Special Outdoor Projects

Building your own picnic table not only saves you money, it is a practical project. You can use the picnic table to eat or as a common meeting place. Most picnic tables seat at least six people....

Blocking a stack of fire wood can be the cause of some frustration. Oftentimes, the end pieces fall out, causing half the stack to go with it. Stacking firewood outdoors or under a porch can be...

Urban gardens are a green escape from steel and concrete grays. Too often, however, these gardens are surrounded by the very walls urbanites seek to escape. One way to conceal brick, mortar and...

Framing a building with wood or steel is no easy task, and usually takes a team of talented and skilled laborers to get the job done with precision and quality. Whether fastening a steel door...

Carpenter bees can be destructive insects that tunnel into wood so the queen can lay her eggs. Each year carpenter bees will return to the same holes they were born in to tunnel deeper. As a...

Wood patio furniture is an optimal choice for decorating your outdoor space to accommodate friends and family. Because wood resists water damage if treated properly, it's a better choice than...

To get the most out of your wood stove or fireplace, proper storage of firewood is essential. Keeping a few tips in mind, you can ensure you have plenty of good-quality wood to last all season...

Gazebos add a stylish landscape element to backyards or public areas. Traditional gazebos have a romantic air but are functional as well. They provide built-in seating options and protect the...

Plantation shutters are an interior style shutter designed with larger panels in order to cover more surface area than other types of shutters. When you look into buying plantation shutters, you...

You can bring a bright flower, vegetable or herb garden to your window by building a simple window planter. Design the planter, calculate the materials needed, cut up the wood, predrill the holes,...

During bitter cold winter days and nights and especially during blizzards, winter birds need a helping hand. Putting out birdseed is always a good thing to do, but offering them shelter is often...

Window awnings are excellent for keeping energy and heat bills low as well as adding aesthetic value to your home. They block wind and keep sunlight from penetrating glass. A DIY wood window...

Firewood burned in a wood stove needs to be air dried for six to eight months after it is cut from a growing tree. Thinning thick dense wooded areas increases the health and vitality of that stand...

A pergola is a large version of an arbor. Growing heavy climbers like wisteria and roses is more practical on pergolas, which can carry heavier loads than lighter trellises. Choose a site for the...

If you are particularly adept at woodworking and carpentry, consider building a chaise lounge chair from wood. There are a variety of chaise lounge chair styles, but to begin, follow the basic...

Cold frames are usually built in the spring to house and protect young plants as they begin their growth in the new season. These frames have a glass or clear plastic top that pops open on hot,...

For storing and aging firewood, a shed is an excellent choice. Set atop a stone foundation it will be sturdy structure capable of lasting for decades. Your choice of wooden flooring in your shed...

You can enjoy nature's bounty of birds right in your own backyard simply by building a bird feeder. Birds do not need elaborate feeders; they make do in the wild without any feeders at all....

Wooden swing sets are exposed to rain and other inclement weather as well as the sun which can cause UV damage over time. Any wood structure left outdoors needs to be properly stained to protect...

Curb appeal is something that many homeowners talk about having a strong desire for. Some custom-made window planter boxes with an array of flowers can give your home a stunning look and help set...

Whether you rent, own, or borrow, a wood chipper is an essential piece of equipment for anyone who owns a large piece of wooded property. Not only does a wood chipper quickly and efficiently break...

Installing a birdhouse in a yard can offer a season of baby birds for the bird watcher hobbyist. Finches are great-looking birds that many people enjoy. They will normally nest in trees, but will...

People treat wood in an attempt to slow down the natural decay process; the very best efforts can only delay decay. Exterior wood is subject to rain, wind and sunlight; together these elements...

Get friends together for a manageable weekend building project of making your own backyard sauna. Just like home buying, your first consideration is building the sauna near water for the...

A redwood swing set will last long enough for your grandchildren to enjoy when you clean and seal it well. Redwood is a dense hardwood that withstands being left outside with very little care and...

