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Home improvement and renovation tips

How to wire in the great outdoors

If you need to run power outside your house -- for lighting, to supply power to a toolshed or garage, or to power a pump in that pond you're installing, you'll need to run your wiring underground. Here are some general guidelines, but make sure you check with the electrical inspector first.Remember, if you just ...

How to stain decks and fences

Most manufacturers recommend applying stains and finishes when the temperature is somewhere between 50 F (10 Celsius) and 95 F (35 Celsius). Problem is, they mean surface temperature -- not air temperature. Wood absorbs and stores heat from the sun, and the deck surface may be 40 degrees F hotter than the air temperature.If the ...

Wacky and unique fence ideas

Here are some more ways you can spruce up your fence design.Sit on the fence. Break up the monotony by creating an alcoved bench as part of the design (if property lines aren't a big consideration.)Consider the fence an actual structure. Build a roof for shade and protection from rain, or construct a pergola (an ...

Fence design tips

Putting up a fence seems simple enough. Just set some posts, run the rails, and nail on the boards. But a fence is a big part of your yard, and you should spend a bit of time planning ahead of time to make sure you end up with a fence you can live with. Here ...

Build a retaining wall – Part Two

Last time, we said you'd need a deadman to finish off your retaining wall. Relax, a deadman is simply a length of timber which extends back into the hill, where it's braced by a bar or additional timber. This helps hold the wall against the hillside, so it stays straight and sturdy for years.You've already ...

Build a retaining wall

Pressure-treated wood makes a good, solid retaining wall, which stands up well to shifting soils and should last for decades. Here's how to build a sturdy timber wall.For a short 1-2 foot wall, you can use 4x4s, but you'll want larger dimension lumber for taller walls.If you're willing to go for the heavy equipment and ...

Concrete block walls 3 – laying it

We've calculated how much we need, and mixed the mortar. Now, let's lay it. Two tips to start: Mortar dries quickly, so mix it in small batches. Note that a block has a top and a bottom. The top has more surface for the mortar.Lay out a dry run on the footing, spacing each block ...

Concrete block walls 2 – ordering mortar

Last time, we calculated the number of blocks you need. Next step: calculate and mix the mortar for your wall.To mix your own, each block requires about .003 cubic yards of sand and each cubic yard of sand requires 1/3 of a yard (12 bags) of masonry cement. The mix is one part cement, 3 ...

Concrete block walls 1 – how to build one

How many blocks will it take?Sometimes you can save a lot on a big job by handling some of the work yourself. Building a concrete block wall for a new addition is heavy work, but if you can handle that, it's not that complicated. Here are some guidelines.Figure out how many blocks you need.1) Measure ...

Rot? Not. How to protect outdoor wood

Even rot-resistant species and treated woods deteriorate some day. Here's how to protect a couple key areas and keep your deck looking good for a long time.Wood rots through a combination of soaking up water and drying out. So one of the ways to prevent rot is to make sure the wood doesn't soak up ...