This is a great wall mounted wine rack with glass storage that you can customize any way you like. Repurposing wooden pallets for home projects such as wine racks is a great way to make easy DIY projects. This video is a simple how to make a wine rack from a pallet tutorial to help you make yours.
Tips & Trends
How to Make Concrete Leaves
Add beautiful decor to your garden with these large concrete leaves to decorate your garden or fountain.
Directions:
1. You will need a table at a comfortable working level. You can build a temporary table out of sawhorses and a piece of plywood. Be sure to set it up in the shade, in order to prevent the concrete from drying out too much in the sun. Choose a leaf with nice vein patterns in the size you want. You can use a small leaf or a huge leaf – It’s up to you. On your table, build a sand mound about the size and shape of the leaf you’ve chosen.
2. Cover the sand with thin plastic to keep the sand out of your work.
3. Cut chicken wire the approximate shape and size of your leaf.
4. Lay the chosen leaf face down (back side of leaf should be up)
5. Put a fairly thin layer of concrete on the leaf. Then fit a precut piece of chicken wire to the back of the leaf.
6. Put another thin layer of concrete on and finish the edges. Cover with plastic and allow to cure slowly. If the concrete dries too quickly, it may crack or be less strong. If it is very hot outside, you can mist the concrete before covering it with plastic.
7. When cured, peal leaf off concrete – and it’s done!
Building a Quickrete Walkway
More Information: QUIKRETE® Building Paths with the Walkmaker
This video shows you step-by-step instructions for how to build a cobblestone patterned walkway using QUIKRETE® Walkmaker.
Building a path is a great do-it-yourself project. Once you’ve laid out the path, you mix the concrete, set and fill the form, then lift off the form to reveal the finished design. After a little troweling to smooth the surfaces, you’re ready to create the next section-using the same form. Rotate the walkmaker to vary the patern.Simply repeat the process until the path is complete. Each form creates a section that’s approximately 2-ft. sq. using one 80-lb. bag of premixed concrete. This project shows you all the basic steps for making any length of pathway, plus special techniques for making curves, adding a custom finish, or coloring the concrete to suit your personal design.
How to Build a Fence
The wood materials that make up a fence include pickets, rails, and posts.
- Pickets are the vertical boards that make up the finished surface of a fence. They are typically 1/2″ – 1″ thick, by 4″ – 6″ wide.
- Rails are the horizontal members to which the pickets are fastened. They are commonly 2″ thick by 3″ – 4″ wide.
- Posts, which are partially buried underground, are the vertical structural members that support the rails and pickets of a fence. They are typically 4″ – 6″ thick by 4″ – 6″ wide.
Stick building a wood fence offers the opportunity to be creative; however, it should be noted that several traditional styles of fence are well received by neighbors. Different types of fences:
- Picket fences will generally have two rails, with evenly spaced pickets on one side of the fence. They range in height from 3′ to 4′.
- Shadowbox fences will have three rails, with evenly spaced pickets on two sides of the fence. Shadowbox fences feature a picket on one side placed alternately to a picket on the opposing side. They are typically 6′ tall.
- Board on board fences (see image above) have two or three rails, depending on the height of the fence. Pickets are butted tightly together on one side of the fence. They typically range in height from 3′ to 6′.
How to Build a Windsor Shade Structure
Download the complete plans and Materials list from calredwood.org
6 Steps to building the Windsor Shade Structure. This project takes approximately 2-days and can be accomplished using basic homeowner tools.
Step 1: Prepare Footings
Step 2: Set Posts
Step 3: Attach Support Beams
Step 4: Attach Braces
Step 5: Rafters
Step 6: Louvers
How to Lay Patio Pavers
Installing a patio using DIY patio pavers is a great way to add value to your backyard and is easy enough for you to do yourself.
Before deciding on your location of your patio, make sure that you identify any potential underground electrical lines so that you can be sure that you don’t accidentally come too close.
To start removing your grass – cut the sod 2 inches outside the line so that later the retainer can be installed. Once the sod is outlined, cut the sod into a checkerboard pattern – they are easier to remove this way and then they can be reused in different parts of the lawn. Dig the entire area 7 inches deep so that it can be filled with 3.5″ of drainage gravel, with then an inch of sand, and then the pavers which are 2.5″ thick.
Tip: To make sure that the depth of the area is equal and to measure the center, you can lay a 2×4 across the hole and measure from the ground up to the bottom edge of the board.
Lay some landscape fabric across the bottom of the hole as this will prevent weeds from coming through as well as to allow water to drain properly. Next, add your gravel and you can use a 2×4 to smooth it so that the depth is equal and then use a tamper to compact it.
