By Mark Clement Anyone who knows me or watches MyFixitUpLife on YouTube might’ve heard me discuss this: I’m not a big fan of piles. The
Quality treated wood and a hidden-fastener system give an old deck a facelift. When it came time to replace some rotted deck boards on a
Using natural materials and local resources can help you help the environment. By Charlie Jourdain Homeowners today
By Walt Steele There’s good news and there’s good news. You can have a new clay paver patio or walkway without digging, without spreading crusher
This easy-to-build bench can be used on your patio or deck—or anywhere. By Matt Weber When I build outdoor furniture I want it to last.
Creative Curb Appeal for Window Gardens. By Rob Robillard
By Walt Steele Wilda Watson can tell you exactly how many Pine Hall Brick Company standard clay pavers it takes to fill a 1990s-vintage Little
Ecolife Stabilized Wood Real wood is the most sustainable, renewable and economical decking and fencing option you can use, and Viance offers improved wood treatment solutions
How to Install Corrugated Roofing By Matt Weber Corrugated roofing panels are made of metal, fiberglass or polycarbonate and typically install over a system of
Build a Backyard Paradise that Will Inspire and Relax You So, you’ve decided to install a water feature. Congratulations! Do you know what kind or
What do anthills and porch columns have in common? The answer should be nothing, but we know better… By Rob Robillard
Metal brackets make everything square again. Wooden fence gates are notorious for getting out of whack. The wood’s inherent instability during temperature changes coupled with
It’s been a long, cold winter, and the Extreme How-to staff is glad to see it go. As you
Water Works By Larry Walton, Photos by Tim Walton
Grow Vertical with a Backyard Arbor By Clint C. Thomas, Esq.
By Tom Matthews The time-honored look of brick paver patios is as popular today as ever. For
Build a patio with composite pavers in an interlocking grid system. Julie Quigley wanted a large backyard patio with the look of traditional pavers. Her
The Big Benefits of Snow Melting Systems By Rob Robillard In the Northeast, winter means shoveling and salting your walkway and stairs to keep your
Learn the basics from professionals with years of experience. By Matt Weber A dock is essentially a deck built on piles in the water, and
We love pergolas. We love designing them. We love building them. We love how they make the backyard not just a place you go to
Installing a clay paver patio is great DIY summertime project that enhances the look of the home’s outdoor environment. By Walt Steele
Thinking Inside the Box for a Unique Patio Door and Window Combination By Larry Walton
Enhance your outdoor living space with a durable hardscape. By Tom Matthews A hot trend among homeowners is to design an area of the
Handy Tips for Spring Lawn Care By Mark Clement If you’re a lawn-a-holic like me and relish having a luscious and low-weed lawn throughout the
Spruce it up for springtime. By Mark Clement
New Requirements to Resist Lateral Loads
It’s soon to be deck-building season. Here are some new product highlights to help outfit your outdoor retreat. By Matt Weber Equinox XP Louvered Roof
Hold it Together By Matt Weber
Renew the look of your home’s exterior to boost its curb appeal. By Matt Weber
Rain Ready By Larry Walton, Photos by Tim Walton It rains a lot where I live in Oregon, and for the most part we carry
Using Rock from a Creek Bed to Enhance a Flagstone Home In an effort to shape up the curb appeal of one of our project houses,
We’re finally in the season for fun in the sun, when homeowners can make the most of their outdoor environment. Chilling out with a cold
New Supplies for the Great Outdoors Before friends and neighbors ever make it to your home they’re greeted by your lawn. The home’s curb appeal
By Mark & Theresa Clement If the value of a project is measured in how often you use it,
By Matt Weber When it’s time to give your lawn its first summer haircut, be sure to keep the edges neat. Grass and weeds
By Rob Robillard A client recently asked if I would replace her badly worn-out roof deck. This wooden deck was built over her screen porch
Here’s a look at the Ins and Outs of Up and Down Gardening
Using Urethane Column Wraps to Wrap it up. By Kathy Ziprik
A thorough cleaning along with an application of a penetrating wood stain will do wonders for the looks and long life of your wood fence.
Installing Shaker-style Crown Molding with Rope Lighting By Rob Robillard
Deck construction is an evolving art. Every year new materials are introduced, technology advances, tools are innovated, and building codes get updated. In this issue,
Synthetic building materials create a new porch ceiling with rustic woodgrain beams. Contractor Steve Roth wanted to give new life to an old porch, so
Building a bridge for a volunteer project demonstrates DIY takeaways for every job. By Mark & Theresa Clement When Theresa and I were asked if
Stay Clean & Safe in the Winter Months By Rob Robillard In the North East, winter means shoveling and salting your walkway and stairs. The
By Rob Robillard This article will help you save time, labor and money by showing you the best way to clean
By Larry Walton Build a patio shade cover without obstructing the view
By Clint C. Thomas, Esq. Photography by Zoe Thomas A Rose By any Other Name. Build a wooden rose arbor to enhance your home’s outdoor
By Mark and Theresa Clement Every Deck has its Day. Steps for Rebuilding your Backyard Deck.
