Before you look at play equipment, like a swing set for your backyard, look at public parks or schools where the systems should be thoroughly tested, safe and well designed. Notice what they are made of, the features they include and how they’re installed. When you go shopping for one, you’ll see many are made…
Build a Raised Garden Bed
Gardening has reached new heights as a favorite pastime, and more gardeners are discovering that raised beds make it easier. What’s not to like about bringing plants to a higher level so you don’t have to bend down and work on your knees? You can grow flowers, herbs and vegetables and work the soil while…
Taking the Leap Into DIY
In this column I want to inspire you as dark financial storm clouds form on the horizon. Over the past few months, we’ve all been alarmed at the steep rise in the prices of food, gas and, well, everything. That, of course, includes building materials and the prices contractors charge — if you can even…
Redwood Is a Good, Insect-Resistant Material for Decks
Dear James: My kids are getting older, and a backyard deck would be great. I am on a limited budget and want to build it myself but have no idea where to start. Any tips? — Maria S. Dear Maria: The addition of a deck, usually adjacent to a sliding glass door, is one of…
Replace a Shower Stall Door
Sure, you can replace an old shower curtain with a new one, but a more impressive upgrade is installing a hinged shower door. A door instead of a curtain is an attractive improvement that makes it a permanent enclosure that won’t go unnoticed. When we made the switch in a small bathroom, it gave the…
Install a Stair Handrail
For safety’s sake, we added a hand railing to a basement stairway and regretted not doing it sooner. Since stairs are the location for many home accidents, the addition of a handrail to steady yourself, especially when carrying something, means safe passage. A handrail is also needed on a wide-open or steep stairway. Whichever direction…
Add a Unique Curved Area to a Deck
Dear James: It seems like everyone has the standard rectangular deck. I would like to build a unique one with a circular section surrounded by gardens. How can I do this? — Joshua W. Dear Joshua: Adding a deck yourself, especially a unique one with a curved side, can increase the value of your house…
Ask the Builder: Bringing Stamped Concrete Back to Life
If you’ve witnessed hundreds and hundreds of full moons in your lifetime and make frequent use of your critical-thinking skills, you know the sun is constantly at work ruining things inside and outside your home. One of these might be the expensive stamped-concrete patio, driveway or sidewalk you had installed a few years ago. The…
Enjoy Relaxing by a DIY Garden Sitting Wall
Dear James: I want a patio, butterfly garden and a sitting wall by a slope. I think a simple no-mortar wall would look nice. What is the best way to build a stable wall this way? — Catherine T. Dear Catherine: Butterfly, and pollinator in general, gardens are very popular today and really needed. With…
Proper Method to Lay Decking Wood
Dear James: I am building a large new L-shaped deck. I am not sure about how to position and attach the decking boards because of the L shape. Do you have any tips? — Greg S. Dear Greg: Fitting and attaching the decking boards is usually the easiest part of a deck building project. An…
US News
RSS Error: A feed could not be found at `https://www.theepochtimes.com/c-us/feed`; the status code is `200` and content-type is `text/html; charset=utf-8`