Garden DIY E-Book

Samantha Johnson

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 136

Beschreibung

Loaded with complete plans and easy-to-follow construction tips, Garden DIY offers a creative mix of both practical and decorative projects for gardening enthusiasts. Brother and sister team Samantha and Daniel Johnson present 20 hands-on projects for aspiring horticulturalists. From a hummingbird feeder, bee-friendly flower gardens, cold frames, and trellises to compost bins, birdbaths, sundials, and a mason bee lodge, clear step-by-step color photographs guide the reader through each hands-on project. An introduction to the DIY mindset explains the positive benefits and satisfaction of building things yourself and provides an overview of the basic tools and skills needed to complete each task.

Leseprobe

Garden DIY

CompanionHouse Books™ is an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd.

Project Team

Acquisition Editor: Bud Sperry

Editor: Jeremy Hauck

Copy Editor: Katie Ocasio

Design: David Fisk

Copyright © 2020 by Daniel Johnson, and Samantha Johnson, and Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Fox Chapel Publishers, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Print ISBN 978-1-62008-334-5eISBN 978-1-62008-335-2

The Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the Library of Congress.

This book has been published with the intent to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter within. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author and publisher expressly disclaim any responsibility for any errors, omissions, or adverse effects arising from the use or application of the information contained herein.

Fox Chapel Publishing Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd.

903 Square Street 7 Danefield Road, Selsey (Chichester)

Mount Joy, PA 17552 West Sussex PO20 9DA, U.K.

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

Introduction

Tools: A Few Things You’ll Need

Raised Beds

Above-the-Ground Raised Bed

Garden Marker Rocks

Potting Bench

Garden Tool Hanger

Rain Barrel

Cold Frames

The Sun Garden Gate

Bluebird Houses

Wren House

Growing Tomatoes

Planting Potatoes

The Bee-Centric Garden

Arbor

Bed Frame Garden Bench

Brick Birdbath

Compost Bin

Garden Sign

Mason Bee House

Pergola Garden Swing

Planter Box

Decorative Trellis

A-Frame Trellis

Wheelbarrow Flowerbed

Window Box

About the Authors

Tools: A Few Things You’ll Need

As a gardener, you may know all about your garden tools, but are you equally adept and knowledgeable about basic construction tools? We thought we would include a quick run-down of the basics that you’ll be using throughout the projects in this book. Many of these tools are common to any household, but some are more specialized and require proper skills to use safely.

Circular Saw

Known sometimes by carpenters by the brand name “Skill” saw, a circular saw is one of the most useful items a DIYer can have on hand in the workshop. Besides its ability to quickly and easily make cross-cuts (“Let’s shorten this six-foot lumber down to four foot by cutting across the grain”) circular saws are adaptable enough to make miter cuts (“Let’s cut a 45-degree angle on the end of this 2×4”), and rip cuts (“Let’s modify this 2×4 into a 2×2.”) The bottom line? You probably need to own one if you don’t already. You’ll find circular saws with a traditional power cord, or you might look into circular saws that run on rechargeable batteries. Battery-powered saws are convenient indeed, but may not have quite the strength that a traditionally powered circular saw will have.

Electric Drill

An electric drill? You might be thinking: how often will I need to bore holes through lumber? Well, the answer to that is, “maybe not all that often, but sometimes.” But on frequent occasions, a modern cordless electric drill really becomes useful when utilized as an electric screwdriver. Coupled with the right bits (you might consider collecting a variety of Phillips, flat, square, and Torx “star” bits in various sizes), and a good selection of screw sizes, an electric drill will allow you to breeze through construction projects, quickly fastening lumber and building large and small items out of wood with minimal effort. We highly recommend cordless drills, but do consider your needs when purchasing and select one with enough voltage to perform at the level you want; probably at least 12 volts is good, while more might be better. (One downside: sometimes more volts means the drill is heavier.)

Jigsaw

Perfect for making rounded cuts or for cutting small pieces in tight places, a jigsaw is useful for adding artistic or decorative touches to many woodworking projects. Look for a jigsaw that is powerful enough for what you want it to do, and be sure to purchase the right blade for the right job.

Table Saw

Most of the time when you’re making basic cuts to lumber, it’s a cross-cut—that is, cutting across the grain, such as our example of using a circular saw to shorten a 6 ft. (183 cm) piece of lumber down to 4 ft. (122 cm). But the need often arises to make a rip cut, where you cut along the grain, splitting a piece of lumber lengthwise. A table saw is often the easiest and most accurate way to perform a rip cut, and it can save a lot of time if you frequently need to work this way, but table saws are a large machine and a large investment that you may or may not want to make.

Miter Saw

Whenever you’re faced with a large number of cross-cuts to make—perhaps you have a large quantity of long 8 or 10 ft. (244 or 305 cm) 2×4s that need to be shortened down to 2 or 3 ft. (61 or 91 cm) sections—a miter saw can greatly simplify and speed up this process. Sure, the same job could be performed with a circular saw, but the miter saw is a lot more convenient and probably more accurate. Another advantage of the miter saw is its ability to quickly and easily make angled cuts as well; this can come in handy quite a bit whenever you’re making multiple cuts that will fit together, like four mitered corners. Again, the circular saw could achieve the same results, but it’s quite a bit more challenging to make an accurate miter cut with a circular saw. So if it’s possible for you to have access to a miter saw during these projects, we highly recommend one.

