By Mark and Theresa Clement Every Deck has its Day. Steps for Rebuilding your Backyard Deck. The beloved backyard deck, in historical terms, is a
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 I started my first backyard garden last year, having for decades watched my dad and grandfather tend large gardens of their own.
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 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 and fashion
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 of so many
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 lumber at the
By Clint Thomas, Esq., / Photos by Zoe Thomas Concrete, block and smart building techniques solve the problem of a dilapidated retaining wall surrounding
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 porch,
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:
By Larry Walton One of my favorite home projects is building a new concrete walkway. It could be
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.
Applying the Cantilever Concept to Your Deck Designs
An outdoor copper shower can make a great addition for the summer months
A Guide to Building Your Own Wood Fence. This fence features PT lumber framing with fence boards made from Cypress.
Add curb appeal the easy way with a DIY-friendly railing kit.
Add comfort and beauty to your deck with lighting, fans and electrical outlets.
Brick patios, walks and garden terraces are some of the easiest-to-build home projects. They not only create a pleasurable outdoor space, but also add to
Build a simple firepit in a weekend and add ambience to your backyard. Find inspiration here, and then follow our step-by-step guidelines to create
My mom wanted a patio. She wanted a nice, shady place beside her house to relax, read, sip lemonade and host the occasional barbecue. This
Yards are like people, they come in all shapes and sizes. Some folks are fit, others are flabby. Some yards are flat, others are
Five Fall Fix-Ups to Create Gorgeous, Green Grass for Spring
Ohio Christmas tree farmer does it himself with advanced retaining wall technology.
Felt gaskets on ceramic grills like the Primo Grill or The Big Green Egg should be replaced annually or when damaged. Here is a step-by-step tutorial on how to handle this task.
My old college roommate is the type of guy who gets all the luck. I mean, if he slipped and fell, he’d probably land in
Using Lumberjack Tools tenon cutters, we make tables from available logs and it only takes an afternoon to build two rustic tables that are ready for finishing
Create an outdoor kitchen for your next neighborhood get-together.
Replacing Worn-out Wood with Low-Maintenance Composites Decks take a lot of abuse. Due to their very nature, we expect them to withstand brutal attacks from
Summer Solutions to Shape Up your Outdoor Space
There are more choices than there used to be.
The experts at the Vinyl Siding Institute offer detailed installation guidelines.
New deck materials balance aesthetics and “green” building with low maintenance and long-lasting performance.
Create a classic front porch by installing PVC column wraps and a matching balustrade system.
Build a paver path to accent your yard and add value to your home.
Tearing down decks is more fun with the right demolition tools
Here’s how to build two types of benches; one “classic” piece of outdoor furniture, as well as a rustic bench made from a log slab.
For people tired of dragging around a lawn sprinkler, we have found a simple solution…
Pro builder and radio personality shares tips on building the best deck.
A board-by-board guide to renovating the best room of your home.
Gardening and woodworking have a lot in common. Both are enjoyable, relaxing hobbies that can add value to your home and can also be
From thorough cleaning to re-decking, here’s a look at how to breathe new life into an old deck.
A Guide to Pressure Washers and Accessories for the Toughest Cleaning Tasks
Attention to Detail: Add both form and function to the outdoor living space.
Six Upscale Ideas Towards Creating All-Season Outdoor Living Spaces
Pole-style construction provides an economical method of building a drive-thru shed, even if the shed is built on a sloping lot.
Call 811 Before You Dig to Help Reduce Injury, Expenses and Penalties.
Sealing and waterproofing your home is a smart way to protect your investment.
How to build a deck over an existing patio slab with low clearance.
A wide variety of materials can be used to construct a retaining wall, from brick and mortar to landscape timbers.
Build it strong with tried and true methods to join wood.
Not just any nail will do … Using the right type of fastener will make a world of difference in treated-wood projects.
Not just another fence story … Here’s how to construct a fence made of forms, rebar reinforcement and shotcrete.
A step-by-step look at building a brick paver patio. Winner of the 2007 Golden Hammer Award in the Internet category from the National Association of Home & Workshop Writers.
Pack it Down: Compaction plays a key role in ensuring quality landscape projects.
Forget string and batter boards. Use the deck’s bandboards—and a cantilever beam—for fast layout and framing.
A smartly designed sprinkler system can keep your lush summer lawn strong, green and healthy.
When it comes to composite decking, a little research can pay off in the long run.
Decks are such a hot item for today’s home. There seems to be no limit to the new innovations, helpful accessories and decorative accents that
Pergolas have been around for centuries, adding structure and beauty to outdoor living areas.
Building a swing arbor is a fun and easy weekend project to create a new outdoor area for rest and relaxation.
Reclaim Valuable Cabinet Space with New Dearborn® Space-Saving Sink Drain Kits Installing a new vanity or sink should be straightforward. But existing plumbing doesn’t always align with the new fixture location, creating a frustrating challenge for remodelers and DIYers alike. What begins as a simple upgrade can quickly turn into a time-consuming project involving extra […]
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