Complete Book of Outdoor DIY Projects E-Book

Penny Swift

• Herausgeber: Creative Homeowner
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 234

Beschreibung

This homeowner's guide shows you how to build 35 useful and attractive outdoor features to enhance your yard and garden. Complete Book of Outdoor DIY Projects is the ultimate resource for constructing a wide variety of professional-looking, stylish structures, using stone, brick, wood or water. With step-by-step instructions and clear color photographs, all you need is basic equipment and easy-to-learn skills. Projects include stone paths, garden archways, Japanese stone gardens and bamboo fountains, raised and free standing brick planters, pavers, decorative screen walls, rustic benches, and much more. Each project is accompanied by detailed information on which tools to use, exactly what materials are required, how long it will take to make, and the level of difficulty involved, along with handy tips and time-saving techniques.

Leseprobe

COMPLETE BOOK OF

OUTDOOR DIY PROJECTS

THE HOW-TO GUIDE FOR BUILDING 35 PROJECTS IN STONE, BRICK, WOOD, AND WATER

COMPLETE BOOK OF

OUTDOOR DIY PROJECTS

PENNY SWIFT & JANEK SZYMANOWSKI

Copyright © 2018 IMM Lifestlye Books

This book may not be reproduced, either in part or in its entirety, in any form, by any means, without written permission from the pulisher, with the exception of brief excerpts for purposes of radio, television, or published review. All rights, including the right of translation, are reserved. Note: Be sure to familiarize yourself with manufacturer’s instructions for tools, equipment, and materials before beginning a project. Although all possible measures have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the material presented, neither the author nor the publisher is liable in case of misinterpretation of directions, misapplication, or typographical error.

Creative Homeowner® is a registered trademark of New Design Originals Corporation.

Complete Book of Outdoor DIY Projects

Vice President-Content: Christopher Reggio

Copy Editor: Laura Taylor

Cover and Page Designer: David Fisk

Photographer: Janek Szymanowski, with the exception of individual photographers and/or their agents as listed on page

Print ISBN 978-1-58011-800-2eISBN: 978-1-60765-511-4

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

ames: Swift, Penny, 1951- author. | Szymanowski, Janek, photographer (expression)

Title: Complete book of outdoor DIY projects / Penny Swift and Janek Szymanowski.

Description: Mount Joy, PA : Creative Homeowner, 2018. | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017043301 | ISBN 9781580118002 (pbk.)

Subjects: LCSH: Garden structures--Amateurs’ manuals. | Garden ornaments and furniture--Amateurs’ manuals.

Classification: LCC TH4961 .S955 2018 | DDC 643/55--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017043301

Creative Homeowner®, www.creativehomeowner.com, is an imprint of New Design Originals Corporation and distributed exclusively in North America by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 800–457-9112, 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552, and in the United Kingdom by Grantham Book Service, Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 7XQ.

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to [email protected].

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

PLANNING & DESIGN

STONE

INTRODUCTION

IDEAS & INSPIRATION

TOOLS, TIPS & TECHNIQUES

ROCK GARDEN

STONE STEPS

SERENE STONE GARDEN

STONE SLAB PATIO

PATTERNED PATHWAY

CRAZY PAVING PATHWAY

DECORATIVE STONE SEAT

FORMAL GARDEN TABLE

HYPERTUFA SINK GARDEN

WATER

INTRODUCTION

IDEAS & INSPIRATION

TOOLS, TIPS & TECHNIQUES

NATURAL BOG GARDEN

FORMAL FOUNTAIN POOL

LILY POND

SHALLOW FEATURE POOL

JAPANESE BAMBOO FOUNTAIN

POT & FOUNTAIN FEATURE

MILLSTONE FOUNTAIN

FLOWING BARREL

KOI POND

BRICK

INTRODUCTION

IDEAS & INSPIRATION

TOOLS, TIPS & TECHNIQUES

BUILT-IN PLANTER

CIRCULAR PLANTER

BARBECUE PIT

GARDEN STORAGE BENCH

POTTING TABLE

BRICK-PAVED PATH

GARDEN STEPS

TRADITIONAL SUNDIAL

SCREEN WALL

WOOD

INTRODUCTION

IDEAS & INSPIRATION

TOOLS, TIPS & TECHNIQUES

MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION METHODS

LOG STEPS

RUSTIC SCREEN

PICKET FENCE & GATE

BENTWOOD ARCH

RUSTIC GARDEN BENCH

TRELLIS ARBOR

PRACTICAL SWING SET

TREEHOUSE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

Climbing plants on this arbor provide a shady walk.

