Table of Contents

• Focal Points
• Floors
• Lighting
• Furniture
• Textiles
• Plants

Focal Point

Let’s start by talking about focal points. The porch on the front of my house is enclosed on three sides, so the innermost wall needs a focal point. I used to have a hand-lettered sign here, but it was not scaled to this space. Now, I am covering the whole wall with faux boxwood panels to make it look like a living wall. Now, a simple sign in front of that has a strong presence. In addition, the texture this accent wall brings to the porch is definitely a focal point!

The back porch is open on three sides, so the best thing to do here is make the ceiling your focal point. I am removing the boring exterior light fixture in favor of an outdoor chandelier with candelabra light bulbs. Since the original 1930s beadboard ceiling was in decent shape, I just patched it up and gave it a fresh coat of paint. The beadboard on the other porch was in bad shape, so for this ceiling I cut strips of thin plywood, sealed them on all sides to prevent warping, and used a brad nailer to attach them spaced with a nickel gap between planks. This ceiling gets so many compliments and was really affordable to do. I thought it wouldn’t last long, but 5 years later it still looks so great!

Porch Decorating: Floors

Next in my porch decorating, I want to address floors. If your porch, like mine, has wood floors, you have probably dealt with some rot. My porches were originally interior spaces, and when the previous owners removed the storm windows and half walls in favor of railings, these wood floors became exposed to the elements! The right thing to do is rip out all the rotting wood and replace it with outdoor-grade flooring, like composite decking. That is what I did for our back porch. However, the front porch got a bit trickier. Because the front porch is mostly enclosed and we use it more like an indoor space during the summer, I did not want gaps between floor boards that would be required with any kind of decking.

At first, I tried to patch and paint the floor. I removed a huge section of rot and even rebuilt some of the porch floor framing to try to salvage a solid floor. With paint, it did not look too bad, but it did not last long. Soon, the paint was chipping!

In one last effort to keep the current floor on this porch, I recently covered it in carpet tiles. I am loving the coziness underfoot when enjoying our front porch this year, but several people have told me the carpet will expedite the wood rotting underneath. Lastly, if you have a concrete porch floor, consider that paint might not hold up as well there either. Instead, try a concrete refinishing product as I did on this step, leading to our back porch. You can add colorant to tint the concrete to any color, and after application, your concrete looks absolutely new! 

Porch Lighting

Moving on to lighting ideas for your porch. On my back porch, I have a fancy outdoor chandelier, but my favorite is and always will be string lights. They add so much ambiance and soft lighting to my outdoor spaces. You can even buy solar-powered string lights! In addition, you could consider running rope lighting, if you have siding like mine, you can tuck it in a J channel and hide it away. I must say, I prefer to enjoy time on the porch by candlelight whenever it is possible.

Furniture

Porch furniture typically revolves around sitting and relaxing. Rocking chairs are some of my favorites, so I recently added them to my front porch!

I am so lucky to have big porches, so there is space on the back porch for a full dining set. This table is extra skinny, custom-built to be only 2 feet wide so it can accommodate the chairs being pushed back and people maneuvering around it on and 8 foot wide porch.

In a past front porch design, I had a large chest of drawers on it. This is an interior piece of furniture, so the back corner, where it is mostly protected from the elements, is the only place it could be. But if you have a porch that feels like it comes to a “dead end,” consider putting storage there. All of these furniture ideas are things you can do moderately easily, but if you want some WOW factor, consider building a bed swing. Everyone in my house absolutely loves spending time on the bed swing, if you have space for it, do it, it is SO worth it!

Working with Textiles

Textiles on your porch can make or break how inviting and cozy it feels. If your porch lacks cloth, rugs, or throw pillows, you risk it looking empty and basic. In my original front porch design, I layered colorful throw pillows on the bed swing to make it feel more inviting. Putting textiles outside does require maintenance. We bring the cushions, pillows, and other fabric materials inside when there is inclement weather and over the winter. There are so many great choices for outdoor textiles that are UV and water-resistant. The carpet tiles that I recently installed are meant for outdoor applications has both of these attributes. Adding textiles softens your whole space and elevates any porch decor you put with it.

Porch Plants

With any porch, you should decorate with plants. This is a space that is meant to be a transition between the indoor and the outdoor; plants just make sense! However, you might find that when a porch roof shades the space 100% of the day, it is hard to get any living plants to grow well in containers. In this case, I would recommend hanging planters that you can hang from eye screws in your porch’s header. I custom-made the ones on my porch out of scrap wood, so the pots are easily removable. Another idea is to just go faux. I am impressed by how realistic some faux plants are! Do not forget to do the landscaping around your porches as well, mine could use some work, but I am getting there!

These porch decorating ideas have transformed these two spaces into features of my home that we enjoy so much! I hope this inspires you and fills you with ideas for decorating your porch.

