2020 Update — Originally Published September, 2011 A few days back, we noticed a small sliver of stone was missing from our front paver walkway. As I took a closer look, I realized there was a hole underneath where the stone had been – and it looked kind of deep. I didn’t want to reach […]
Maintenance
7 Tips for Maintaining a Redwood Swing Set
2020 Update — Originally Published April 19, 2011 It’s 1999. My wife and I just moved into our new home with our 3-year-old daughter and infant son – and we pretty much plan to stay here forever. So naturally, we want to do everything right. And setting the kids up with a killer play area […]
Building a Removable Wood Fence Section and Gate
2020 Update — Originally Published October 6, 2012 When we enclosed my yard with a cedar fence 11 years ago, it seemed like a good idea to create a removable section using a single (but ultra-sturdy) fence post sleeve so we could get a truck inside. You never know when you might need to get […]
How to Repair a Leaky Basement Wall
My basement wall started leaking water right into my office – and right by my guitars too. Fortunately, I spotted it quickly and it was a very slow leak. One that I could easily patch myself with hydraulic cement. But no matter how small the leak, it’s ‘a leak’ and it has to be dealt […]
Spider Mite Arborvitae Decimation
August 2019 Update — Originally Published June, 2011 Last spring and summer were brutal for landscaping in New Jersey… almost zero rain and non-stop heat in the nineties. I had a line of emerald green arborvitaes that had been growing beautifully for about 8-9 years. These got hit really hard, and I frankly never saw […]
How to Refresh a Stone Landscape Bed
All mulch and stone landscape beds require periodic maintenance, well beyond weekly weeding. Maintaining a stone landscape bed, in my experience, warrants less overall effort than a mulch landscape bed. (And that’s a really good thing because overhauling [or refreshing] a stone landscape bed is a much heavier job!) For me, I’d say I address […]
Scratch Repair for Wood Chairs & Rails: 10-Minute Fix
My house has been called “lived-in.” And what that phrase seems to really mean is that we’re always breaking stuff. The kids, the dog, the ferret — but probably the biggest breaker-of-things? That would be me. (And my wife will surely attest to this!) Certain pieces of furniture tend to take a beating far more […]
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