For hundreds of years, humankind has created and tended gardens of one sort or another. Some were established primarily to provide food, while others were created as sacred places, or simply developed to provide pleasure. Today there is a vast diversity of garden types and styles. Some are formal, others informal; some are based on established traditional genre, while a huge number are multipurpose areas designed to make the best of the space allowed.

A garden takes many years to establish itself, particularly as it takes time for trees to grow and shrubs to mature. But while plants develop, there is the opportunity to increase the character and function within the entire outdoor space, by adding features that are both practical and attractive. Even if yours is a well-developed garden, you may want to include a path, perhaps a screen wall to give an existing patio privacy, a treehouse or play structure to keep children occupied. A pond will introduce a sense of calm, while an arbor will add a decorative quality. A rustic bench provides somewhere to sit and a planter will allow you to add color to the garden. The options are endless and the materials diverse.

This book presents a selection of projects, of varying degrees of complexity, which may be built from a selection of materials: wood, brick and stone. In addition, it includes a variety of water features and fountains, ponds and pools. Many of the options you will be able to tackle with basic skills. Each project includes a shopping list for materials, as well as tools required for the job so that you can establish what it will cost to construct each feature and make sure you have everything before you start work. An estimated time frame is also provided, as is an indication of the level of skills that may be required – one hammer means that the project is quite simple and straightforward, two that you will need at least some DIY ability, and three that the project you are about to tackle demands some expertise, time and/or patience. These, of course, are just a guideline and will vary, depending not only on soil conditions and how long it takes you to dig holes for foundations, ponds and so on, but also how much assistance you have. Succinct step-by-step photographs accompany each project from start to finish, enabling you to achieve a thoroughly professional look.

PLANNING & DESIGN

Designing a garden can be a daunting task, particularly if you are starting from scratch. Paths, steps and patios form the skeleton of a garden, while walls, fences and hedges contain it and offer an opportunity to divide it. While plants are vital to a garden scheme, structures may also be considered for aesthetic reasons and to make the outdoor area more functional. Ultimately, you should aim for unity and harmony and try to choose materials that will suit the house and blend in with the style of the garden.

Type and style

There are two basic garden types – formal and informal. Likewise, features and structures may also be categorized this way. Garden style, on the other hand, may relate to architecture, a period look, or even a style suggested by a common approach in a certain country or area like Japan or the Mediterranean countries. Certain styles are also often linked to basic garden types. A cottage-style garden, for instance, may be informal, while a garden modelled on meticulously laid out Italian villa gardens will be formal, even if it is not as grand.

Primarily, the layout determines a garden type, but structures and style of planting should also keep with the look. So, too, should the materials for structures or surfacing a garden floor. While steps in a formal garden may follow straight lines and will usually be built from brick, informal staircases will be less rigid, utilizing stone or lumber. Lumber in a formal garden may be neatly sawed and even painted.

The plan

It does not matter whether you are starting from nothing or simply building features that will improve the look of your garden, sketch the area and draw in walls, buildings, fences, and so on, as well as established trees, boulders, and other existing features. You will also need to note any sloping ground. Draw the plan to scale. If possible, spend time in the garden, noting sun patterns and prevailing winds and indicate these on the plan. Also mark views and buildings that overlook your property. This will help identify locations for paths, steps, patios, walls, and other structures.

The location

One of the most important elements of building a garden structure is choosing the most suitable location. Almost all these projects are permanent structures that cannot be moved, so consider the advantages and disadvantages of each. Try to visualize the finished feature in the site you have chosen, and then reconsider your plan if necessary.

