DIY Home Improvement Projects You Can Do While Stuck At Home
Whether you’re looking to personalize your space or thinking about selling, making a couple of home improvements is more than worth it. Outdoor home renovations, in particular, provide a better return on investment compared to many indoor improvements. Statistics show that landscaped homes are priced at up to 10 percent more compared to those without landscaping. Considering that the average home is worth around $260,000, the right modifications can add an extra $26,000 to your property’s bottom line.
While bigger projects are costly, you don’t have to spend a huge amount to improve the overall look, value, and comfort of your home. Today many homeowners are looking at DIY home improvement ideas, for both indoors and outside, that can be tackled over a weekend. These projects will make your space more appealing both while you live there and for when you finally decide to sell (as well as adding value). For those who have two days to spare (or more) here are some outdoor DIY projects you can undertake.
BUILD A FIRE PIT
It sounds complicated, but building a fire pit is simply about having the right materials and a shovel. We’ve written an extensive fire pit assembly guide on our blog, but essentially, you’ll want three things: wall stones, capstones, and a ton of sand. Dig a hole in your backyard where you want the fire pit to be, pour sand into it, layer your stones, and you’re done! You will need to do some meticulous measuring for every step (the hole needs to be at least a foot deep, for example) but it’s definitely something any homeowner can do.
CREATE A STONE GARDEN PATH
Stone garden paths are classy, elegant, and one of the easiest things to build. All you need are stones (cobble or flagstone are your best bets), edge borders, and some cement to keep them in place. When placing your stones, use a string and a few stakes to trace the outline of the path. After that, dig a small trench. Install the edge borders first, pour the cement, and install the flagstones. There’s no “right” way to place the stones. Just make sure that the gaps between them are as small as possible.
PUT UP A PERGOLA
A pergola is an archway that’s made up of a framework-like design. You’ll usually find them in parks covered by trailing plants. Some pergolas can go up to $50,000—but it’s definitely possible to build one for under $800 using lumber. A pergola is made up of four parts: the posts, header boards, the main crossing boards, and the top stringer boards. Stick to 6x6 treated posts for the sake of durability. To assemble it dig four 2 ft holes and insert the posts, making sure they are secure. While it will look pretty enough on its own, you can add to the utility by placing tables, benches, or even a hammock underneath.
MAKE A LIVING FENCE WITH SOME PLANTS
Fences are neat—a standard for any home that wants to mark its borders while adding style. However, did you know that fences aren’t always built? Not only are plant fences attractive to look at, but they also have plenty of utility—from increasing the fertility of your yard soil, to lasting longer than your average picket. Pick greenery that thrives no matter the season, like brambles, hedges, and bushes. Then, plant them next to one another so there are no gaps. You can leave them as they are, or you can trim them to have a more solid and defined shape.
Home improvement doesn’t have to stop while you’re stuck at home. In fact, now is the perfect opportunity to get them done—as not many people will be visiting for a while. As long as you have the materials and a working design, anything is possible.
Article written by Tiffany Conner