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Table of Contents

• Focal Point
• Porch Floors
• Lighting Ideas
• Porch Furniture
• Plants

Decorating for a Focal Point

First, let’s talk about the focal point! My porch in the front of the house is enclosed on three sides, so the innermost wall needed a focal point. I used to have a hand-lettered sign there, but it wasn’t to scale with the space. Now, I am covering the whole wall with faux boxwood panels to give the look of a living wall. I am adding a simple sign in front of that. This area of my porch has definitely become a focal point.

The back porch is open on three sides. The best thing to do in this case is to create a ceiling that is your focal point. I removed the boring exterior light fixture in favor of an outdoor chandelier with candelabra light bulbs. The original ceiling on this porch is in decent shape, so I am patching it up and giving it a fresh coat of paint. The longer I live with it, though, the more I think about repainting in a more exciting color! The bead board on the front porch is in bad shape. For this ceiling, I cut strips of thin plywood, sealed them on all sides to prevent warping, and used a brad nailer to attach them. I am spacing with a nickel gap between planks. This ceiling gets so many compliments and was really affordable to do.

Porch Floors

Next, I want to address the floors. If your porch has a wood floor like mine, you’ve probably dealt with some rot. My porches were originally interior spaces. When the previous owners removed the storm windows and half walls in favor of railings, these wood floors became exposed to the elements! The right thing to do is rip out the rotting wood and replace it with flooring made for outdoors. That’s what we had done on our back porch.

However, the front porch is a bit trickier! Since the front porch is mostly enclosed and we use it more like an indoor space during the summer, I didn’t want gaps between floor boards. At first, I tried to patch and paint the floor. I removed a huge section of rot and rebuilt some of the porch floor framing. With paint, it didn’t look too bad, but it didn’t last long. Soon, the paint was chipping! In one last effort to keep the current floor on this porch, I am covering it in carpet tiles. I’m seriously loving the coziness and softness the carpeting brings.

Lastly, if you have a concrete porch floor, consider that paint might not hold up the best there either. Instead, try a concrete refinishing product. I did this on my the concrete step up to my back porch and it was a game changer. This will help your concrete look brand new!

Large Porch Lighting Ideas

Moving on to lighting ideas for your porch. I have already talked about my outdoor chandelier on my back porch, but that is not my favorite lighting option! My favorite is and always will be string lights. They add ambiance and soft lighting that I love. You can even buy solar-powered string lights now! Another option to consider is running rope lights. If you have siding like mine, you can tuck it in a J channel and hide it away. I do try to spend as much time on the porch with candlelight as I can during the summer months

Porch Decorations: Furniture

Porch furniture typically revolves around sitting and relaxing. I love a great set of rockers, so I am adding a pair to my front porch. I am blessed to have big porches. This has allowed me to have seating on both. I have a dining set on my back porch. I custom-built the table that is on the back porch to fit the dimensions. If you have a porch that feels like it comes to a “dead end,” consider putting storage there. If you want to add a wow factor to your porch, consider building a bed swing. This is an oversized porch swing that is meant to fit a twin-size mattress! I built mine using predominantly leftover lumber from previous projects. Everyone in my house loves spending time on the bed swing!

Decorate Your Porch Using Textiles

Textiles on your porch can make or break how inviting and cozy it feels. If your porch isn’t decorated with any cloth, rug, or throw pillows, it can look empty and basic. In my original front porch design, I layered colorful throw pillows on the bed swing to make it inviting. I laid down a rug to cozy up the area where my kids would sit on the floor to play. Putting textiles outside does require maintenance. We bring the cushions, pillows, and such inside when there’s severe weather and over the winter. There are so many great choices for outdoor textile options that are UV resistant, water resistant, and more. For example, the carpet tile I recently installed is meant for outdoor applications. Adding in textiles softens your whole space and elevates the porch decor!

Plant Decorations

With any porch, you should decorate with plants. This is a space that’s meant to be a transition between indoor and outdoor, and plants just make sense! You might find, however, that when a porch roof shades the space 100% of the day, it’s hard to get any live plants to grow. Here I would recommend hanging planters that you can hang from eye screws in your porch’s header. I custom-made mine out of scrap wood, so the pots are easily removable. Another idea is to use faux plants. I am impressed by how realistic some faux plants are! My big red geraniums are so convincing. Don’t forget to do the landscaping around your porches as well (mine could use some work but, I’m getting there).

These porch decorating ideas have transformed these two spaces into features of my home that we enjoy so much! My front porch even got swanky screens, which you can learn about here. I hope this was inspiring for you and filled you with ideas to decorate your porch.

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• The Fire Pit Patio
• Backyard Treehouse
• The Entire Front Porch Upgrade
• My Lakehouse Deck
• Installation of My Privacy Fence

Fire Pit Patio

Starting off strong, we have the fire pit patio I built in my backyard last summer! This project started off with me building a raised concrete garden bed. I chose to have 4 large pavers underneath my fire pit so it has a flat surface to sit on. The surround of the entire fire pit patio is loose rock. I initially used a geogrid, but my rocks did not cover it, so I ditched it and just used the rocks!

Seating is essential to me because I have a large family, and we love to spend time outside! The big benches I built were made out of green-treated 2x4s. When planning these benches, I made sure to put my hardware in a place so nothing would be visible on the front faces of the benches. This bench is very stable on the rocks!

