Landscaping & Outdoor Building

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...

Gravel paths and patios are terrific ways to improve your outdoor space. There is no messy concrete to pour, and no back-breaking lifting as with stone work. You are also free to create much more...

Hand-laid garden tiles offer an easy, yet attractive, means of forming a walkway or rustic patio area in your garden. Laying your own tiles requires little more than a few pavers, some imagination...

Expand your outdoor living space with a ground-level solid concrete patio. Patios not only function as living spaces but can both correct landscaping problems and increase the value of your home....

Building a brick edging is a simple process. The goal is to create an edging of brick that will prevent unwanted plants and weeds from creeping into your garden. You are building a weed and grass...

Stone and flagstone patio pavers are common across America and around the world. The stones can come in a variety of colors, patterns and types; flagstone, although purchased in one color and...

A simple home improvement job that can bring you years of enjoyment is building a patio fire pit. Imagine sitting around the fire with your friends and family at the end of a summer cookout, or...

Decorative landscaping often incorporates the use of landscape gravel. Easily adding texture and color to garden surrounds, the prime value is in not having to replace it annually. A homeowner...

Wood fences need to be securely anchored into the ground to prevent leaning and falling. With vinyl, aluminum, or chain-link fences, simply insert concrete posts into the ground to create a firm...

Until recently, creating garden walls was a task meant only for a professional or a capable do-it-yourselfer. Messy concrete and deep trenches were necessary to hold bricks in place; considerable...

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...

Pea gravel is made up of small, pea-sized stones. People use pea gravel to line walkways and cover gardens. Stores sell pea gravel by weight. Most likely, you'll know the volume of pea gravel you...

One of the worst problems that could happen to a wonderful landscaping job is flooding due to poor drainage. When this happens, it is hard to find any plants that will survive standing water....

Many homeowners have compost piles and use all-natural items to make their gardens healthy. Adding fish waste to your lawn and garden may seem odd at first but fish waste makes a wonderful organic...

Finding ways to edge and organize your garden is critical to creating a garden that is easy to maintain and produces generous plant yields throughout the growing season. While some people use...

Pea gravel consists of rock fragments, each about as large as a pea. It costs very little, but comes with one downside: The gravel may have sharp edges. So, if you have pets or small children that...

Creating a pea gravel patio is a relatively easy way to make an outdoor space without having to build a wood structure or pour concrete. Pea gravel can be purchased relatively cheaply. Depending...

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 comes in various sizes and types. Particle size can vary from a small and uniform ¼-inch diameter to an oblong shape that is from ½ to ¾ of an inch. Most suppliers will...

Brick patios can be an attractive addition to your home's landscaping and provide excellent spaces for outdoor living and entertaining. Properly built, they'll last for years. One of the essential...

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...

There are many ways to build a patio and even many options once you decide to go with a paver patio. Pavers---meaning, wide, flat bricks---can be mortared in place like a brick floor, but that's a...

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...

A stone and sand patio can dramatically change the look of your lawn, creating a beautiful space for meals, relaxation or play. Choose natural flagstones for a rustic look or opt for bricks or...

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...

A sand base is an appropriate foundation for several popular patio surfaces, including brick and concrete pavers and flagstone. In a typical application, you bed the patio materials into the sand...

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...

A brick backyard patio extends your home's living area, providing a spot for entertaining and relaxation. Brick pavers work well with many home styles and are an affordable option for patio...

Also known as asphalt, blacktop is another type of concrete used for residential driveways. Blacktop is a mixture of liquid asphalt, sand and various-sized stones that bond together to create a...

When it comes to general landscaping, retaining walls are invaluable in giving your yard a professional look, while allowing you to add interesting shapes and contours to the space. Professionally...

If you are looking to build a stone patio, consider flagstone. These stones can be limestone, granite or slate among other types. When it is installed, it is guaranteed that no two patios will...

A brick pathway can add charm and elegance to almost any yard or landscaping plan. A brick-in-mortar path should be installed by a professional or other trained brick mason. A brick-in-sand path...

Gravel may mean one thing to you and another to a contractor, so when considering a gravel or stone driveway, you'll want be acquainted with the terminology. You'll also want to consider the pros...

Using old bricks for patios and walkways is similar to laying new brick pavers. Reusing old bricks is a good way to recycle materials and save money. You can obtain old bricks from a neighbor or a...

Finding the volume of gravel needed for your driveway can be a confusing matter. Various sources give conflicting information, and all of it hinges on your assumed knowledge of the math behind it....

Gravel driveways are ideal for certain homes as they avoid the upkeep of cleaning, filling cracks and potholes or killing the weeds that grow out of stone, cement and pavement driveways. They are...

Using landscape blocks is a simple way to beautify your yard or lawn project. The blocks are easy to use in either plain or interlocking form and they come in earth-tone colors that will...

A brick patio creates an inviting space for entertaining friends and family, and lends a sophisticated look to your outdoor space. Build a weed-free patio without concrete. The loose-laid approach...

Retaining walls can be used for many reasons. You can divide a yard, divert water run off and halt erosion. Building a wall with landscape blocks is a good weekend project that will add beauty and...

If your home features a gravel driveway, you know doubt are aware of the upkeep needed to keep it in good condition. Because of the loose gravel, the driveway will often settle in spots creating...

A brick patio makes for a beautiful use of open space in your back yard or garden area. Materials are inexpensive and the design and construction is straightforward. However, the proper use of...

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...

Flagstone is a type of natural stone that can be used as a surface for a walkway or patio to enhance the look of your home. Constructing a flagstone patio involves marking the area where the patio...

Paving stones can create a beautiful walkway for your home. When you use paving stones for your home's walkway, you will be creating something that is both unique and interesting. Create a walkway...