Consider all the options

Plans and locations depend almost entirely on individual gardens. For instance, the obvious route for a path may be from the gate to the front door, but if it bisects a lawn, you may prefer it to curve around an existing flower bed or, if the garden is on more than one level, link the path to steps.

Plan walkways and features so that they blend with and enhance the architectural lines of your home.

The location of a pond depends on local conditions (including soil), gradient of the land, and the existence of rocks and established plants. Areas with natural boulders and secluded corners on lower ground lend themselves to ponds and pools. If the ground slopes, you could include a rock garden alongside the pond, or build a retaining stone wall instead. Unexciting shady areas may benefit from water features, although roots can make digging difficult and some trees lose their leaves in autumn.

Planters are like small gardens on their own and may be built in any number of locations – under a window, as part of a boundary wall, against a patio wall, or even in the center of a driveway or in the garden itself.

Practical decoration

While fences are generally made to enclose a property, they may also be built within the garden itself. Decorative picket fences can enclose a vegetable and herb garden, but may also be erected along a boundary – although be absolutely sure you know where the official boundary of your property lies. You may also need to get consent from your neighbors, who may automatically share ownership of the fence (or wall) even if they do not contribute to the cost of it.

A rustic screen may make a patio more private or shield an entertainment area from prevailing winds. Before you start digging foundations, check whether there are any legal restrictions in terms of the height of the wall and its location. One can usually build small brick structures within the garden without approval, but walls and pillars to support an arbor roof, for example, may require plans. If you do need approval from your local authority, make sure that you do this before you rush out to buy materials.

STONE

Of all the materials available for garden construction, stone is probably the most imposing. But it is also the most beautiful. A feature of the landscape forever, stone is the material that was used to build the earliest houses and fortress walls. Its very nature makes it highly durable but, ironically, it is not always easy to find and its weight often makes it difficult to work with.

Today, where stone is plentiful, houses and garden walls are still built from natural stone. In areas where it is not found naturally, anyone wishing to build with stone or incorporate rocks and stone features in their gardens will have to source it and transport it to the site. These logistical problems can make it an expensive material with which to build. However, people’s love of stone all over the world has made it a rich and valuable inspiration for many constructions, and today many simulated stone materials are available. These range from fake flagstones to building units molded to look like natural stone wall capping. If you are unable to source natural stone, or if the costs place it beyond your reach, consider building features from reconstituted stone or paving with look-alike man-made slabs. Where rocks appear naturally in the garden, incorporate these into the garden plan, even if there is not sufficient material with which to actually build.

The projects that follow suggest various ways of using natural stone, from simply placing a selection of characteristic rocks and stone imaginatively to create a distinctly Asian and wonderfully tranquil sand-and-stone garden to building dry wall structures using dressed stone and creating a path using broken slate and mortar. Various simulated slabs have also been utilized, both loosely laid and set in mortar. There are even instructions on how to make your own “stone.” Most projects may be altered to use the real material in place of man-made alternatives, or reconstituted stone where the genuine article is not readily available.

IDEAS & INSPIRATION

When it comes to working with stone, nature herself is one of the greatest inspirations: from rocky outcrops and natural rock gardens to dry stone river beds and gravel wastelands, and even single stones simply strewn across the landscape. Despite being split, cut, and moved, stone often blends with nature as though the hand of man had little to do with its creation.

The East revisited

Asian landscapers value the use of stone, and the use of rocks, carefully chosen for their shape and form, has been characteristic of Eastern gardens since ancient times. Modern Asian-style gardens focus on natural elements, with gravel and pebbles and round river rocks.

Symbolically placed rocks may be arranged in a neatly raked sand garden typically Asian in style.

The Japanese also make great use of gravel and round stones. Today they are credited with having perfected the art of landscape gardening, with delicate arrangements of water, rocks, sand, and stone. The easiest style to emulate is that of meditative Zen Buddhists who created sand-and-stone arrangements purely for visual appreciation. Their aim was to reproduce a natural landscape, so a group of rocks around the base of a mound suggests a mountain, while a winding stepping-stone path across open gravel highlights the difficult route through life.

