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LAWN & GARDEN: OUTDOOR STRUCTURES

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5 Simple Ingredients for Successful Rainwater Harvesting
People have been harvesting rainwater for thousands of years. In the last decade, the practice has emerged as a popul...
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Chick Magnets: 10 Irresistible DIY Chicken Coops
As the popularity of raising poultry in the backyard burgeons, so too does the variety and quality of designs in DIY chicken coops.
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Bob Vila Radio: Spring Fence Routine
A wooden fence is a beautiful accent on any home, but it takes some maintenance to keep it looking neat and trim. Spr...
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Wing It: 11 Approaches to a DIY Birdbath
Welcome feathered friends to your backyard with a birdbath that you've made on your own.
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On the Fence: 7 Top Options in Fencing Materials
Browse some of today's most commonly used fencing materials, from timeless wood to utilitarian chain-link.
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Fences 101
Pros and cons define and differentiate the most popular fence types chosen by homeowners today.
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Bob Vila Radio: Bird Feeders
Winter’s a great time to feed the birds, but if that means feeding the squirrels too, they can quickly wear out their...
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Bob Vila Radio: Firewood Storage
There's nothing better than a crackling fire on a chilly night, except maybe not having to go back outside for more f...
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Repairing a Retaining Wall
Walls, normally thought of as interior design elements, are useful in landscaping, too. A landscaping wall can be fre...
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Bob Vila Radio: Stone Walls
Nothing beats the natural look of a dry-laid stone wall, but building one requires a strong back, deep pockets, and a...
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12 "Different" Ways to Store Firewood
Don't settle for an ordinary pile of logs. Showing off your wood in a creative space will help add another dimension of warmth to your home.
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Bob Vila's "Best In Show" Doghouse Contest
The doghouse has been part of human history since the Ancient Egyptians built mud-brick kennels for their favorite ca...
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The Wright Doghouse
In the summer of 1956, a 12-year-old boy wrote a letter to Frank Lloyd Wright to see if the architect would design a ...
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Bob Vila Radio: Retaining Walls
A sloped yard is hard to use, and if it’s got erosion problems or it’s channeling water toward the foundation of your...
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Fab Doghouses
We dog owners are a strange breed. We obsess about the day-to-day comfort, happiness, and health of our pets. We own ...
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10 Luxurious Doghouses for Your Pampered Pet
If Snoopy's standard doghouse won't cut it for your pooch, browse ten puppy palaces that can even put some human-size houses to shame.
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Compost Bins: 10 Smart Options
Composting is one thing... how you manage it is another. Here are ten compost bins to help you turn scraps into gardener's gold.
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Bob Vila Radio: Dog Home Safety
A dog is happy when he knows where home base is. a pet crate, a designated corner, a closet with a pet door or even a...
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The Gazebo: At Home Everywhere
Nothing says “summer” quite like a gazebo. Images of languid afternoons sipping ice-cold lemonade in the sheltering s...
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Pergolas: What’s Old Is New Again
It is interesting how a chance comment can cause you to pay attention to a garden design feature you had not previous...
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Outdoor Showers: The New Accessible Luxury
Whether they are freestanding, store-bought, or built-in, today's outdoor showers are accessible luxuries for many. Here are some of our favorites.
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DIY Deals: Bird Baths
If you're looking to bring charm and variety to your outdoor space, a bird bath is the perfect choice. Not only will ...
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Shopping for a Swing Set
One thing we miss about living in New York is the awesome city playgrounds. You could walk to a different one every d...
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10 "Style Setting" Garden Sheds
Whether you are looking to house garden tools or create a workshop or studio, here are ten stylish sheds worthy of consideration.
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Bob Vila Radio: Fencing Options
If you’re looking for a way to give your home some character, to frame your garden, or to get a little privacy from t...
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Bob Vila Radio: In the Doghouse
Giving your pet a place of his own to take shelter from wind, rain and sun is a noble pursuit. Doghouses now come in ...
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DIY Deals: Outdoor Kids Play
It's mid-summer and the sales on outdoor play sets for children are in full swing.  Online and in stores you'll have ...
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5 Ways to Create a Perfect Garden Room
Unlike the glass-enclosed garden rooms or conservatories in the UK—glazed interior spaces that provide visual access ...
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Bob Vila Radio: Dog Fences
We all know they don’t like to be fenced in, but after thousands of years of domestication, dogs need boundaries to b...
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Sheds Reach New Style Status
Deciding to transform a shed into a workshop and studio proved to be the ideal choice for one PA-based entrepreneur.
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How To: Make a Rain Barrel
Put your home's rainwater runoff into service by collecting it for garden and lawn use.
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5 Outdoor Shed Storage Bargains
Sometimes the garage doesn't cut it for storing garden tools and lawn supplies. That's when outdoor storage enters th...
