Trying to sell your house? Increasing its 'curb appeal' is critical to making a good first impression on potential buyers. Update your home's exterior, give your front yard, lawn or garden a facelift and clean the sidewalks.
Forget about buying a garden fountain. You can make a DIY one for your garden. You can even make a small on for a tabletop! You just need to get the right pump for the job. The base of you fountain just needs to be big enough to completely submerge the pump under water. Watch to learn the rest, which involves flower pots and cobble stones.
In this video, we learn how to hang outdoor Christmas lights from the experts at Home Depot. First, you want to start out the planning process, and figure out where you want lights to be hung out. Then, decide how many lights you need and what kind you want to use. Then, go and purchase your lights, making sure they are made for outdoor lighting, not indoor. Next, you will be ready to decorate your trees and shrubs since they are the easiest to do. Next, hang the lights on your roof and windo...
Something that can ruin your day, and maybe some of your land, is a busted sprinkler head. Usually, calling someone in to replace it can cost you a pretty penny, but doing it yourself is easy to do and only takes a small amount of time. It's something that anybody can do and will result in a fully operational sprinkler.
Using a heat pump in your home, is a great way to be energy efficient and keep your home nice and comfortable. What it does it takes heat from your home during the summer and transfers it outside, and then during the winter months, takes heat from the outdoor air and puts in your home.
Having a great storm water drainer attached to your home is not only important for preventing any damage to your home, but can be used to save on utility costs. Without a drainer, water can seep under your home and potentially damage your foundation. But it's an easy problem to fix and will make you glad you did.
Having a beautiful waterfall in your outside area, is a great way to add a relaxing feature to your landscape. But a common problem with them is that during the long hot summer months, water tends to evaporate and this causes the water in waterfalls and ponds to dissapear. So in this tutorial, you'll find out how to install an automatic fill valve in your watering system today. So check it out and good luck!
This video is an explanation of how to fix a leak in a backyard water feature with a pond and waterfall. If the waterfall is losing water and has to be refilled frequently, you can tell there is a leak somewhere. One place where a leak can happen is a place where the liner needs to be propped up with a rock so it won't flatten out and allow water to leak out. Another problem can occur when a rock is arranged so that water splashes over it. That problem can be fixed by rearranging the rocks to...
Install a pond skimmerThe most critical steps to installing a skimmer are the water level and attaching the liner to the face plate with a water tight seal. The pond should be rocked in. The skimmer needs to be level from front to back and side to side. That's critical. Optimum water level is approximately 3/4 inch down from the top of the steel face. Use the level (tool) to determine the water level on the face plate. It's important to have the weir door work effectively. Prepare the area fo...
This video shows you how to excavate a pond using hand tools and a jackhammer.First of all, you must organize your digging in shelves. A pond should have some parts deeper than others. You start by leveling the pond at the part where it will be more shallow (thus creating the first shelf). Then go to a deeper part and level that out. In this way you create shelves with different elevations.Your tools for excavating are the spade, the flat shovel, the pick, the wheelbarrow and the jackhammer. ...
This video shows us how to build a gravity wall with Allen Blocks. In order to do this, place blocks on top of the base course. You want to make sure that the bottom notch is tight against the front lip of the blocks underneath. Sliding them into place removes any present debris. Running bond is ideal; however, if that is not possible, offset them by a quarter of a block. After making sure the blocks are straight, fill the hollow blocks (and 12 inches behind them) with wall rock. Then smooth ...
Woodland areas provide a personal forest where you can ramble about and relax. This video tutorial teaches you how to chop down a tree in your woodland area and what to do with trunk afterwards. First, you'll need to have the tools and proper safety equipment. Next, thin the trees to allow more light and encourage growth. Then use your chainsaw to cut a gap on the side of the tree that you want the trunk to fall. Finally, sned the tree by cutting off branches and reducing it to manageable 2 m...