European influences

Many of the oldest fountains were of stone, although marble was common in ancient Rome, where elaborate water features were commonplace. In medieval gardens, marble was also favored for fountains, which were sometimes the garden’s only really decorative features. Granite was often the material of choice in the great Italian gardens of the Renaissance, and modern, small-scale fountains, many of which originated in Italy, have been copied by craftsmen who mold them from concrete to look like stone.

Italian landscapers of the 18th century began to imitate natural rock formations in large gardens, and crags, precipices, and caverns became the rage. Today, these are often made of reconstituted stone sculpted to create a similar look.

The Victorian preoccupation with new plant material inspired the use of rockwork in England, where gardeners copied the natural environment of many of the plants they had discovered. These included alpine gardens, which were sometimes planted in stone basins. One of the first rock gardens to attract any attention was built in a glass house at the Chelsea Physic Garden during the 19th century, and utilized stones from the Tower of London, lava rock from Iceland, flint, and even a little chalk.

The established plant life around this retaining rock wall lends a country fee.

Recreating the natural look

Many of the world’s top landscapers believe that every stone in the garden should look as though it occurs there naturally, and most advise that today’s gardeners should choose stone that occurs naturally in their area. At the same time, imaginative planning and a convincing layout can ensure “imported” stone does not look out of place.

Unless you are prepared to pay to transport stone and rocks, you may be limited by what is readily available, but most garden features may now be built from reconstituted stone. This simulated product is lighter and easier to work with, and is also more accessible.

Generally, any structure that can be made with brick can also be built from stone, although the effect of natural rock will be quite different. Walls may be built with rocks or dressed stone, which is cut and patiently crafted; smaller features should generally be built using dressed stone, although it does not have to be perfectly cut.

Rock gardens built into sloping ground and “natural” outcrops imitate nature. The secret is to make them look natural – as though the rocks have been there forever.

An attractive rock garden constructed alongside a swimming pool looks great with the pool’s stone edges.

TOOLS, TIPS & TECHNIQUES

Working with stone is probably more challenging than working with any other building material in the garden. Not only is this material heavy and cumbersome, it also takes considerable effort to split into workable units. Since it is a product of nature, it may also be difficult to source. Happily, in recent years, more and more companies have managed to create reconstituted stone units in imitation of natural stone, enabling us to build authentic structures in our gardens and to pave garden floors with materials that mimic the real thing.

Tools

In truth, the traditional stonemason’s toolkit is unlikely to resemble the collection of tools most DIY enthusiasts will utilize for garden stonework. But this does not mean that you cannot work with stone or include it in your garden plan. On the contrary, stone offers a vehicle no other material can offer. Like all well-established crafts, stonework has a mystique about it. Perhaps it is the natural beauty of the material, but it is more likely to be because it is seldom available commercially and techniques are not readily shared.

Basic items

You will need equipment to excavate soil for foundations or to accommodate rocks in a slope, but chances are that you already have these tools. A spade will be the most essential tool because, apart from digging with it, it can also be used to mix concrete for foundations or mortar for building – although a shovel is easier to work with when mixing concrete. When preparing a site for any sort of building work, a garden fork, as well as rakes, are also useful, although not essential. A pick can be invaluable if you need to excavate rocky or hard ground. A tamper or long-handled sledgehammer will be needed to compact broken stone and earth, but you can also use the end of a pole.

A good-quality wheelbarrow, with an inflatable tire, is always handy, but if you are planning relatively extensive rockwork, a hand truck or trolley of some sort will probably be worth the additional investment. These have a flat surface, which is closer to the ground, making it easier to heave rocks around. A hand truck is also levered, so you can move heavier weights on your own without the risk of injury. A crowbar is useful when shifting stone, although it is not much help if you have to move it a great distance.

Rake

Spade

Shovel

Fork

String & pegs

Wheelbarrow

Hand truck

For laying out walls and other structures, use a ball of string and homemade pegs to demarcate boundaries and mark out straight lines. Alternatively, invest in metal pegs and builder’s line. Smaller projects can be laid out using a little lime, chalk, or even a small quantity of flour from the kitchen.