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How To: Build a Dry Stone Retaining Wall
Build a retaining wall with dry laid stone in order to establish different levels in your landscaping.
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How To: Make a Birdhouse
Easy and inexpensive to make, building a bird house can be a great project for the whole family.
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How To: Make an Outdoor Shower
Outdoor showers are becoming increasingly more popular. Here's one you can build yourself this weekend.
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12 Birdhouses We Love
House hunting for your fine feathered friends? Here are some fun designs to make or buy.
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Project Guide: Building a Sandbox
With little or no woodworking experience, you can easily build your own backyard sandbox—here's how.
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Take Your Shower Outdoors
Outdoor shower fixtures range from hose hookups to backyard spas.
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Play Sets: Enjoy a Park in Your Yard
Wooden play sets offer multiple options for hours of outdoor fun from spring through late fall. But before you buy or build, do your homework.
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Arbors: A Garden's Best Friend
Looking for a way to add instant character to your landscape or garden? Consider one of these beautiful arbors.
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For the Birds: 10 Feeders for Winter Nourishment
This winter keep birds well fed with one of these smart, decorative feeders.
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Building a Redwood Deck and a Redwood-and-Cedar Fence
Bob helps carpenter Bob Ryley build a redwood deck. Carpenter Danny Ruffini installs a custom-made redwood-and-cedar fence on the perimeter.
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Installing a Retaining Wall
Bob reviews the Allen Block retaining wall that is being installed in the backyard. This secondary terrace will serve to transition from the wood deck to the big ...
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Installing a Porch Floor and Light and Constructing a Porch Trellis
The front of the Melrose house gets finishing touches, including a new, insect-resistant porch deck, new trellises, and a porch light.
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Building a Retaining Wall, Front Steps, and Backyard Patio With Stone
Stone workers install a granite retaining wall, replace a front walkway, and build a backyard patio.
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Hardscaping, Selecting Plants, Installing Artificial Grass in the Backyard, and Preventing Weed Growth
Backyard landscaping has progressed with the completion of stone work, new plantings, weed control, and the installation of artificial grass.
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Replacing the Gutters, Trimming a Tree, and Creating a Low-Maintenance Front Yard
Old gutters are replaced and external landscaping continues with the trimming of a tree, installing a front garden, and creating steps from recycled granite.
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Installing a Fence on a Sloped Site
Bob talks with a fencing expert about installing a white-cedar fence in sloped areas at the Melrose house.
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Removable Swimming Pool Safety Fencing
Bill Jasper joins Bob for the installation of a removable Baby Barrier pool fence.
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Custom Bamboo Garden
Kalo joins Bob to create a Zen bamboo garden.
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Picket Fence Installation
Jay Triandafilou and a crew from Architectural Fence are on location to install the exterior fence.
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Retaining Wall Construction
Bob meets up with landscape mason Hector Santos, who is building a dried-laid stone retaining wall.
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Splitting Granite for the Retaining Wall
The mason on-site installing a retaining wall, Hector, shows Bob how to split a piece of granite that is too large and heavy to use as is.
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Trellis and Lattice Fencing & Workshop Tour
Fred Goode (from Brattle Works) joins Bob to view the trellis and lattice fencing, and Bob visits the Brattle Works workshop to see how the fencing is manufactured.
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Discussing the Plantings on the Property
Bob, alongside architect Kristian Fenderson and Tom Strangfeld (from Weston Nurseries), walks the property, focusing on the planting selected for this home.
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Discussing the Northern White Cedar Picket Fence
A Northern White Cedar picket fence is discussed and installed.
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Hot Tub Installation
Bob drops by the third Elmwood project house to watch as the deck is covered with rubber and the hot tub is installed.
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Installing a Brick Walkway and Porch Lighting, and Milling the Railings and Balusters
Contractors put in the brick walkway. Forester Moulding and Lumber replicates the porch railings and balusters. Also, new security and sprinkler systems are insta...
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Plant Shopping With Martha Stewart
When shopping for plants at Haskell's Nursery, the homeowner gets some professional help from Martha Stewart, who transforms the greenhouse into an elegant settin...
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Reviewing the Landscape
Bob meets with a landscaper to discuss the existing plantings, some of which will be removed or cut back to maximize the amount of interior light. Trees, shrubs, ...
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Building a Trellis
A trellis-- the frame and lattice of which have been built in the workshop-- is installed in the front yard.
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Landscape Design With a New Fence
Bob has a discussion the landscape architect, Joanne Smallwood, and new wooden fence is installed.
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Discussing the Landscaping
Bob discusses landscaping with specialist Susan Hofer. Topics include sod, a gravel driveway, brickwork, fences, and perennials.
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Facing the Retaining Walls with Cultured Stone
Retaining walls, foundation work, and curving stairways are faced with Cultured Stone from Owens Corning. These cast cement, pumice, and iron oxide products are m...
 
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