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Landscaping & Outdoor Building

Upgrade any yard with eHow’s tips on landscaping and outdoor building projects. Learn how to install a deck, put in a pool, paint a fence or even pave a walkway. Got a green thumb? Get tips on planting trees, shrubs and flower beds. Deck repair on your weekend docket? Find advice on pressure washing, replacing damaged boards and staining a deck. If you’d rather leave your project to a pro, eHow has tips on choosing a landscape architect, too.

Categories in Landscaping & Outdoor Building

Articles in Landscaping & Outdoor Building

How to Lay Cobblestones

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Cobblestones are large pebbles made of flint that can make a garden or yard look absolutely charming. Here's how to lay them... more »

How to Lay Out the Foundation for a Deck

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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After the ledger board and joist hangers are installed you can begin to lay the footing for the posts... more »

How to Lay Paving Stones in Sand

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Lay paving stones in sand when you think you might want to change the arrangement later or when you just don't want to bother with concrete or gravel. This method is best for random patterns with space between the stones... more »

How to Learn Deck Basics

By briguy

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Whether you’re building a deck to your house or an addition to a landscaping project to beautify your backyard, you need to understand the basics of deck designs before you work towards coming up with the detailed plans of your deck... more »

How to Maintain a Bromine Pool

By Murray Anderson

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Maintaining a swimming pool using bromine is not much different than maintaining a pool using chlorine. You still need to make sure your water is circulating, it's being filtered, and the chemicals are in balance. The only difference is the fact ... more »

How to Maintain a Hedge Maze

By eHow Arts & Entertainment Editor

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Hedge mazes are great fun, if you have a large enough garden for them. The maze or "walking puzzle" is made out of vertical hedges. But the upkeep can be a great chore and you may be wondering how to maintain a hedge maze... more »

How to Maintain a Saltwater Pool

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Salt in pool water can make skin feel softer. Plus, salt doesn't stretch out elastic like chlorine can, and it can leave swimmers feeling more refreshed. It's not surprising, then, that nine out of 10 new pools being built are saltwater pools. ... more »

How to Make a Backyard Badminton Court

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Badminton is a staple game at the American barbecue or cookout. Easy and fun to play, people of all ages can team up and bat the shuttlecock around. But if you want to kick it up a notch and get the neighbors talking, you can make a professional ... more »

How to Make a Ceramic Planter Garden Water Fountain

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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For a relatively low cost, you can make a beautiful ceramic planter and garden water fountain that will be the focal point of your yard. These fountains are durable, functional and can provide a peaceful retreat from the hassles of everyday life... more »

How to Make a Compost Bin for a Home

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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With a good compost heap, you can make your own mulch and keep your yard looking good. You may want to build a compost bin to keep all of the organic matter that you’re adding to the heap confined to one area. One concern with a compost bin is ... more »

How to Make a Frisbee Birdbath

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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You don't have to spend a lot of money to offer a water refuge to birds in your backyard. You can use items from around the house to create a refreshing bath for birdies. Use a Frisbee to make a birdbath that doesn't take much time or effort but ... more »

How to Make a Measured Drawing

By eHow Arts & Entertainment Editor

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A measured drawing is essential for making a copy of a fence, garden structure, wall or bench that you've admired in a public place and want to duplicate at home. Translate your field notes into a measured drawing to show to your landscape ... more »

How to Make a Seismograph

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Experience an earthquake first hand and you will have a new understanding and appreciation for the awesome power lurking beneath the earth's surface. Instruments that allow you to visualize the tectonic movements beneath your feet can be an asset ... more »

How to make organic lawn and yard weed killer

By Sensei

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Managing weeds is a difficult task to do. If you don't like pulling them out of the ground their is an easy way to kill weeds with a household natural and safe solvent that will not harm children or pets if they come into contact with treated ... more »

How to Make Sand-Cast Garden Ornaments

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Creating sand molds for cast concrete garden ornaments is a lot of fun and yields ornaments with a rustic surface that seems weathered. Bird baths, stepping stones, wall copings, bench seats, wall ornaments and shallow planters are all good ... more »

How to Make Stepping Stones From Scratch

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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You could buy a kit to make stepping stones, but it's not difficult to do from scratch. Give this method a whirl, and you're sure to be proud of the results... more »

How to Measure for Deck Stairs

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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When you're determining how large a deck to build and planning your deck's dimensions, spend some time focusing on the steps. Measuring them are easy, but you must know how to apply those numbers. Follow these steps... more »

How to Plan a Butterfly Garden

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Butterflies are attracted to a rich variety of sun-loving plants that bloom over a long season. Bone up on the species common to your area and then invite them to stay by providing food, water and shelter... more »

How to Plan a Deck

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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A deck helps you maximize your outdoor living space. The right design will allow you to make the most of your deck when entertaining, relaxing, enjoying the view or even gardening. Here we walk you through the steps for planning your ideal deck... more »

How to Plan for a Long-Season Container Garden

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Container gardening is great for people who don't have the space or time for a full-blown garden. Stairs and porches make perfect spots for these easy-to-manage gardens. The trick is to make the beauty last so you can long enjoy a striking ... more »

How to Plant a Lawn

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Plant a healthy lawn as the centerpiece of your landscape and reap more rewards than beauty alone. You'll enjoy cleaner air and cooler temperatures around the house... more »

How to Plumb an In-Ground Pool

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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In-ground pools add beauty and recreational enjoyment to your home. Family and friends can gather for hours of fun and fellowship. Installing an in-ground pool can get expensive. If you do part of the work yourself, you can save some money... more »

How to Pressure Wash a Deck

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Pressure washing is a great way to clean the grunge and grime from your deck. By using a pressure washer properly, you can make your deck shine like new and prep it for a coat of stain or paint... more »

How to prime your pool pump.

By Aquanet

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Prime is the term we use to state that the air has been mostly purged from the pump and the pump is moving water. When you have lost the prime, your pump is no longer pumping water through it. Sometimes it can be very difficult to regain the ... more »

How to Properly Edge Your Landscape Beds

By Todd Wessel

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Have you ever seen a nice sharp edge on a planting bed right after mowing and weed eating? It's Awesome! Properly designed and edged landscape beds not only define your bed and turf lines, but make maintaining your property easier in the future... more »