Even the smallest structures must be laid out accurately, so a good-quality retractable metal tape measure is indispensable. You will also use this to check the height of structures, as well as the dimensions of cut stone. When it comes to pouring concrete foundations, you will need a straight-edged length of wood to compact the mixture.

Stonework

Stone can be hard on the hands, so protective gloves are good for lifting and cutting. Goggles will protect your eyes from chips and dust when cutting stone or sawing with an angle grinder. Ideally, you should also wear a dust mask.

The most difficult aspect of stonework is breaking and cutting the stone. Even though ready-cut stone may be available (at greater cost), you will need chisels and a club hammer. The broad blade of a mason’s chisel is ideal for chopping or breaking rocks, but a cold chisel, which has a smaller blade, may also be used. A brick hammer (which has a chisel at one end) is useful for breaking pieces off rock, but does not offer the accuracy of a chisel. Also be prepared to “dress” the stone, which means chipping away until the face that will be exposed is reasonably flat.

A true stonemason will have a range of cutting tools, including chisels and a point (or punch), which has a pointed tip to concentrate the force of the hammer on one place. The most versatile carving tool is a scutch holder which, unlike a one-piece chisel, has a replaceable, double-edged (and sometimes toothed) cutting edge. If stone is to be cut at an angle, the professional will also use an adjustable, twoarmed bevel.

An electric angle grinder cuts flagstones and simulated stone. Work on a flat, stable surface, and preferably outside, as you will generate a huge amount of dust.

Bricklaying tools are also useful. A level ensures structures are level, and you will need a trowel to apply mortar. A rubber mallet is a necessity if laying flagstone or reconstituted pavers. This tool may also be used to tap stone into place when building walls and other structures as it will not chip the stone even if used with great force.

Tape measure

Sledgehammer

Rubber mallet

Club hammer

Level

Gloves

Pointing trowl

Goggles

Mason’s hammer

Cold chisel

Angle grinder

Mason’s chisel

TOOLS, TIPS & TECHNIQUES

Materials & Methods

Limestone, sandstone, and slate are the most universal natural stone types utilized in gardens all over the world. Granite may also be available, but it is very heavy and has a reputation as the graveyard stone. Reconstituted stone is widely available in a variety of forms for both building and paving, although ranges (including colors, sizes, and shapes) depend on local manufacturers.

STONE

Quarried from the earth, natural stone comes in many guises, depending on the way it was formed. It may be split and dressed or cut, or used as it is found in nature.

• GRANITE has been used for both building and ornamental purposes for centuries. Traditional cobblestones for walkways and pavements were made from granite. Unpolished granite was also a common material for curbstones, which may still be salvaged from roadworks or demolition yards. Like the raw rock, which is exceedingly dense in composition, curbstones are very heavy and it takes several people to shift just one stone. Smaller granite rocks may be available from quarries. Granite also makes a good tabletop or kitchen counter and, because of its beauty, is popular as a headstone.

• SANDSTONE, used for several of the projects featured here, is colored by small quantities of minerals, and may be gray, yellow, brown, red, or a combination of sandy hues. Usually relatively soft and easy to work with, it is ideal for rock gardens and both mortared and dry-stone walls. Properly cut, it may also be used for stepping stones or as larger flagstones. Since it forms in layers underground, some sandstone tends to split and flake.

• LIMESTONE, which – like sandstone – is formed in layers, was traditionally used to create enormous flagstones for flooring and for steps, as well as blocks for building. Like granite, it has become expensive, and most people prefer the reconstituted option, which looks remarkably like the real thing – either a dull gray or pinkish color.

• SLATE is usually split into thin sheets and used for roofing, floor tiles or, if broken, for crazy paving (see pages). Fine-grained, it is most commonly dark gray, but may also be dark green or a bluish-purple color.