This project took me a month and a half, and it was SO worth the time and effort! I sourced black plywood Adirondack Chairs and a smokeless fire pit online to complete the fire pit patio. In addition, I draped solar-powered string lights along the fence to add to the ambiance. This project was so much fun to design and, despite facing some struggles while building, I am so glad I did this.

I love that it makes a destination out of a previously unused corner of my backyard!

Backyard Treehouse

Up next on the list of my most impressive outdoor projects is the treehouse I built for my kids! This treehouse started with extensive planning. I landed on a design that combines a treehouse with a playground, so it fits all of my children. There are 4 levels to this treehouse, so there are 4 platforms. To connect the platforms to the tree, I used 4-inch lag screws.

Once all of the platforms were in place, I decked, sanded, and stained them! To stain the whole treehouse, I used my stain sprayer. Once the stain dried, I put in all of the safety measures, including railings and nets.

The next thing I added was the equipment! This treehouse includes two slides, a rock climbing wall, gymnastic rings, monkey bars, and a disc swing!

My kids have loved playing on this treehouse, and I love that it is a space they can share with all their friends! This project was definitely a labor of love, but the joy it has given my kids makes it so worth it!

Front Porch Makeover

I have transformed the front porch on my house twice now, and the second refresh is one you will not want to miss! A full blog post will be out soon, so keep an eye out! The first makeover involved adding a motorized screen for privacy and building a bedswing!

For the second makeover I just did, I added some major upgrades. I wanted this space to be even more cozy and relaxing. I added a faux boxwood panel for a fake living wall, carpeting, and new patio furniture, beautiful decor, and string lights.

My front porch is the most used spot in my house when the weather is nice! I love that this space is so comfortable and cozy!

Lakehouse Deck

Another impressive outdoor project that I have done is refinishing the deck in the backyard of my lakehouse! This deck was in rough shape, so I refinished it to give it new life. To start this project, I had to remove the ugly railings, which were an eyesore and distorted the lakeview.

My goal for this project was to use as much of the existing lumber as possible. Unfortunately, a good portion of the existing decking was too rotted to salvage. I ended up replacing a lot of it with 2×6 green-treated lumber. Luckily, most of my framing boards were in good shape, so I only had to replace a few of them!

I wanted there to be a big step across the front of this deck, so I used wood that I had on hand to create one. My step is a little over 23 feet long. I used 4-inch leg screws to connect the step to the rest of the deck.

Once everything was in place, I used Bondo to fill any imperfections, sanded, and stained the entire deck. As a finishing touch, I used aluminum angle flashing along the foundation of the house where the deck meets it to make a look cleaner. This deck became unrecognizable!

I am so glad that the deck is done for this summer! I love how beautiful it looks. This is the perfect space to look out at the lake and spend time with the people you love!

Privacy Fence Installation

This last of my most impressive outdoor projects is not only impressive but also very practical. When we moved into our current house, we switched which side of the house was the front. After removing the old driveway and getting grass to grow, I wanted privacy for our new backyard. To get privacy and safety, I installed a vinyl privacy fence! My fence came from Superior Plastic Products. The first thing I had to do for this project was look for my property pins to make sure my fencing aligned with the city ordinance. It is also important to call all of your utilities so they can come and mark them before you dig. I strung a line across the entire perimeter to mark where I was going to dig.

I got a motorized auger to dig; you could dig yourself, but this made the process so much easier. For this project, I hired my neighbor John to help because it was so labor-intensive. Once all of the holes were dug, I restrung my line across the parameter and dry fit my posts.

Fortunately, John had a cement mixer, which made the next step much easier. I have heard about quick-setting cement being able to be mixed in the hole, and this is another option for doing a fencing project. We scooped the premixed concrete into the hole to get the cement underneath the post. Once the cement base was in, we placed the post and took a lot of measurements and levels.

Once the posts were installed, it was time to assemble the rest of the fence. To assemble the first thing to put in place is the bottom rail, which pops into the holes at the bottom of the post. Then, you align a small plastic C-channel along each post to cover the ends of the tongue and grooves on each slat. To create the actual fence, I add the slats by pushing them down into the bottom as well as clicking them into their neighboring slat. Finally, I added the top rail over the top of each slat.

This fence was such a good addition to my backyard. My kids can now play in the backyard and I can have some peace of mind!

Those are my top 5 most impressive outdoor projects! Do you agree?? Are there any other outdoor projects that I have done that you have found very impressive? Let me know!

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Table of Contents

• Getting Rid of the Railing
• Refinishing Existing Lumber
• Sanding Down the Deck
• Getting Rid of Rotted Wood
• Replacing Rotted Wood
• Creating a Step for the Front of the Deck
• Making Repairs and Sanding
• Staining and Sealing
• Finishing the Deck

Getting Rid of the Railing

I am starting this project by removing the railing from the deck. I do not like how it obstructs the view of the lake, so I think this deck would be better with just a long step across the front instead. Some of the railings had carriage bolts through them, so I had to remove the decking to access the back of the bolt. This did not work as I hoped, so I am cutting off the top of the railing and chiseling off the remaining. Luckily I only had to do this process on 4 of the posts, the rest of the railing is so rotted that it just falls apart.

