Questions tagged [landscaping]
222 questions
30
votes
3 answers
How do I build an ice rink in my backyard?
I'm considering building a small temporary ice skating rink in my backyard. I'm hoping to do this without buying many or any materials, and without causing any devastating damage to my lawn when spring rolls around.
Does anyone have any…
Alain
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18
votes
9 answers
Which home improvement projects produce the highest return on investment when selling?
I am looking to put my home on the market in the next few months (in Ohio). Which home improvement projects produce the highest return on investment when selling?
Should I invest in exotic landscaping? A modernized bathroom? Granite counter-tops?
My…
YeahStu
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17
votes
5 answers
How do I fix a sinkhole in my backyard?
I have a sinkhole in my backyard along the fence line which began expanding during the last few months. There's a slight depression in the ground about 6' in diameter centered around one of the fence posts which is set in concrete. The fence post at…
Doresoom
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16
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5 answers
Should I attach the fence post(s) where my fence meets my house? How do I do it?
I'm going to be building a 6 foot tall cedar privacy fence in the spring (with pressure-treated posts) and need to determine what to do with the two posts that meet the side of my house.
In order to ensure that my 15 lb dog can't get through any…
Hop the Mad Alchemist
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15
votes
9 answers
What could happen if I use 2 cycle fuel in a 4 cycle engine?
First off, this is NOT to be confused with the following question:
What could happen if I used 4 cycle fuel in a 2 cycle engine?
2 cycle oil is used for my weed eater. There is no way I could use a whole gallon in a year.
Sometimes I run out of…
jp2code
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14
votes
1 answer
What are the disadvantages of having electrical conduit penetrate my foundation below-grade?
I'm having an electrician wire a lamppost in the backyard. His initial proposal was to do something like this picture shows:
(The diagram is from this article.) The conduit's rise from the ground and entry to the house would be in a prominent place…
ArgentoSapiens
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12
votes
2 answers
How should this underground down-spout-in-yard-drain be appropriately installed?
I noticed a few weeks ago during the rainy season that underground drainage from my downspout was flooded and not draining right. I purchased a pressure washer attachment that promised to unclog things like this and went to town.
I could hear it…
Sidney
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12
votes
2 answers
How can this older-style irrigation tee be replaced?
This reducer tee had a right-angle piece break off inside of it for a feeder line.
I tried cutting the black broken piece inside of the reducer section without success. I'm used to schedule-40 PVC, not the black line shown in the picture. Is it…
user3.1415927
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12
votes
11 answers
awkward driveway curve has cars nearly colliding with house, how to mitigate?
Bellow is an arial photo and a road-side photo of my new house.
As you can see the driveway is an awkward curve especially when backing out of the car port to the side of the garage - you have to do a slight "double S curve" to avoid the house…
Dan Mantyla
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10
votes
8 answers
How can I break up a small boulder without power tools?
I have a boulder/rock that is about 2 feet long and 1.5 feet in diameter. It is too heavy to lift and I would like to break it into smaller pieces. Without power tools, are there any good methods besides going at it with a sledgehammer?
Programmer
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10
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6 answers
How can I easily and accurately perform a small-scale landscape survey?
Summary
Is there any equipment that I can rent 'inexpensively' (less than $400) that would allow 1-2 people to accurately (+/- 6") capture the topography of hilly terrain of perhaps 250' on a side in an afternoon?
Details
My wife and I are about to…
Phrogz
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10
votes
3 answers
How do I make pavers stop shifting when I walk on them?
Disclaimer: I have no clue what I'm doing
Over the weekend, I replaced our mulch bed with some rock and a small paver path to our yard:
I laid a thin layer of paver sand under the path, and scrubbed in some sand between the pavers. I sprayed a mist…
ctote
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8
votes
5 answers
What is the best way to remove large amounts of rubble from a backyard with narrow access (1.2 m wide) and a steep (30 degree) driveway?
I have been removing around 30 cubic meters of dirt and broken rock that I have excavated manually from our backyard using a jackhammer. The access to the backyard is limited through a narrow corridor of only 1.2 meters wide and I have to carry the…
Reza
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7
votes
1 answer
Does my garden brickwork need mortar?
We recently redesigned the walkway through our garden to our back door. This involved lots of scaping of the land -- especially to change the waterflow away from the house. The new walkway ends with a small brick landing. The contractor just laid…
Joseph Barisonzi
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7
votes
5 answers
Could hedges help in reducing noise?
We live on a busy street with sound of tires and revving engines. We were wondering if hedges could help reduce the sound that comes into the house? if not, what other alternatives can we try? We already got soundproof curtains but it's still loud.…
Lyza C
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