• FLINT is an extremely hard form of silica often found in chalk foundations, and is sometimes split to produce one flat face for use as cobblestones. Although not very common, flint is occasionally used with pebbles for walls. For stability, bricks are often used as a foundation, as well as at corners and as a capping.

• Natural COBBLESTONES, which may sometimes be found in fields, along riverbeds, or on beaches, may be used to pave pathways and patios. Before you remove cobblestonestones – or any rock or stone – make sure that you are not on private property or that local laws do not prohibit the removal of indigenous rock and stone.

Polished granite

Sandstone

Cobblestone

Small stone chips

Round river stones

Reconstituted stone

Made in molds from crushed stone that has been mixed with cement, which is often colored to look like real rocks, reconstructed stone blocks and slabs have improved tremendously over the last few decades. Some innovative manufacturers have increased their product lines, not only creating molds from a growing number of local rock types, but also introducing a greater range of natural colors and types – particularly a range of slabs that may be used for paving. Some of the more innovative wall blocks include those that have a face molded to look like several randomly shaped stones, as well as modules that form a convincing coping, which looks as if individual stones have been placed on edge. Some of the single units have particularly realistically textured faces and, together with jumper blocks (which span two or more courses), can be used to create walls that look as though they have been built with natural dressed stone.

Ordinary gray concrete blocks, bricks, and slabs bear no resemblance to stone and should generally be avoided unless they are to be rendered or, in the case of slabs, used out of sight.

Aggregate

Used as the coarse aggregate in concrete, ordinary crushed stone is generally available in several graded sizes, including ¾in (19mm) and ½in (13mm). Gravel, which is also crushed and graded, is generally an even finer material. Some crushed stones and gravels may be used for paths and patios, either on their own or combined with other materials.

Fine gravel looks particularly attractive if it is spread between irregularly shaped reconstituted paving slabs. The color of the crushed material obviously depends on the color of the original stone, but brownish colors are generally the most attractive for this purpose.

Stone chips and round pebbles of various sizes are sometimes sold through garden shops and nurseries. Not practical for patios, they can be used in open beds or for sand or stone garden features.

The other aggregate used for stonework is, of course, sand. Standard “sharp” building sand is generally used for concretework, while a much softer sand is required for mixing mortar, to which lime may also be added to make the mixture more cohesive. Coarse sand may also be used for bed-paving units.

A garden wall built from reconstituted stone blocks matches the material used to build the house.

TOOLS, TIPS & TECHNIQUES

Walls

When building walls with stone, the effect is generally much more random than when building with brick, particularly when building rubble walls, which utilize uncut or rough-cut stone and mortar. Since the shape of the stones used for rubble walls is irregular, the stone courses are not regular either. To add stability to the structure, include a relatively flat course (if you can) every 12in (300mm) or so. Cheaper to build than dressed stone walls, rubble walls are just as time-consuming to actually construct as they are a little like a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle – and you will have to find the right size and shape of stone to fill the gap. In fact, there is little doubt that one of the greatest skills of a successful stonemason is his ability to select the correct stones.

Unlike rubble walls, freestanding dry-stone walls are usually quite thick and taper toward the top. More at home in the country than in the city, they have been a feature of the landscape of many countries for centuries. Since they take a large quantity of stone to construct, they are only an option in areas where stone is plentiful and, preferably, free. These walls are laid on a well-compacted sand base, with a foundation of large, flat stones. Before you start laying the wall itself, you will need to make two batter frames from four lengths of lumber nailed together to form an easel shape, with pointed ends on the wider underside. These points are pushed into the soil at either end of the wall and used in place of a bricklayer’s cornerblock, to hold a string line that will enable you to keep to the correct shape of the wall.

A rock wall constructed to retain soil looks great next to wood steps.

A retaining stone wall built with mortar helps support a rock garden on the slope above.

Large, square, or rectangular stones are often used at ends and corners (hence the term “cornerstone”). Although the central cavity is usually filled with broken stones, every now and then, a long tie stone should be laid across the wall to create a natural bond and ensure that the structure is stable and well balanced. If you want to plant a dry-stone wall, it may be easier to fill the central cavity with earth instead.