Wood play sets (or swing sets) are a great addition to any yard. Not only do wood play sets provide children with endless hours of fun and exercise, but they also look a lot nicer as part of an...

Drying wood in large, oven-like chambers known as kilns is a centuries-old process. Kiln drying removes more of the moisture than air-drying, thereby helping to reduce the chances of the wood...

Shed doors are one of the most important parts of the shed as they will be used the most in the shed structure and need to be durable enough to open and close with regularity, yet still maintain...

If you recently replaced your old wood deck or fence with a new one then you probably have old wood that is just sitting around waiting to be thrown out. And just because the wood is aged doesn't...

Wood sealed with marine varnish exhibits the color and beauty of natural grain. Marine varnishes are usually re-coated annually. They are relatively high-maintenance and proper care requires...

Barbecuing is often confused with grilling perhaps because both are normally done outdoors. Unlike grilling, which is done over direct high heat, barbecuing is done slowly using indirect heat and...

A concrete bollard may be necessary to prevent drivers from hitting your garage, or running off your driveway. Or you may want a series of bollards in which to run a decorative fence. Whatever the...

Few things lift our spirits like the sight of a bluebird in flight. In the bright sun, their brilliant plumage almost glows. Bluebirds are cavity-nesting birds and like to raise their chicks in...

Building and maintaining a fire in the forest is one of the great pleasures of camping. In order to have a fire that you can be proud of, and one that is useful, gathering the proper wood at the...

If you are a gardener, you are probably well aware of the value of compost in your garden. You probably also know the old saw about not using wood chips because they suck nitrogen out of the soil...

The pleasure of eating bread is greatly enhanced when you are the one who did the baking. But you might enjoy the experience even more if you actually built the oven in which the bread was baked....

Pizza cooks in three short minutes in a woodfired oven, and the searing 700°F temperatures provide a crispy, blackened crust that will rival the best Neapolitan pizza. If you love pizza, you...

A picnic table is a great place to enjoy a meal with your family, host an outdoor game night or work on projects. Once you add a picnic table to your yard, you will surely find endless uses for...

Treated wood comes in several grades depending on its intended use. Pressure-treated wood is placed in a vacuum chamber, submerged in preservative, and then the vacuum is released. This causes the...

Pressure treated lumber for outdoor construction is what most of us recognize as a piece of treated wood. The procedure infuses a compound into the wood fibers to slow decay and make our decks...

Writing on pressure treated wood is the same as writing on non-pressure treated wood except that you have to be careful when using paint. New pressure treated lumber should dry for at least thirty...

The key to stopping a campfire from smoking lies in knowing what kind of wood to use and its condition before starting. Using wet wood will most likely result in a smoky fire. Some woods, such as...

A greenhouse can provide a whole new level to your home gardening projects. It is not only simple and inexpensive to build one, but incredibly effective. For a day's work, and a small budget, you...

Cedar is ideal for building a garden trellis. It's a soft wood, so it's lighter and easier to use on building projects. Cedar also repels insects so the plants growing around the trellis will be...

Splitting wood is the only way to cure wood properly for winter burning. Splitting wood is not as simple as swinging an ax. Learning to split wood properly takes finesse so that energy is spent...

A serious outdoor entertainer surely fantasizes about a showpiece outdoor oven that serves up perfect pizzas and succulent meats, making his summer parties the talk of the town. With free plans...

A firewood stand makes a great place to organize and store cut firewood that is destined for your fireplace or campfire. Locate your firewood stand in a convenient location either outside or...

If you like the casual and welcoming look of a country garden and rustic garden furniture, you'll like what a handmade rustic trellis can add to your planted areas. With a bit of creativity and...

When building a chicken run or coop, pressure-treated lumber lasts much longer than wood that is untreated. But could it be harmful to your flock?

Wood chips are easy to find and are one of the most energy-efficient materials to use as firewood. They are similar to wood pellets, yet they are less expensive because they require significantly...