One of the hottest consumer trends is the new importance on outdoor living, and nothing brings the outdoor home to life like a greenhouse and other accessories to help grow and nurture landscape greenery. This book has plans and step by step for constructing and appointing greenhouses of several varieties, from glass-wall to hoophouse; some from kits, some from scratch; also includes plans and steps for other garden structures and accessories. Includes projects suitable to homes and landscapes of all types—urban, suburban, and rural.
"Shows homeowners how to build up, expand, refresh and accessorize their outdoor spaces using the most contemporary techniques, tools, and materials while following the most up-to-date codes"--
Build a beautiful custom patio or walkway with the step-by-step, photo-illustrated guidance of BLACK+DECKER The Complete Guide to Patios – 3rd Edition. A patio is the hub and heart of any yard. It’s the hard, flat, well-drained surface where you can comfortably enjoy the sunshine, feel a cool breeze, relax with a cold beverage, or hang around the barbecue with your friends and family. Luckily, patios are relatively easy to design and install yourself, and don’t require a lot of expensive tools and complicated techniques. BLACK+DECKER The Complete Guide to Patios – 3rd Edition guides the way with easy-to-follow instructions to plan and complete virtually any patio or walkway undertaking you can think of. An extensive materials and design section helps you wrap your head around all the upfront planning, and the 30+ patio, walkway, and landscape projects are illustrated with detailed photographs to guide your progress. From flagstone to interlocking pavers or plain gravel, all options are covered, as well as design tips, excavation advice, how to install a subbase, and how to install the most popular surfacing products. You’ll also find a substantial section on earth-friendly patios that make use of recycled materials and keep water runoff to a minimum, conserving resources and removing pressure from our water-treatment facilities. Discover how to create captivating: Patio and edging projects using sandset brick, cobblestone pavers, mortared flagstones, tiled concrete, and more Earth-friendly patios using recycled plastic pavers, recycled rubber chips, composite permeable pavers, subsurface grids, and more Walkways and steps using sandset brick, concrete, flagstones, gravel, timber, and more Patio rooms and amenities such as an under-deck patio, patio enclosure, screened patio room, and patio kitchen Create the perfect patio for your needs with BLACK+DECKER The Complete Guide to Patios – 3rd Edition and you will truly understand how much enjoyment these humble structures have to give.
The most complete book on gazebos and arbors you can buy. The Complete Guide to Gazebos & Arbors shows basic techniques for building sheltering structures in the landscape, and provides complete project plans and directions for more than 12 versatile, flexible architectural projects. An overhead arbor can turn a patio or deck into a cool oasis from which to enjoy a landscape, while a gazebo can serve as a full-fledged outdoor room with protective walls, ceilings, and even electrical service. Every reader will find this book to be an indispensable source of planning, design, and practical how-to information.
The Complete Guide to Landscape Projects is a hardworking, comprehensive manual for renovating, building, and "greening up" your landscape. Inside you'll find complete directions for time-tested landscape building projects as well as new environmentally sustainable projects. From designing your landscape to putting the finishing touches on an arbor or custom gate, everything you need for landscaping success is right here. Learn how to make and install: compost bins, water management systems, dry beds, rain gardens, efficient irrigation, soil management programs, permeable patios & walkways, reclaimed fences, and more. You can build a sustainable, low-cost yard with the most efficient, cost-effective methods and products with the help of this book.
Whether it is for aesthetics, security, or simple privacy, no project is more important to a landscape than its vertical boundary structures—the fences, walls, screens, and retaining wall terraces. This book includes classic favorites, like picket fences and panel fences, but also includes interesting regional variations, like Virginia split rail fences and dry-fit stone garden walls. Also included here are the latest materials, such as new variations on PVC vinyl and polymer-coated, wrought-iron look-alikes. And special attention is given to decorative boundary walls for patios—the latest trend in today’s cutting-edge landscape architecture. Add in major hardscape retaining wall terraces, and even an invisible electronic dog-fence project, and you have the most complete and modern book on fences and garden walls available.
Lack of space won't keep you from being the craftsperson you want to be, because BLACK+DECKER Small Space Workshops can make even a closet into a workshop. Are you a frustrated woodworker or crafter whose need to create is inhibited by a lack of space? If you have downsized from your large family home or simply chosen to take up residence in an apartment or condo, you don't have to give up on your dreams of working with your hands! With the savvy tips and thorough information found in BLACK+DECKER Small Space Workshops, you can create a functional, satisfying workspace in spaces as small as a closet. Written by Larry Okrend, lifelong woodworker and former editor of one of the largest handyman magazines in the US, this thoughtful new book covers all the issues that creating a small-space shop presents, including storage, ventilation, lighting, electrical service, dust and sound control, and shop layout. Complete with a dozen space-efficient layout plans, this beautifully photographed how-to guide has a solution for every situation. Plus, you'll find detailed plans and how-to instructions for 12 handy workshop aides to help you get the most from your tiny shop. The book also features a lengthy discussion on choosing space-saving tools, convertible and multi-use furnishings, niches, and work surfaces with tiny footprints and of course a host of storage products, tips, and strategies. Created under the direction of the experts at BLACK+DECKER, this valuable book opens new doors to let your creativity out, even if you have only a few square feet to work in.
Complete step-by-step instructions help you achieve a sustainable, efficient, and attractive yard. The Black & Decker Complete Guide to Landscape Projects is a hardworking, comprehensive manual for renovating, building, and "greening up" your landscape. Inside, you'll find complete directions for time-tested landscape building projects as well as new environmentally sustainable projects. From designing your landscape to putting the finishing touches on an arbor or custom gate, everything you need for landscaping success is right here. Learn how to make and install: compost bins, garden walls, dry beds, rain gardens, water features and irrigation, patios and walkways, all the most popular styles of fencing, and more. You can build a sustainable, low-cost yard with the most efficient, cost-effective methods and products with the help of this book. Just because you live in the city and don't own a half-acre plot doesn't mean you can't have a spectacular landscape. In this updated, new edition you will find a special section just for small yards and urban settings. Jump right in and build the landscape of your dreams!
Better maintenance means more enjoyment of your pool or spa. Black & Decker The Complete Guide Maintain Your Pool & Spa will both inspire and educate readers on the practical points of owning and maintaining a home swimming pool, hot tub, or recreational whirlpool. For those considering a recreational water feature, an exciting gallery chapter and a planning/design chapter will show the latest trends and products, and unique new ways to integrate a pool or spa into the landscape. The book also includes an overview of each type of structure, including above-ground and in-ground swimming pools, stand-alone whirlpools, integrated pool/spa installations, and pool houses and accessories. For readers who already own a pool or spa, lengthy, detailed chapters on basic maintenance, water quality, seasonal upkeep, and routine repairs provide everything needed to keep water features in good operating condition. Even the mechanical systems - pumps, heaters, drains and skimmers - are covered in depth. With this book, no pool or spa owner will need to spend money on a professional pool-care service, and may never need to call a repairman.