How to Refinish Decking: Refinishing the Existing Lumber

When it comes to refinishing the lumber already installed on this deck, I am going to sand it first to see what I am working with. When I tried to sink screws into the existing boards to prevent them from hitting my sander, they kept breaking. This made me realize that a majority of the screws in this decking were extremely rusted. If I am able to back them out all of the way, I am replacing the existing screws with exterior treated decking screws.

Sanding Down the Deck

I went to my hardware rental store and the guy there convinced me to get a heavy duty floor sander. It has a pad that sits on it and then you put your sanding sheet down. I am running this across the old decking to get the existing finish off. This heavy-duty sander works well for what I need it for, it handles the differences in heights between the boards better than any other sander would.

Getting Rid of the Rotted Wood

I have realized that a good portion of the decking is too rotted to salvage. I am pulling these pieces up and replacing them with 2×6 green treated lumber. The worst rot is in the places where this deck sees the most foot traffic, I do not think this is a coincidence. Because so many of the screws have broken off in this area, I am sheering them off with my angle grinder once the boards are up. For the boards I am salvaging, I have to deal with a little bit of rot at the ends. I am cutting off the rotted portion and adding a decorative edge piece.

A majority of my framing pieces are in good shape, but a few pieces have some rot. Most of this rot is where the posts for the railings were. I am replacing the rotted framing pieces with new 2×10 green treated lumber. Once all of the framing is solid, I am going to put joist tape along the tops of everything to protect from rot.

How to Refinish Decking: Replacing the Rotted Wood

Now, it is time to replace all of the rotted lumber. I am replacing it with 2×6 green treated lumber. I am cutting these individually so I can use the lumber as efficiently as possible. Whenever I cut one, I am using the remainder for the next row. Along the edge I am placing trim pieces, these compensate for the rotted edge that I had to cut off. These square off the deck so well!

Creating a Step for the Front of the Deck

I am repurposing wood that I have to create framing for what will be a big step across the front of the porch. To build this step, I am building boxes that have joists 16 inches on center. This is going to create a step that is a little over 23 feet long. I am removing sod and dirt across the front of my porch where the step is going to go. This must be level, so I am placing rocks down. When I place my step framing, I am using a leveler to check. This step took a lot of adjusting! When it is level, I am predrilling the frame of the step through the frame of the deck. I am using 4-inch long leg screwes to connect these frames together. To go over the existing cement path that is off of the deck, I jigsawed out a portion of the wood so it will go right over the path. Next, I am covering my framing.

How to Refinish Decking: Making Repairs and Sanding

Once everything is in place, I am fixing any blemishes in the wood. I am going in with two-part Bondo, this will repair any rotted areas that I did not feel like needed replacing. It is also going to fix any blemishes across boards or knots in the wood. Once all of my Bondo is dry, I am going to sand it all smooth. After I am done sanding, I am blowing off the surface of the decking with a leaf blower to prepare to apply my finish.

Staining and Sealing

Before I can stain my deck, I need to test it with a moisture meter. It is important that this reads below 15%, you do not want to seal moisture into your wood. My moisture meter did read below 15%, so it is time to stain and seal! I am using Behr’s waterproofing stain and sealer in one. This is a solid stain that has a 10-year warranty on decks. The trick to this is applying two light coats, this is made possible by my airless sprayer. The first thing I am doing before staining is removing the edge piece and coating the endgrain of the wood with finish. This is going to seal it in and prevent it from rotting. Next, I am spraying the tops of the deck. Using my sprayer dramatically increased how quickly I could apply my stain, but it is still best practice to back brush so you can work the product into the wood.

Finishing the Deck

As a finishing touch, I am going to paint this aluminum angle flashing. This is going to go along the foundation of the house where the deck meets it. Once this is dry, I am just gluing it down. I also have to patch the holes where the old railing post came down into the concrete. To do this I am using a mortar concrete mixture that is fast setting and works in applications up to 6 inches deep.

Now the deck is finally done! I love how beautiful it looks. You get such a beautiful view sitting and relaxing on this deck!

I hope you loved following along as I learned how to refinish decking! If you want to check out more of my outdoor projects, my blog post Build a Retaining Wall in One Day is a great place to start!

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Table of Contents

• Cutting the Wood for the Bed Swing
• Assembling the Box for the Bed Swing
• Building the Arms of the Bed Swing
• Building the Bed Swing Backrest
• Facing Concerns
• Finishing Work
• Hanging the Bedswing

Cutting the Wood for the Bed Swing

I am starting this project with 2x4s that I am cutting down to 81 inches long. Using my table saw, I am measuring a blade depth of 5/8 to make grooves in the 2x4s for my furring strips to sit in. I keep making cuts next to each other until it is 3/4 inches wide. This is going to be the basis for my bed swing. This will be the box that holds all the weight, so I want the furring strips to be supported.

