Outdoor home remodeling projects can increase the value of your home as well as improve your living environment. Depending on what area of the country you live in, outdoor living can be best enjoyed by those who enjoy year-round warm weather and barbeques or by those who prefer to pull out their warm woollies and heavy coats for a quiet night with a glass of wine and a good book.
Be sure you have the best of ideas for your next fun DIY outdoor project. Here are some fun DIY outdoor projects you can enjoy doing at your place, along with things you need to consider before starting them so that they go smoothly and without a hitch.
Repaint the Clothesline Post
If you live near a creek or river, why not try your hand at making some rustic-style decor for the home? A repainted clothesline post is both easy and inexpensive to make and would look great on any homestead.
A home remodel is the perfect blend of creativity, practicality, and design. Engaging in fun DIY outdoor projects as a family provides an opportunity to solve a problem that everyone in your family sees but will not talk about or take your home in a new direction that reflects your style. With so much potential wrapped up in one project, it is no wonder why you should consider adding a remodel to your list of summer projects for this year!
One quick way to add serious curb appeal is with a clothesline post. Do not worry! It does not have to be anything fancy. When choosing fun DIY outdoor projects for the whole family, do not forget about doing all of those necessary repairs inside while you are at it. A new coat of paint will do wonders to brighten things up throughout your entire home and all before fall! Who says remodels have to wait for the colder months, anyway?
Build a Gazebo
If you are looking for fun DIY outdoor projects to undertake with your whole family, consider taking on the job of building a gazebo. Gazebos are structures that can be used for several purposes as relaxing outdoor retreats, outdoor dining areas, or even as additional living space.
The first step in your project will be to select the site where you want to build your gazebo. Look for an area with enough room around it for walking paths and other uses. Once you have selected the area, set stakes along its perimeter to mark out the location of the posts that will support your structure.
Once you have your posts in place, begin constructing the floor of your gazebo. This can be made of any material but is often constructed with pressure-treated lumber. As you build the floor, it will be important to remember that a gazebo is structurally similar to a pergola. Look for an area near the center of your site where you want to install windows and doors.
The ideal area is large enough for two windows on either side of the door, along with some extra space between them so that visitors will not feel cramped when they enter or exit. A small platform can even be installed at this location to provide extra seating or storage space.
You can install your wall structure at this time. When finished with the walls, you will need to construct the roof. This is done using rafters that are notched and fitted together in a specific way. Once the rafters are in place, attach plywood or similar building materials to complete your gazebo.
The last step of your construction project is to cover all surfaces with pressure-treated lumber or cedar shingles for roof surfaces and siding for walls. Do not forget the windows and doors. They should be covered with exterior-grade trim pieces after installation.
Plant Some Fruit Trees
You can transform your home’s exterior into a world of beauty with several fun DIY outdoor projects like the addition of some fruit trees. Not only will planting fruit trees add some lovely colors to your garden, but they will also give you tasty food all year round.
With some helpful tips, you will discover how to plant and lawn care or your new plants without the assistance of an arborist. Before planting any tree, you should study both the needs and requirements for that particular species. The best place to do this is at your local garden supply store or nursery.
Take along anything you already have about the landscaping ideas you intend to apply so an expert will be able to tell you whether or not your existing conditions are suitable for growth. Some fruit trees are happy with the full sun, but others prefer the shade. If you are unsure, plant it where it has some afternoon shade. Pick an area that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight per day, and avoid areas in the shadows of surrounding buildings after they have been built.
Also, avoid areas that receive cold air drainage from higher elevations or strong winds, as this can damage young trees even before they become established. After choosing your planting site, use a shovel or spade to remove all grass and weeds from the excavation area. Rake the soil smooth, so it is free of sticks, stones, and dirt clods. Remove any root balls when the delivery arrives to avoid accidentally damaging them. New trees need all their roots to thrive in transplanting because they have not yet become established in their new home territory.
Add an Outdoor Fireplace
The ability to enjoy a wood-burning fire is not only enjoyable but, in some ways, relaxing and spiritual. This is one of the fun DIY outdoor projects that make even the most stressful day seem like it never happened. It is also an ideal renovation project that also brings people together in a way that we do not do too often nowadays.
First, get yourself some flagstones from a local supplier. These are stepping stones used for walkways around pools and such. They come in various sizes, so look through them to find the size you want. The price range of these stones will vary depending on where you live, as will all things.
Second, get yourself a tarp for the base of your fireplace. A 10’x20′ should be more than enough and should not cost you much, if anything at all. This is only used as a base to lay your stones, so it does not need to look good or cover the area completely.
Third, set up your stones in a way that will allow you not only comfort while enjoying the fire but also provides distance between you and the flame fire behavior. While this may seem counterintuitive, it does provide safe results.
Fourth, add some old furniture that you do not care about anymore or borrow from friends and family. A couple of small chairs, maybe one table will allow you room to sit around the fire with friends and loved ones.