By Charlie Self Cultivating Garlic in a Raised Bed Garlic bulbs are available everywhere, but the pleasure of growing your own is great. It is
By Matt Weber Some bees leave bullet holes. Here’s how to fix them. I assume that carpenter bees were named for their affinity for wood,
By Matt Weber I started my first backyard garden last year, having for decades watched my dad and grandfather tend
By Clint C. Thomas, Esq. Photography by Zoe Thomas Making the most of a Backyard Garden America’s doctrine of westward expansion, known as Manifest Destiny,
By Matt Weber Gear up for summer with new equipment for your outdoor improvements. Black & Decker 36V Tiller For the 2012 spring
By Rob Robillard Create a beautiful water feature with some simple materials and a little ingenuity.
By Mark Clement The Hole truth: Tips for digging the perfect Post-Hole
By Matt Weber Refinish a deck to renew the look and protect it from the elements. For decades genuine wood has remained America’s most
By Matt Weber New Concrete Coating Converts a Dull Slab into a Colorful Canvas. The natural color of concrete has all the flair
By Mark and Theresa Clement On the set of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition playground project in Joplin, MO. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is such
By Mark and Theresa Clement A P-Ar-GaDe-O-La. The mission of this project is to battle the blandness of the all-too-often overlooked side-yard
By Dave Barnes 11 Keys to Successfully Stain Exotic Hardwood for Outdoor Applications
By Matt Weber Staining and Sealing to Fight Mother Nature. The natural beauty, durability and affordability of wood are what keep pressure-treated
By Clint Thomas, Esq., / Photos by Zoe Thomas Concrete, block and smart building techniques solve the problem of a dilapidated retaining wall surrounding
By Charlie Self Here’s a heavy-duty garden bench for the DIY’er with a green thumb. When it’s time to pot flowering plants, or
By Larry Walton Careful planning pays off in a fence that looks good for years to come. There’s more to planning a picket fence than
By Matt Weber Natural stone is durable, attractive and if you dig them up, very affordable. Natural stone can make an attractive, low-maintenance and incredibly
Q: What type of wood do you suggest for building outdoor projects? A: Whether you’re building a deck, gazebo, raised garden bed or front
By Brent Gwatney Few things in life beat having a cold one on your deck while chicken wings and pork chops
Here’s a 10×10′ swimming dock that you and your friends can build in a weekend.
Special Advertorial Section Concrete is gaining in popularity as a building material for driveways. According to the National Association of Home Builders, 68% of
We Test the Most Powerful Backpack Blowers
The North American Deck & Railing Association (NADRA) Honors a Wounded U.S. Soldier
Using Big Rocks to Give Your Landscape a Solid New Look
As the weather begins to cool off, here’s a look at some outdoor products to help enhance your yard without all the heat.
Fences are game-changers—for both homeowners and their neighbors. Here’s an alternative to the traditional wooden fence.
Decorative accessories make a wooden handrail strong and stylish.
Using the newest synthetic moldings and shingles as well as tried-and-true techniques to revive an old friend.
A PVC decking and handrail system serves as an attractive, low-maintenance alternative to traditional building materials.
Q: What’s an effective method to kill clover on my lawn? I don’t like the little white flowers that attract insects. A: Clover is
Those of you keeping up with the trials and tribulations know about the swimming pool pump and motor giving up the ghost after many years
Master concrete stainer, Gaye Goodman, explains the staining procedure in step-by-step detail.
Q: When building a deck, is it necessary to fasten the deck ledger board to the house, or can I build a freestanding deck? A:
Gardening is not limited to the young and nimble. Gardening as a hobby or simply enjoying a walk around the garden should not end or
By Larry Walton One of my favorite home projects is building a new concrete walkway. It could be
Add a bump-out window for better light and ventilation.
Protect and beautify your exterior wood with a quality preservative. Here’s a look at the type of products available and some tips on how to apply them.
Concrete offers an inexpensive alternative to traditional flooring materials
Stamping concrete is an affordable way to imitate the look of natural stone or brick without having to pay for the real thing. Proprietary
The summertime weather tends to put most people in an outdoor frame of mind. And for most homeowners, the favorite outdoor retreat is the deck.
I’m building a double-door fence gate. How do I construct it so it doesn’t sag? First, use the biggest, beefiest hinge hardware you can find.
Years ago it seems like every deck that was built was constructed out of good old CCA…pine wood treated with copper chromium arsenic, commonly referred
Deck lights add beauty, value and function to your outdoor living space.
FenceTrac is a revolutionary fence system that uses patented U-channel rails and metal posts to create a secure and sturdy frame for any type of infill. You can choose from wood, vinyl, composite, bamboo, metal, or any other material that fits your style and budget. You can also mix and match different infills to create […]
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