Once my 2x4s have grooves cut into them, I cut out pieces of my furring strips to go across and support the mattress. These are 1x3s, and they are pine. I measured them to a little over 39.5 inches. I did this so there would be a little over 1/2 an inch of extra board to go on top of the 5/8 inch deep grooves in the 2x4s. The measurement between the 2x4s should be 38.5 inches to accommodate a twin mattress. I am spacing the 1×3 furring strips evenly across the whole thing, I cut 11 of these. Next, I am cutting 2x4s to 38.5 inches; these pieces will complete the box. Using my Kreg jig, I am drilling two pocket holes on each end. The reason I did this is because I want all of my screws to be hidden.

How to Build a Bed Swing: Assembling the Box

To assemble the box of this bed swing, I am lining up the 38.5-inch 2x4s that I just drilled pocket holes into with the 81-inch long 2x4s. I am putting the screws into my pocket holes and screwing the pieces of wood together. My 38.5-inch 2x4s do not go all the way to the end of the 81-inch long 2x4s, this is intentional. There needs to be some overhang so that I can drill holes and hang my ropes for the bed swing. To hold the furring strips in place, I am shooting brad nails through them.

Building the Arms of the Bed Swing

I am going for a very modern look with this bed swing; I want these arms to look nice and smooth. To do this, I am using 3/4-inch plywood. I am cutting the plywood to the length of the 2x4s plus the 38.5-inch wide furring strip opening. Then, I cut 2×2 strips to perfectly frame the plywood. I am connecting these by first using wood glue, then screwing them together. These must be strong because I want people to be able to lean their bodyweight on them. The arms are also what is going to be holding up the backrest of my bed swing. To securely attach the arms to my box frame, I am drilling pocket holes and putting screws into them!

How to Build a Bed Swing: Building the Backrest

To start building the backrest for my bed swing, I am setting up a straightedge and ripped 3/4-inch plywood to go along the length of the back. For the kind of strength I am looking for, I am gluing and screwing a second piece of 3/4-inch plywood to the first one! Now my backing is an inch and a half thick. Next, I am going to use a template I made to make the corner perfectly curved. I am also doing this on the arms so that there will be soft edges.

Facing Concerns

I am worried that this bed swing will not hold the amount of weight I want it to. I want it to be able to hold 1000 pounds, yes, ONE THOUSAND! Because of this concern, I am going to reinforce the 2×4 box. To do this, I am cutting out 45-degree angle pieces that I can put in the corners. This is really adding a lot of stability. While I have my bed swing on its side, I think it is time to drill holes for the ropes. I am using a spade bit in 1/2-inch and drilling that down on the overhang on the 81-inch long 2×4.

Finishing Work

Now that I am done building, it is time for finishing work. I am going in with A LOT of wood putty. The reason for this being I really want the finish to be extremely smooth. I used almost an entire tub of wood putty. Once the putty is dry, it is time to sand. Six hours of sanding, to be exact! I am starting with a 40-grit sandpaper, then moving to 80-grit, and ending at 120-grit.

After I finished sanding, I primed the bed swing using an exterior primer. Once the primer is drying, I am going in with black paint. For the first coat of paint, I painted the entire bed swing. For the second coat of paint, I only did the areas that would be seen. When all of the paint is dry, I use another homemade template to draw an angle to mount on the back piece. I used my line to attach a stair stringer. The backrest then got screwed into the stair stringer.

Hanging the Bed Swing

The rope I chose is a 15-foot nylon double braided rope. I am measuring this to 7.5 feet. When you cut nylon, you have to burn the end so it does not keep fraying. To attach this rope, I had to drill into my ceiling to put hooks into place. I made sure to drill so the hooks would hit a joist. Before I did this, I reinforced my ceiling joists just to make sure they could hold the weight. I am placing my bed swing a little bit more than 2 feet off the front of my porch so that there is walking room in front of it. The way I am hanging the hooks is turned out so that someone can’t swing too hard that it comes off the hood. All that is left now is to hang it up!

I love the way this bed swing turned out! We love to hang out on it as a whole family! It is the perfect addition to our newly screened-in front porch! I hope you loved learning how to build a bed swing. If you did, and you want to see more of my outdoor projects, check out the DIY firepit patio I just built!

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Table of Contents

• Picking Up Where We Left Off
• Placing Rock
• Back to the Planter
• Building the Benches
• Finishing Touches on the Bench
• The Final Product!

Picking Up Where We Left Off

To start this DIY Fire Pit Patio, I built a raised concrete garden bed. As you saw in my last blog post, I was having some trouble with coating the planter that I built. I planned to use a leftover product I had on hand that was meant to resurface horizontal concrete surfaces, but it was too thin. To apply this, I poured it from a cup and spread it with a squeegee. My daughter wanted to help with this part, so we did it together. I liked the color of this when it dried, so I decided that I would move forward. After adding my plants, I realized that it bothered me that you could still see the seams of the block. This happened because the concrete coating was so thin. I decided that I would think it over while I moved on to the landscape rock.