Hammer

You probably already have a hammer. It’s most likely a claw hammer—the kind with two tapering spikes in the back for prying on things or removing stuck nails. It just might weigh 16 oz. (473 mL)—the size we recommend. We’re guessing that you’re probably already familiar with the basics of hammering nails (although not every project requires nailing), and using the hammer to tap or push stuck pieces of lumber into place. All in all, you’ll want to keep that hammer and those skills nearby during the construction process. If you don’t already own a claw hammer, perhaps you should!

Finish Nailer

For the projects that require nailing, a finish nailer powered by an air compressor makes things easy and fast. If you have access to a setup like this and have the knowledge and ability to use it, we heartily recommend it. But even if you don’t have access to a finish nailer, keep in mind that you can always nail by hand with a good old hammer, but do consider pre-drilling your nail holes in this case; it makes the nailing process much more smooth.

Tape Measure

You won’t get too far on your DIY projects without a good tape measure to guide you on your way. From measuring lumber to marking your cuts, a quality tape measure with a good locking mechanism is essential to have on hand. A common length is 25 ft. (7.6 m), although you could probably get away with a shorter tape for most of the projects in this book.

Pencil

You’ll need a pencil on hand for making cut lines and other marks. Any old pencil should do, right? Sure, but we still recommend actual carpentry pencils, which are thicker (so you get a bolder and easier-to-see mark on your lumber), and also sometimes a flattened shape so that the pencil won’t constantly go rolling off your work table or saw horses every time you move a piece of lumber. Also, you can keep that large pencil sharp by sharpening it with a utility knife.

Utility Knife

You never know what use you’ll have for a quality utility knife, but expect to use it frequently. From making minor modifications to wood to cutting plastics or twines, a utility knife can be handy anytime you need to make a small precision cut with a sharp object. Do take care here—the razor blades used in utility knives are extremely sharp.

Level

You don’t want projects that come out crooked— you want straight, level lines and the best way to achieve that is with a level. Doubling as handy rulers for marking straight lines, a 1, 2, 4 ft. (30, 61, 122 cm) or even longer level will help you keep things straight by means of a simple bubble indicator that will center itself when the object on which it sits is perfectly level. You can also do the same thing vertically—called “plumb” rather than “level”—for verifying the straightness of a vertical line.

Framing Square

This handy L-shaped tool is useful to have around any time you’re trying to build 90° corners or anything else that needs to come out, well, square. Hold the framing square up to your corner, and with one quick glance, you can determine the straightness of your angle. Makes a great ruler for marking straight lines, too.

Triangle Square

Hey, we already mentioned one kind of square—do you really need another? The answer is, yes indeed. Triangle squares are smaller and super-useful for marking both straight and angled cuts—you’ll surely want to have one at arm’s length (or on your tool belt) anytime you do carpentry work.

Sawhorses

Your carpentry work will be much easier if you have a good space on which to work, and sawhorses are perfect for this. You can use them when making cuts to lumber, of course, but you can also put a flat surface (like a sheet of plywood) over the top of them to make a temporary workspace. They’re so handy, you just might need more than one pair of sawhorses!

Shovels and Digging Tools

As a gardener, you likely already have a few shovels around, and that’s good, because some of these projects will require them. In addition to the basic round-tip shovel— great for breaking sod and general digging tasks—you might also want to keep a square-head (a “spade”) shovel around, too. A steel rake is useful for leveling soil and removing rocks.

Safety Gear

Finally, work smart and use your safety glasses, ear protection, and dust mask whenever necessary. You might even keep some extra sets on hand for onlookers or anyone who would like to participate in the project. Also, get help with tools or techniques that are unfamiliar to you. Staying safe keeps the projects fun— and successful.

GENERAL SAFETY WARNING

It goes without saying that any activity involving construction and assembly using hand or power tools should be approached with due caution and safety in mind, and these DIY projects are no exception. Always use caution when working on any construction project—safety should always be the main priority. Pay attention to your task and your surroundings—including curious “onlookers.” Read manuals and learn the safest ways to operate your tools, and don’t ever place yourself in danger while working. Many of the activities detailed in this book have the potential to be dangerous, and failure to exercise proper safety behaviors could result in injury or death. The authors and the publisher cannot assume responsibility for any damage to property or injury to persons or property as a result of the use or misuse of the information provided.

Project Directory

DIRECTORY

PAGE

PROJECT

TIME REQUIRED

SKILL

20

Raised Beds

28

Above-the-Ground Raised Bed

36

Garden Marker Rocks

42

Potting Bench

52

Garden Tool Hanger

58

Rain Barrel

64

Cold Frames

70

The Sun Garden Gate

80

Bluebird Houses

86

Wren House

92

Growing Tomatoes

98

Planting Potatoes

104

The Bee-Centric Garden

110

Arbor

118

Bed Frame Garden Bench

124

Brick Birdbath

130