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Backyard Ponds Happily, you don’t need deep pockets or lots of land to enjoy your own water feature. You can install a fully equipped, landscaped, fish-filled pond for around $500, provided that you do your own digging. Everything You Need to Know to Build the Perfect Backyard Pond Creating a lush habitat like the one at right requires rubbery liners, powerful pumps, effective filters, and, without question, a commitment to care for them....

—Lisa Matthews, Madison, N.J. Troy Johnson of Outdoor Escapes replies: The best way to green up a driveway is to install permeable pavers, which allow water to drain down through the gaps between them and into a bed of crushed stone. From there, it seeps gently into the soil. Contrast that with a typical driveway, where water picks up oil and other chemicals as it washes into the street, overloading storm drains, polluting waterways, and increasing the chances of flooding from runoff....

Old houses are particularly prone to electrical problems. For starters, they are almost always underpowered, relying on 60amp or 100amp service rather than the 200amp service that many newer houses use today. Other common problems include ungrounded circuits, wiring with deteriorated or missing insulation, and circuits controlled by old-fashioned fuses rather than modern circuit breakers. The good news is that modern electrical components are designed, tested, and certified for safe, reliable, long-lasting performance....

American Standard Aqua Wash Bidet Seat If you missed out on this deal, here are our top three alternatives: Best Features: Coway Bidetmega 400E Electronic Bidet Seat Easiest Installation: Coway Bidetmega 150 Smart Electronic Bidet Seat Best for Limited Mobility: Bemis Clean Shield Support Arms and Bidet Attachment Aquasana AQ-4105 Showerhead Filter System If you’re looking for a new shower head, here are a few other options: Best Design: American Standard Handheld Shower Head Most Customizable: Delta Faucet Handheld Shower Head Most Durable: Moen Eva Single-Handle Tub and Shower Trim Kit...

Tools

The thermostat is the first constant. Unless you rely on a woodstove as your main heat source, the thermostat allows you to maintain consistent indoor temperatures. Once you’ve set your target temperature, your heating or cooling system will come on when the thermostat’s built-in thermometer indicates a departure of just a degree or two. Once the target temperature is attained, the thermostat tells the heating (or cooling) system to shut off....

Tom and Kevin O’Connor cut the pieces to size and assembled them in about 6 hours, using about $250 worth of materials, beyond the cost of the liner. They could have used less expensive wood and metal, but Tom was in no mood to compromise. “I wanted to build something that would hold up against the weather and look good for a long time,” he says. Mission accomplished. Build It | Modern Platform Bench The insulation is foil-face isocyanate rigid foam that is hidden between cedar and a copper bin....

Steps for Building an Outdoor AC Cover 1. Cut the Pieces Using my cut list, cut the pieces to size. Because the slats are all the same size, it helps to set up a stop block. 2. Build a Side Panel Lay two uprights parallel on the table, and then lay a 1x4 board across them flush with their top edge. Use the board to space the uprights, and then measure across the bottom of the gap to make sure the uprights aren’t angled....

How To Build Window Flower Boxes Resources Nathan used stock 1”x10” Azek and stock Azek band molding and base cap molding to build three identical window boxes. To cut the materials to size, Nathan used a sliding compound miter saw which is manufactured by Dewalt. To secure the front, back, bottom, and side pieces together, Nathan used 2 part PVC glue, 1 ¼ - inch brads, and 2 ½ -inch stainless steel trim head screws, which can all be found at home centers....

Watch the video above for his tips to get a perfect cut and follow the instructions below as you do this yourself. How to Cut Crown Molding in 9 Steps Tools and Materials How to Install Crown Molding: Cut, Cope & Hang

Then, Mark shows the homeowner the granite pavers he plans to use, as well as a design that will not only expand the patio but also provide a modern touch. Expanding an Existing Patio Shopping list Grid paper Marking paint Crusher run, or crushed stone Conduit or pipe Stone dust 2x4s Patio pavers of varying sizes Strips of synthetic grass Landscaping spikes Tools Note: If you have a lot of earth to move, consider renting an excavator from Home Depot....

How to Fix a Wheelbarrow Tire: Step-by-Step Tools How to Use a Wheelbarrow

How to Install a Prehung Door in 17 Steps Tools and Materials How to Install a Prehung Exterior Door How to Install a Prehung Door

Any organic garden has to start with the garden itself. Stick to a raised garden bed with untreated cedar to ensure no chemicals can leech into the soil. For the soil, opt for an organic raised garden bed mix. Think about it this way: whatever is in the soil you grow your plants in will be whatever you end up ingesting when you eat the vegetables later on. When it’s time to plant, you can either start with seeds from a seed packet, or you can opt for seedlings that you can pick up from any nursery or the home center....