Placing Rock for my DIY Fire Pit Patio

I began by placing large pavers in the center of my space. These will be used as a flat base for my fire pit to sit on. Once they are leveled out, I am laying out a geogrid so I can dump my rocks into it. I got this grid to prevent the rocks from moving around as they get walked on. I got yard rock from a local landscaping supplier; the rock is called “fort dodge white.” Once I got them to my house in a trailer, we spread them out. The diameter of this rock is 1-2 inches. No matter how high I pile them, they are not compact enough to cover the geogrid. I decided to ditch the geogrid and add edging because the rock is big enough to not travel out of place.

Break to Focus on the Planter Again

At this point, I am going back to the concrete planter to coat it in concrete another time. This time, the product I am using is thicker and made for vertical surfaces. Unfortunately, I did not notice that this product was fiber-reinforced. I was not experienced enough to lay this without fiberglass sticking up all over the wall, looking fuzzy. In addition, I ran out of material and had to mix more. This created a seam that I needed to cover with yet another coat of product. At this point, I tried so many different ways to get rid of this fuzzy look, but none of them worked and I was left with a very rough finish. This has caused me so much frustration. I re-coated the planter a FOURTH time!! The color looked very dark and uneven, so I was STILL not satisfied.

After a lot of consideration, I decided to re-coat the raised concrete planter one more time. I used Surecrete wall spray for this coating. I chose to squeegee it on to the planter to get the very smooth texture I wanted. When it dried, I was delighted to see that the color matched the pavers I placed in the center of the DIY fire pit patio!

Building the Benches

Now, it is time to build the big benches that will be the seating in front of the concrete garden bed. I bought twelve green-treated 2x4s and let them dry for a week before building. Once they are sufficiently dry, I am gluing and screwing them together in sets of three, trying to force out any warping. Next, I am gluing the sets of three together and clamping. I am driving super long lag screws in every so often so that each set of three was connected by screws. I was careful to plan my hardware so nothing would be visible on the front faces of the bench. This design utilizes the edge of the 2x4s as the top of the bench because it is a lot stronger in this orientation than if the boards were laid flat.

To get that edge as flat as possible, I did so many hours of hand planning and sanding. I used my belt sander with 40-grit sandpaper, then 80 grit. Then, I used my planer to create a chamfer on the front edge and smoothed it with my belt sander. I then fixed any visible imperfections with stainable wood filler, when it was dry, I did a final pass with my random orbital sander and 120-grit sandpaper. To clean up the ends of my benches and make them square, I used my circular saw. Unfortunately, the bench was way too heavy and large to use my miter or table saw. Because of this I had to make do with a blade that did not go all the way through the lumber. I lined it up and cut it as flush as I could, then sanded the end smooth.

Finishing the Bench for the DIY Fire Pit Patio

When my moisture meter signaled that my wood was dry enough, I applied an oil-based stain and sealer in one. I used the same stain that I used on the treehouse that I built, so my backyard looks uniform! For the legs on these benches, I am going to repurpose the legs made of flat bar steel from my end tables. My sister and I welded these ourselves 8 years ago; they are super heavy-duty, so I think they will work for this project! I drilled holes in the steel for screws to go through into the bottom of my bench.

I was so excited to get these benches into place that I made my assistant Kate help me with it when she came over! They felt stable on the rocks and sturdy to sit on, but the corner of my planter was not a perfect 90-degree angle. I had some scribing to do. In order to connect the two benches in the corner where they meet, I drilled pocket holes for keg screws to go in at an angle hidden underneath. I also decided to cut and stain another piece to cap off the visible ends so it looks a little more custom! I moved the finished benches back in place and leveled them by adjusting the rocks below the steel legs. Finally I went underneath and screwed them together utilizing the pocket holes I drilled!

The Finished DIY Fire Pit Patio

After a month and a half, I have a total oasis in my backyard! I sourced black polywood Adirondack chairs and the smokeless fire pit online. In addition, I draped solar-powered string lights along the fence to add to the ambiance! This project was much more fun to design than to build, but even with my struggles finishing the planter and the geogrid not working out, I am so glad I did this. I love that this corner makes a destination out of an area that was forgotten and unused before! The design is amazing – the concrete planter serves as a backrest for the bench and the bench is so smooth and comfortable after all that sanding! I feel like this luxury look was so worth how much it cost, especially for the huge benches!

I hope you loved following along as I built this DIY fire pit patio! If you want to check out more of my outdoor projects, my blog post Build a Retaining Wall in One Day is a great place to start!

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Table of Contents

• Prep Work
• Building the Base of the Concrete Garden Bed
• Finishing Work
• Facing Issues

Prep Work Process

The first thing I have to do is get our utilities marked so I know what to watch out for. Once these are marked, I am beginning to dig up sod! I am building this in the corner of my fenced-in backyard. To get the ground leveled, I strung a line and dug out roots and rocks until it was 4″ down.

