Special Outdoor Projects

Avoid these common mistakes when instlling your artificial turf, and your new synthetic lawn may even fool your neighbors into thinking it’s real grass.

A swing set can turn your backyard into a playground for your kids and their friends. Properly anchoring the legs is important to ensure safety. If not anchored, the legs can lift off the ground...

Perhaps nothing makes a bolder statement to join two levels in your garden than a meandering, ancient-looking rock staircase. The look of steps hewn into the earth is appealing in an almost...

There are many reasons to move sand and gravel underwater, whether you mine it or other minerals in a quarry, you prospect for gold or you are trying to reform a river bank or the beach of a lake...

Whether you have a pond for aquatic plants or for koi fish, keeping the water clean is essential. There are many expensive chemicals you can buy that do the job, but the cost and harshness is not...

If you want to add a patio or walkway to your outdoor space, consider using landscaping pavers. You can use landscaping pavers to fill an area of any size or shape. With such a wide variety of...

Small backyards can have the beauty of a water feature without the fuss of pumps, filters and electrical conduits. Making a bog garden takes two days, and maintaining the garden only requires...

Pea gravel is made up of rounded stones about 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch in size. It is relatively inexpensive, comes in different shades of white and brown and is easy to handle without heavy...

A concrete slab has many uses--driveway, patio, or foundation for an addition, garage or porch. While the size and the shape of the concrete are very important depending on its use, proper...

A box blade is a tractor attachment that can perform tasks for home use, agricultural use and for building and development of roads. Its primary purpose is to move and level dirt and/or gravel and...

Not only are landscape pavers a functional addition to your yard, they can add a beautiful decorative element. You can use landscape pavers to make a patio for additional outdoor living space or a...

Using fire was the first way that our ancestors began to cook food, and even today barbecue is a very popular style of cooking. Building an outdoor barbecue can add a whole new dimension to your...

Buying commercially cured meats can be a very expensive proposition these days. One alternative is building your own smoke house to dry and cure your own meats. An added advantage is that you can...

When a homeowner sets up a water garden with a preformed pond liner, a garden hose is used to fill it to the correct height. When it rains, the preformed pond liner may overflow and damage the...

An outdoor trellis provides your landscape with a rustic and colorful focal point. Use the structure to support seasonal crops like beans and peas. Alternatively, plant creepers, like sedum or...

Clotheslines were a common sight in backyards everywhere in years past, but in recent years most families have enjoyed the convenience of electric or gas dryers and eschewed the clothesline. With...

A well-planned and well-built driveway can enhance the beauty of your home, creating instant "curb appeal." The design and layout of your driveway will convey your aesthetic sense to all who pass...

A drain field, often called a leach field, is an outdoor area where contaminants from a septic system are directed and allowed to be absorbed into the ground. A drain field is composed of a series...

You just moved into a new house and you need to put up a mailbox. How and where you place the box may not be as simple as randomly picking a likely-looking spot. Before you grab a shovel and start...

Standing water on a concrete driveway can freeze during the winter and create hazardous conditions. It can also pile up during other parts of the year, causing cracks and concrete failure....

Sitting around a fire pit with your family members or guests can be the perfect end to any get-together. You can enjoy the peace and warmth of a safe outdoor fire if you follow these simple steps...

Xeriscaping is the art of creating low-maintenance landscapes that need a minimum of water to thrive. The method is environmentally friendly, and eliminates the need for watering, weeding and...

The variety in outside play areas is vast, but there are key elements that they all have in common: they are designed with fun, exercise and safety in mind. Having a backyard place for your...

Many home parties and barbecues revolve around a fire pit. You too can have a fire pit, and it does not have to be expensive. Decide what type of fire pit you would like, and build it from things...

French drain trenches are used to direct runoff away from buildings and to drain standing water into an area where it can't do any harm. Installing a French drain trench is straightforward, but it...

A French drain is a simple but effective way to move standing water, whether it's against a house or in a boggy area of the yard. Water collects in a trench and is diverted through a pipe...

A natural-looking waterfall is not only a wonderful way to add beauty to your home but it can also add much needed serenity and ambiance to any outdoor space. If you want the waterfall to be a...

A pondless waterfall is an alternative for a backyard water feature when you don't have the time or space for a full garden pond. Since they do not require a large pond stocked with plants and...

Preparing an area for a storage shed is an additional investment for the longevity of the small building. You'll save money if the site is ready to go once the storage building is either delivered...

Bog filters, sometimes called veggie or vegetable filters, remove organic and inorganic waste from pond water. A pump forces water through PVC pipe buried in pea gravel. The pea gravel traps the...

Build this outdoor fire pit and bring family and friends together to share the warmth in your own backyard.

A French drain is a trench filled with stone and a pipe used to reduce standing water and control run-off. A natural French drain can be made without the pipe to make it totally natural. A natural...

Designing a septic drain field isn't as difficult as you think, though it does require a great deal of physical labor. If you're up for digging trenches and lifting heavy bags of gravel, this is a...

A new home foundation isn't complete without proper water protection. Water is the No. 1 enemy of foundations. It will work its way down through the soil, pile up against the foundation and seep...

A fire pit can turn your yard into a cozy space for an evening cuddle or an outdoor entertainment area in the cooler months. Fire pits are available through home improvement and specialty stores,...

A leach field works by dispersing liquids from a septic tank into the soil over a large area. Waste is then directed away from the septic tank through drains and spreads out into the ground....

Your pets enjoy being outdoors just as much as you do. But in many places it isn’t safe to let dogs or cats loose in the garden. So here are some suggestions on how to build an outdoor pet...

A running track at your home can be a convenient alternative to your local track or gym---it is always nearby and, best of all, there are no crowds. Perhaps the best news about a running track is...

Keeping ready-mix concrete on hand can speed up any home-improvement project. Mixing your own blend can also save you some money, as the materials can all be purchased in bulk. Tools for the...

Build yourself a backyard fire pit and bring the outdoors home.

Are you looking for a reason to enjoy the outdoors? Perhaps you had some tree's cut down and you need to dispose of the firewood but don't know where to start? Begin with a design, add your own...

A trellis can become a beautiful addition to your garden while at the same time keep your climbing plants out of trouble. These plants will attach to and climb just about anything, including...

If your swimming pool is no longer seeing much use, consider converting it into a fish pond. Swimming pools are the ideal size for koi. You will need to eliminate areas where debris could collect,...

Your garage is way too cluttered, and the car has been relegated to the driveway. You need a shed. An 8-foot-by-6-foot recycled plastic storage shed fits your needs and your conscience, but...

Installing a landscape feature such as a lamppost in the yard cannot only bring beauty to the lawn, but also a safety feature for the evening hours. One of the best ways to make the lamppost...

Understanding concrete is a incredibly important and often overlooked DIY skill. Seeing as concrete is the most versatile building material on the planet, not to mention the most cost efficient...

To build a simple water fountain, choose a flower pot that is large enough to hold at least 2 or 3 gallons of water. Large pots are often used to decorate the patio area with small trees, bushes...

Lay out the area where you wish to build your stone steps using spray paint, a garden hose, landscaping stakes and string, or kitchen flour. Measure the height that the steps will cover, and then...

Inground fire pits can provide enjoyment all year round. During the winter months they offer a welcome source of heat, while during the summer they give you an excuse to eat tons of marshmallows....

French drains are used to remove excess water from an area. These drains can be made from either gravel-filled trenches or PVC piping with holes drilled in the pipe. A true French drain is made...