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Create an Outdoor Privacy Screen

Create an Outdoor Privacy Screen

This hinged screen can conceal a multitude of outdoor eyesores, from your central-air unit to your composter, garbage bins and recycling boxes — even your lawn mower and collection of yard tools. Made from FSC wood and painted in the colour of your choice, it's simple...

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Skill: Intermediate

Time: 5 hours

Create a Vine-Covered Privacy Screen With Ready-Made Materials

Create a Vine-Covered Privacy Screen With Ready-Made Materials

It's easy to make your backyard a lush, private retreat. Start with ready-made trellises, add quick-growing annual vines and before long you'll be relaxing in a cozy garden nook.

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Skill: Intermediate

Time: 2 hours

Painting Jambs, Casings and Trim

Painting Jambs, Casings and Trim

Painting the trim around exterior doors requires special care so you don't get paint on the door itself or on nearby trim. Remember, this is the entrance to your house–you'll want it to look especially nice. As with all exterior trim, select a top quality exterior...

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 3 hours

Installing a Ledger on Siding

Installing a Ledger on Siding

Installing a ledger on the house is the first step in laying out an attached deck. The ledger, which is actually a header for the joist, establishes the height of the deck and transfers the weight of the deck to the foundation of the house.

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Skill: Intermediate

Time: 3 hours

Installing Ledger Boards on Masonry

Installing Ledger Boards on Masonry

Like other ledger installations, a ledger mounted on concrete block or a concrete wall requires flashing. You can install the flashing in a kerf cut into the wall or insert it between the ledger and the wall and bend it to cover the top of the ledger. Masonry bolts or lag shields...

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Skill: Intermediate

Time: 3 hours

Cutting a Curved Deck

Skill: Beginner

Time: 1 hour

Building Your Own Fence Sections

Building Your Own Fence Sections

The most popular fence types are picket, alternate board, solid board, louver, and basket weave. Building any of these fences is a three-step process: install the posts, install the rails, and screw on the fencing. Intervals of 4,6, and 8 feet between posts are typical. Choose...

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Skill: Intermediate

Time: 3 hours

Installing Railings

Installing Railings

Building codes vary, but most require a railing on decks more than 30 inches above the ground. A railing height requirement of 36 inches is common. Railing posts can be attached to the outer face of the perimeter joists, or can be through posts supported by the footings. You ...

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 3 hours

Installing Ledger Boards on Stucco

Installing Ledger Boards on Stucco

Installing a ledger on stucco does not require removal of the stucco surface, but it does call for installation of flashing. The upper flange on the flashing is bent to fit into a shallow cut made in the stucco surface. You'll make the cut and slip in the flashing after you've...

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Skill: Intermediate

Time: 3 hours

Installing Wood Fencing

Installing Wood Fencing

A standard post-and-rail skeleton supports many styles of fencing. Most styles have posts that are mounted at intervals of 4, 6, or 8 feet, and the space between boards is usually uniform. Choose a fence style and picket, then cut rails to multiple of the picket width. Factor...

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Skill: Intermediate

Time: 3 hours

Installing a Synthetic Railing System

Installing a Synthetic Railing System

Almost every manufacturer of synthetic decking materials makes a corresponding synthetic railing system-some in more than one style. The components consist of the pieces normally associated with railings-all the parts needed to complete your deck in a consistent style. Some come...

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 4 hours

Digging Footings

Digging Footings

Digging footing holes with a clamshell digger is quick and inexpensive, but makes sense only if you need only a few shallow holes in loamy soil. For most every other installation, rent a machine to make the work easier. You have two choices-either a one-person or two -person ...

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 2 hours