Building the Base of the DIY Raised Concrete Garden Bed

For most of the area, I laid down class 2 crushed granite as a stable substrate. Where I want to build the concrete planter, I am compacting a paver base 2-3 inches thick. I got a huge delivery of all the cement blocks and bags of mortar from Home Depot. I am hiring my neighbor with professional concrete experience to help me. His mixer was very helpful to have as we worked together to lay blocks. We are measuring the corners of the L-shaped planter and then stringing a line to keep our course straight.

Each block is set in mortar and has mortar between. I struck each mortar joint and broomed them off. We measured with a laser level to ensure the wall was level across every time we set up our line for a course. After three courses, I pounded down a 4 ft rebar in the center of a block core roughly every 3 feet. Then, I core filled with concrete. This will stabilize the wall and prevent cracking from Minnesota’s extreme freeze and thaw cycle. I then laid the fourth and last course of blocks with a paver style. I did this so there is more space for soil in my planter at the top.

Finishing Work

To finish my DIY raised concrete garden bed I am coating the cement blocks in water with my sprayer. Then, I go in with my stiff bristle brush to take off any excess mortar and imperfections. I am doing this because I am doing a feather finish using Surecrete Sure Broom. This is a concrete product that I have left over from when I did my steps. This product is meant to be used when refinishing concrete. It was a little difficult to use this on a vertical surface as it is very thin, I ended up pouring cups of it on and then spreading it out with a squeegee.

When that is dried, I put pieces of plywood over the holes of the cinderblocks that are inside the planter. I am dropping the extra concrete blocks into the hollow center of the wall. In addition, I am dropping in the rocks that I dug up and pieces of trees that I have cut in the past. Once all of the fill is in, I am covering it all with dirt. I am using 10-12 inches of soil.

Now that all of the soil is in place, it is time for the fun part: plants! All of the plants are native species to Minnesota. I am excited to have a raised garden bed because it will help me control and care for them adding to this have them in a so they don’t spread all over.

Facing Some Issues

I should have stopped at this point, but it was really bothering me that the thin coat of Sure Broom was allowing me to see all of the block lines. It did not give me the smooth finish I had envisioned, so I went to the store and picked up a crack-resistant surface bonding cement. I mixed it up and applied it to the wall, it was thicker and smoothed out all of the brick lines. There was a downfall: there was fiberglass in this product, so when it dried, it looked like it had fuzzy hairs in it. This made it look worse!

I have to figure something out to make it look better! You can’t win them all, stay tuned to see the final result of this entire project and what I did to resolve the concrete issue!

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Table of Contents

• Planning
• Building the Platforms
• Connecting the Platforms to the Tree
• Decking the Platforms
• Staining and Sealing
• Safety
• Adding Play Equipment

DIY Treehouse Planning

This treehouse has been a long time coming, but I have not started because I have been intimidated by how large this project is. The entire build is custom, you have to build around your specific tree, so I was not certain how to go about it. I thought about the design for months before building. I finally landed on a design that combines treehouse with playground so we can get rid of the Rainbow play set we had in our yard. 

Building the Platforms

To begin my build I am using TuffBlocks, I am using as footings. A lot of playgrounds are built where the 4×4 just sits on the ground, but I want more stability for my structure because it is going to have four levels. I’m building with green-treated lumber so it lasts in the elements. I didn’t really measure anything ahead of time because I was just building around the tree. It was a lot of hold in place, see how it looks, then mark and cut! Every single one of these platforms has at least one board angled to build around the branches of the tree. I connected the 2×6 joists every 16 inches apart using leg screws. I used this hardware instead of joist hangers because none of the platforms span beyond 6 feet.

Connecting the DIY Treehouse to the Tree

With the TuffBlocks installed level to each other, I am putting the 4×4 legs of the first platform into them and standing it up next to the tree. Then I level the platform and screw the other side into the tree with 4 inch lag screws. I tried not to put too many screws into the tree while still making sure the platforms were secure. To install the 7.5′ tall platform on the third level I pushed it into place using a long 2×4.

Decking the Platforms

I got 5/4 treated decking and am laying it all in place on my platforms that are connected to the tree. I use a pencil to mark off where I am going to cut my boards on my miter saw. Before I take the boards to my saw I am making sure to order them with numbers so I do not get them mixed up. After they are cut it was so satisfying to lay them into place!

Staining and Sealing

Once all of my platforms are built and installed, it is time for staining and sealing. In order to stain and seal the wood has to be dry enough, so I picked up a moisture meter. For treated lumber the moisture has to be under 15%. Once my lumber is dry enough I use my orbital sander to smooth out the wood. This is especially important in the places where my kids are going to be touching the most.

After four hours of sanding it is time to stain, I am using a Wagner Airless Sprayer. I am mixing my stain and sealer in one product. The entire treehouse is being sprayed with stain. I am still back brushing to work the stain into the pores of the wood. When the stain is dry I am attaching the ladder to its platform. I am then going over my platforms with my sander, so it is soft to walk on and ready for more stain. The sprayer I am using for the tops of the platforms is a battery-powered sprayer to stain the platforms!