Tip: To make sure that your sand is an equal depth, you can use 1″ metal electrical conduit to serve as screed rails. Lay down your electrical conduit, pour your sand, and then use a 2×4 to glide over the rails leaving the sand at a 1″ thickness in all areas. When you remove the first screed rail, fill in with sand and then smooth with a putty knife.
When you begin laying your pavers, you will use straight edged border pieces for the perimeter and key shaped field stone pieces that fit into an alternating top/bottom pattern for the center. After all of your pavers are in, you will install your L-shaped edging around the perimeter of the patio to keep the pavers from moving or shifting – set in place and then nail it every 3rd or 4th hole.
Tip: There will be some gaps between some of the pavers when you are finished, so to finish your patio you will want to use a large stiff broom to brush the sand into all the edges between the pavers. Clean off you patio by spraying with a hose and then you are done!
How to Maintain your Deck
If your wood deck still retains an even coat of color from the last time it was stained, or has small spots of wear from foot traffic or moisture, it’s likely in need of a yearly maintenance coat. This is an easy day-long project, with only a few hours needed.
If, on the other hand, your deck is very dry, grey and splintered, chances are you’ll need to fully restore the deck, a process that includes restoring, whitening, sanding and staining. This will take a weekend to accomplish, but it has satisfying results.
Either way, springtime offers ideal conditions for deck staining: temperatures are moderate (above 50°F, but below 95°F), and the humidity is low to average. Ideally, you should have three to four consecutive dry days prior to beginning any exterior staining project, and a couple of dry days following the project. Have your knowledgeable GNH Lumber associate provide you with all the tools and supplies so that, when the forecast cooperates, you can jump right in!
Yearly Maintenance – Although yearly deck maintenance is often overlooked, it’s an essential step to keeping your deck beautiful and protecting it from the elements.
The first step is to remove any moisture-collecting objects (such as potted plants and ceramics) from the deck surface, and sweep off any fallen leaf matter or organic debris. Next, apply Benjamin Moore CLEAN Multi-Purpose Cleaner with a garden sprayer, work into the grain with a scrub brush, and pressure wash clean. Once the wood is dry, you can re-stain your deck with that all-important maintenance coat.
Click here to watch a video on proper deck maintenance.
Full Deck Restoration – Sadly, most backyard decks fall victim to a lack of yearly maintenance, and suffer from severe weathering. If this is the case with your deck, don’t be discouraged! Even dry, greying wood can be restored to its former beauty and protected with a couple coats of quality stain; it just takes a couple extra steps. First, clear the deck surface (same as you would for your maintenance plan). Be sure to sink any nails or screws that may have risen above the wood surface.
To remove an old coat of stain, apply Benjamin Moore REMOVE Finish Removerwith a garden sprayer and evenly pressure wash clean. (If there’s no evidence of stain, you can skip this step). Apply Benjamin Moore RESTORE Wood Restorer, allow to sit for 10 minutes. Then evenly pressure wash. Next, apply the Benjamin Moore BRIGHTEN Brightener and Neutralizer – this will brighten tannin-rich woods, and restore the natural beauty of the grain. Rinse thoroughly and allow plenty of time to dry – preferably overnight. Click here to watch a video on restoring a severely weathered deck.
When your deck dries completely, it will require sanding with progressively finer sandpaper to assure proper absorption of stain. Often, pressure washing can splinter damaged wood even further. You can use a hand-held sander for rails and detailing, and a larger sander for broad surfaces. When the surface is smooth, it’s ready to stain.
After you apply a couple coats of Benjamin Moore Arborcoat Stain, your deck will be protected from the elements for a long time to come. But that doesn’t mean you should skip on yearly maintenance. Make sure that every spring you sweep off leaf matter and debris, clean and power wash the wood before giving it that extra coat of TLC. It will definitely pay off in the long run!
Lawnmower Troubleshooting
Some of the most common lawn mower problems include those that occur as a result of not having clean fuel in the gas tank, a spark plug wire that’s not attached, an engine in need of motor oil or a brake cable that is not working properly. Troubleshooting some of these problems yourself can save you from having to buy a new lawn mower. This video tutorial on how to troubleshoot potential problems will show you tips and tricks to keeping your lawnmower in top shape.
Looking for more products to help keep your lawn and garden looking great? Browse through our large selection of lawn and garden products!
Retaining Wall with Cambridge
Cambridge MaytRx are the most versatile wall units on the market today! Build freestanding and retaining walls as well as steps, columns and more. Watch this tutorial from Cambridge to see just how easy it is to use the Cambridge MaytRx Setback Pin Placement for this retaining wall system.
Mini Greenhouse
This method shows you how to build a custom fit DIY mini greenhouse for your raised garden using PVC pipe. With this design, you can customize the size of your mini greenhouse to fit any size box without ever having to use any power tools. Inexpensive to make with great results! Will also help to dissuade small animals from entering your raised garden box.