To create a retaining wall all you need to do is follow these simple steps. To begin you will need to get many interlocking wall blocks and either sand or concrete. The first step is to plot and measure the retaining wall's size and shape. Use your measurements to figure out the amount of retaining wall blocks that you will need. The second step is to mark off the spots in your yard that you would like the retaining wall to be. Then dig your trenches in these spots to level out the land and t...
Chris from Backyard Gardening shows us how to build a raised island garden bed with retaining wall bricks.
This video from Danny Lipford explains how to make a cover for raked leaves so that the wind won't blow them away. Get a tarp and cut it to the right size. Get two wooden dowel rods and put them along two ends of the tarp. Turn the tarp edge over the dowel rods and tape them down with duct tape. The cover can be used to cover leaves that are in a wheelbarrow or on the ground. You can also lay the tarp on the ground, rake the leaves into the tarp, drag them where you want them and pick up the ...
The Smart Pond system can be used to create a water feature in a backyard. Ponds can be made above the ground or in the ground using a preformed pond. Various types of ponds are shown, which would be appropriate for various locations. The location of a pond is discussed; it shouldn't be under trees to avoid debris and too much shade. Draw out the plan for your pond and dig one or two feet deeper than the depth of the pond. Determine the size of the liner, place it in the hole and anchor it wi...
Ron Hazelton shows how to restore a weathered and worn deck. Twisted boards can be straightened using a notched 2x4 as a lever, then secured with 5 inch screws. Remove popped nails, and replace with longer thicker nails. Use a punch to countersink slightly high nails. Clean the deck with wood soap and a long handle brush, using a pressure washer to rinse. Apply sealer to the dried wood and let it cure, then enjoy your reinvigorated deck.
Team Member Trevor at Bunnings.com shows the average Joe how to render an effective paving job. On this particular day, Trevor guides viewers through simple instructions for laying a nice brick walk. He recommends starting with a foundation of coarse-grade sand, as the coarser grades pack better.
Installing a garden edge is an easy and effective way to ensure that your garden stays orderly and that your lawn doesn't creep over. A garden edge can also be a big help in keeping weeds from getting into your garden and ruining your beautiful plants. You will need to measure around the perimeter you want to enclose and buy a corresponding amount of edging. After that, it's as easy as digging around the area with a spade and putting the edging into the ground. Then you just fill in dirt arou...
Do you have broken concrete along the front of your house? No need to resort to repouring the concrete. In this video hosted by DIY home guru, learn how to repair, patch or restore broken, chipped or damaged concrete steps.
The quickest way to get a gorgeous lawn is to lay sod, uniform patches of grass-covered soil held together by matted roots. It will go more smoothly if you know a few landscaping tricks. Learn how to lay sod for a perfect lawn with this how to video.
This four-part video tutorial gives a step-by-step procedure on how to close an in-ground pool over the winter. This video explains all the necessary chemicals needed to keep the pool clean over the winter as well as all the tools and covers needed to close the pool.
Dave shares some tips on how to prune hydrangea from horticulturist Wayne Mezitt.
Snails and slugs are a big problem for gardeners across the country, whether it be a hosta patch or your lettuce, they love to eat a wide variety of plants. If you have containers, raised beds, even if you have benches slugs will climb up and over and into your plants. To get rid of these pests you could use baits, traps or a preventative barrier. Copper tape is a protective barrier that works. Copper conducts enough electricity so that when that slimy slug touches the copper strip it gets a ...
Protect and preserve your garden from winter chill by cutting back shrubs, putting down cool weather fertilizer, transplanting and planting spring bulbs.
Adrian Higgins is the extraordinary garden writer for the Washington Post and shares with us his tip for cutting back ornamental grass. Spring is late in Washington this year which is good because we haven't gotten around to cutting back our grasses. This is a vital late winter chore because if it isn't done before new growth emerges, cutting could damage the new growth. Different people have different techniques depending on the grass and tool. Adrian doesn't like to use pruners for this tas...