Fifth, another requirement is landscaping lighting service for the outdoor fireplace upon a cool evening. After the various steps listed above, all you need is to add a few pieces of wood and start enjoying your fire.
Build Up an Outdoor Kitchen
An outdoor kitchen can be an excellent addition to any home. One of the most important things to do when installing an outdoor kitchen is choosing the perfect location. After you have chosen where your outdoor kitchen will go, it is time to design the base!
This is one of the fun DIY outdoor projects that help you and your family enjoy all of those warm summer months cooking and gathering together outdoors. Draw the dimensions of the base on paper. Divide it into sections that will hold your appliances. There are several different ways to design your base. Firstly, you can draw outlines around each appliance, and then you can either choose where they should go or leave room for them to move them around based on how you want the appliances arranged.
Secondly, you can lay out one big rectangle with lines between each section to plan out where all of your appliances will go. The third option is much less common but much more stylish, buying a shapely piece of landscape timber known as deck planking designed just for this purpose!
There are different types of materials that work well for various surfaces. One very important factor to consider is the durability of the material you choose. You must ensure that it will not fade, rot or crack in any way. There are different ways to make your materials look more attractive, such as etching into them.
Before starting any fun DIY outdoor projects, remember some hazards involved with this type of work. Always keep safety in mind, and wear goggles, gloves, and protective clothing when working on the projects. Also, remember that if you do not want to draw your plan out yourself, many stores offer outdoor kitchen design services to help their customers get started.
Gutter Repair and Cleaning
Fixing holes in the gutter is easy. If you are not afraid of heights, this is one of the ideal fun DIY outdoor projects for you. Repairing a gutter hole is usually just a matter of using some duct tape or epoxy from your local hardware store. You can also find commercial products made specifically for patching gutters, such as gutter repair patches.
Gutters are kept tight and full with various types of fastening systems depending on the style and manufacturer of your gutters. The best way to patch a hole in the gutter or permanently repair it is to start by removing any old caulk preventing water from flowing properly through the holes.
Once you have cleaned out all of the old caulk with a putty knife, consider gutter cleaning. Make sure you wash down the gutters thoroughly to remove any debris left behind. Ensure there is no standing water in them either before starting work or when completing repairs. It can ruin the paint finish on your house.
A hose sprayer works well for cleaning out these gutters, but make sure to spray from the top down so that you do not force debris into the gutter. If there are screens over your gutters, these should be taken off for thorough gutter cleaning as well.
Landscape Maintenance and Care Projects
As fun DIY outdoor projects for remodeling, some chores can be tackled by the whole family. You will enjoy the results for years to come if you take the time to do the outdoor projects right.
The tree business has gotten more competitive in recent years, so tree service companies regularly undercut each other’s prices for tree trimming jobs. Although hiring an exterminator is by far the easiest way to deal with pesky critters, you could do tree pruning around vulnerable tree roots as one of the fun DIY outdoor projects that will help prevent gopher infestation.
Outdoor pest control is a crucial aspect of remodeling the outdoor space on your property as a family. Pests like moles and gophers can be a nuisance to property and landscape designs.
Just because you are looking for cheap tree trimming prices does not mean you will have to settle for a half-hearted investment in your home’s sprinkling system. Conducting proper tree pruning maintenance while looking into your sprinkler system care will keep the sprinklers working smoothly.
Making Retaining Walls
Making retaining walls is one of the fun DIY outdoor projects for the family. It also makes your yard more functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Retaining walls offer several benefits that can improve your home’s value while adding functionality to your yard. If you have the time and energy, remove a few annoying retaining wall issues from your backyard. There are several ways to achieve this without the help of a retaining wall contractor.
When making a retaining wall, the first thing you should consider is whether you want an informal or formal appearance. Informal retaining walls are typically poorly constructed mounds of dirt, while formal retaining walls are very stable rock formations with stable side panels that hold soil in place between them. Casual retaining walls may use unevenly stacked stones or chunks of broken concrete retaining walls.
If you choose to make a retaining wall, you will need to figure out where it will go and use the right retaining wall blocks for your retaining wall project. The retaining blocks can either be stacked on or mortared into place. Make sure that you have the retaining blocks level and evenly spaced from each other, allowing enough space for soil between them not just in front of but also behind them. This will give you a good foundation for a retaining wall.
Family bonding and spending time outdoors is easy with fun DIY outdoor projects for the whole family. The weather gets warmer, and it is time to get outside. Instead of sitting on the porch or deck as most people did as kids, why not take it a step further and make your outdoor living space more functional?
Many people get carried away with new ideas and fail to think about some important things. The key to successful, fun DIY outdoor projects is to incorporate high-quality materials that resist wear and tear due to heat, cold, moisture, and sunlight. Fortunately, several local stores offer very affordable lumber, piping, and insulation, making it easier than ever to make outdoor living an extension of your indoor space.
