Search Results - wood ties

Privacy Railing for Decks Creates a Cozy Place to Relax

Privacy railings for decks can create cozy spaces for families to enjoy the outdoors without worrying about prying eyes. When I was nine years old, I was really eager to hang out at my friend Kevin’s house. The main reason was that he had a Super Nintendo. The second reason was that his 16-year-old neighbor was in the habit of sunbathing out on her parents’ backyard deck next door. This made Kevin the most popular boy in the neighborhood that summer, and we’d all think of excuses to go into the backyard. I’d gotten a football for my birthday that year,...

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How to Dress Up a Fence: Ideas for Adding Decorations to Beautify Your Fence and Gate

Wondering how to dress up a fence that’s in need of TLC? Wood stain and decorative hardware can do wonders. The family down the street from me has a Dalmation that’s an escape artist. This dog was once able to get over the wooden privacy fence in the backyard by climbing onto the trash cans and then leaping over the fence. This tendency earned him the nickname “circus dog,” and prompted his owners to start leaving their trash cans in the side yard. Undeterred, the dog then dug his way out of the backyard under the fence. To prevent this,...

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Garden Arbors with Trellises Provide Shade, Privacy, and a Focal Point

Garden arbors with trellises can define areas in a yard as well as provide privacy. One of the best features a house can have is a stately old tree in the yard. Trees provide shade for a home, but more importantly, they shade the yard on a hot summer day and make it a joy to be outside. However, many of my friends have seen their stately old oaks, maples, and other trees get struck by lightning, contract diseases from unhygienic tree cutters, or just expire from any number of the factors that affect centenarians. My friends, of course, plant new trees...

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DIY Outdoor Doghouse: Building a Rustic Retreat for Rover

Adding a window and grate to your outdoor doghouse can encourage more airflow, which is perfect for warm climates and breeds that tend to overheat. The best thing about having friends that are as close as family is that you get to share in their most embarrassing moments. One of my favorite of these memories has to do with a doghouse that my friend’s father built for a beloved old mutt named Taco. Inspired by a surfeit of concrete left over from creating a patio and some concrete casting techniques from a survivalist magazine, my friend’s father decided to cast a...

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