Water gardens are great but Mosquitoes like them too. To help control Mosquitoes a safe and effective remedy is Mosquito dunks. When placed in the water they are attractive to Mosquitoes, but they contain a bacteria. The Mosquitoes feed on it, it gets into their gut and kills them. The dunk is safe for pets, for fish that might be in the water, for wildlife and for humans. Just leave the dunks in the water, they will last about 30 days in a pond this size. Normally use 1 in 100 square feet or...
The Sun Sprite Rose has a nice fragrance but you want to keep it healthy by fertilizing it. Roses are heavy feeders so Charlie suggests adding compost in the Spring, really building up the soil, maybe put in some time release fertilizer pellets, then use regular Rose food to keep the Roses really looking good. Another home remedy involves fertilizing with coffee grounds. Coffee grounds sprinkled around Roses about a quarter of an inch to half an inch thick will help Roses grow and bloom bette...
You don't have to spend hours weeding your garden - just use a weed whacker! Always make sure you wear close toed shoes and eye protection when using a weed whacker. And make sure to keep your hands away from the strings!
Make sure that you wear thick, close-toed shoes when you are mowing the lawn! This tutorial shows you how to use a gas-powered push lawn mower, and the most efficient way to mow your lawn. Make sure you understand how your model of mower works!
See how to adjust a Rain Bird 5000 Series sprinkler spray arc with help from Sprinkler Daddy's Sean Stefan.
Finding oil on your land is no easy task. Usually experts do this sort of thing, but why shell out money when you can do it yourself? We'll be the first to tell you that finding oil in your yard is not easy, though.
The Autumn Blaze maple tree is one of the iconic American trees, turning much of the eastern and central United States into an orange explosion during the fall. If you want to add some of that beauty and tradition to your yard, watch this video to learn how to find the right place to plant one, taking into account the relevant soil, shade, and space concerns.
In this tutorial, we learn how to install a new mailbox post and box with Lowe's. First, you will need to gather all your tools and a new mailbox. After this, print out directions for the project through the Lowe's website. Now, call 811 to call your utility company to make sure you aren't digging through an electrical line. Mail boxes have a specific height they need to be installed at, so make sure you follow these guidelines. After this, dig out the hold from the ground, then fill in grave...
If you want to add a little something to your yard for a good price, why not a stone walkway? This is perfect for areas that are used to experiencing rain and don't have a proper walkway from one area to another. This is perfect for the side of a home that may be covered in grass and has no sidewalk at all.
Swimming pools are a lot of fun, but occasionally you may have some problems with your water. If you're starting to see algae grow, you're going to need to get rid of it. Thankfully, Mike Kraft, Lowe's home improvement expert, has some tips for maintaining your pool and algae removal. Learn the differences between green, black and mustard pool algae and the different treatments for each.
Is your swimming pool a little cloudy? It may be cause by a number of things, and Lowe's has the answers to fixing this problem. Mike Kraft, Lowe's home improvement expert, shares his tips for clearing that cloudy swimming pool water in no time. Learn how to backwash pool filters, check the pH balance and see if you should add more chlorine.
If you own a home with beat down and rusty gutters, it may be time to replace them with new ones. Gutters are important during the winter time by helping collect any water that can seep or leak into your home, causing water damage. They're not too difficult to replace and can help out the overall look of a home significantly.
If you enjoy spending time outside, but can't stand being in the sun for too long, you have a bit of a problem. Buying patio furniture or an umbrella is a good idea, but it can be a pain lugging it around, especially if it's not weatherproof. Another great option is creating a shade cloth.
In this video, we learn how to build a house out of trash for free. First, find pallets from grocery stores and place nine of them together in 3x3 rows. Now, you will lay down a tarp that you can find over the plywood and start to add scrap pieces of plywood that you find around for the walls on the side. After the walls are up, cut down tree trunks that are long and then nail them together and place a tarp over the top. After this, tie the tarp down and tie it to the trees and your free hous...