DIY Treehouse Safety

After the stain had dried for a couple of days it was time to install my railing kit. I cut 2x4s to the width that they needed to be and used snap and lock balusters to put everything into place. Once the 2x4s are in place I am putting my square metal spindles into place. There is one area on the second platform that I do not feel is completely safe, but I can not add a railing. My solution to this issue is to use a net hammock and securing it in the gap. 

Adding Equipment to the DIY Treehouse

To the first platform, I am adding a small slide that I got for free from Facebook Marketplace. On the highest platform, I am adding the big spiral slide! This slide required me to recruit some help in installing it because it is so big. For the rock climbing wall I screwed in the holds at equally spaced out places on the wall. I attached my 2×6 supports at an angle to the platform then screwed my rock climbing wall into said supports. Underneath the tall third platform I am using leg screws to secure metal swing hangers for some gymnastic rings for monkey bars. Next to the monkey bars, I am hanging another metal swing hanger that will hold a disc swing. 

My kids have loved to play on this treehouse, and I love that it is a space they can share with all of their friends!

If you want to check out more of my outdoor projects, my blog post Build a Retaining Wall in One Day is a great place to start!

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This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. For full disclosures and practices, please visit my policy page.

Table of Contents

• Kitchen Door Removal
• Repairing Damaged Siding
• Building a Retaining Wall
• Exterior Painting
• Front Entrance Makeover and a Look at the Finished Makeover

Kitchen Door Removal

The house initially had five entrances including one located in the kitchen. When I designed the kitchen makeover, I decided it would be better to have more wall space for storage than to keep an entrance that had the kitchen function more as a walkway. I removed the door and put some plywood in the cavity while hiring out the rest of the work to add a vapor barrier, replace the siding, and jackhammer out the concrete steps.

Damaged Siding Reparation

When the warm weather came, I began to work on the rotted areas of the exterior. Many areas were severely damaged and needed replacing, like the fascia board. I replaced the fascia boards, cleaned the soffit vents, and finished caulking everything to make sure it was sealed off. Below the affected area was more rot and water along with a poor grading along the house. To fix the issue, I needed to build a short retaining wall.

I hired my neighbor to excavate about two yards of dirt out of the area. From there I removed the damaged tar paper, affected sheathing, replaced the OSB with plywood, and caulked the seams. To cover it fully, I stapled vapor barrier house wrap and used flashing tape to seal it up. I finished this by reinstalling the siding back into place.

Retaining Wall Construction

After the damaged siding was repaired, I decided to build a retaining wall. First I leveled and tamped paver base on the dirt, then I laid my first row of blocks ensuring each one was level in all directions. I installed drain tile behind the block and covered it with a sleeve to prevent sediment build up inside. After that was completed, I laid the subsequent layers of block and poured pea rock behind the wall for drainage. I covered the rock with soil slanted away from the wall. A heavy-duty black poly was laid down between the house and the retaining wall to prevent erosion. We poured the rock, then glued the top caps of the retaining wall to they would stay in place.

Painting Full Exterior Makeover

The next step in my exterior makeover was painting the house a new color. Quickly, I ran into a problem when I realized the paint did not adhere to the house and was pulling off in pieces. I decided to take off the entire paint job on all three sides of the house and stain the siding so that in the future it could breathe.

I used Diamabrush angle grinder attachment and sanding sponge to get the paint off. After the paint was off, it uncovered areas around a window and doorway with extensive rot. I cut out the rot with my circular saw and oscillating multitool. I applied flashing tape and nailed in trim boards, and finished by caulking all seams.

In the front of the house and the garage, we did not remove any paint because it was well adhered to the house. Removal of the shutters and the bulky railing was the first step. From there I scraped, filled blemishes, sanded, caulked, and pressure-washed the house. I primed all bare wood spots with a mini roller. I hired professionals to apply a solid stain that was color matched to my paint on the three bare wood sides, while I painted the garage and front of the house myself. For this project, I was gifted a Magnum X7 Sprayer by Graco. I rolled the soffit and fascia by hand, while spraying and masking off where the tape lines could be straight with Marquee line from Behr. Thankfully I only needed to do one coat of this beautiful smoky trout color.

Front Entrance Exterior Makeover

The front entrance still needed some renovation, so I started with purchasing a new door and prepped the holes needed to mount the knobs, painted it the color Spiced Berry by Behr, and installed new hardware. I took off the old storm door, installed some new lights, and painted the brick mold and trim around the doorway to match the rest of the house.

The last step of this lake home exterior makeover was the front step. After removing the rotting railing I realized that most of the wood was not salvageable. I began prying the boards up and put joist covers on the framing to protect it from further rotting. I laid down decking boards on top of the framing and it turned out beautiful. The joist covers and composite deck boards were from Armadillo Decking. I had the fascia board cover the side of the decking and covered the unsightly edge.

Finally, after a whole of summer of hard work, this exterior makeover looks modern, charming, and inviting. I am so proud of what I was able to accomplish on the exterior of this house and am so thankful for all the help I got along the way. The before and after of this house are such a big difference! I am more than pleased with how this house turned out, what do you think? I hope this project inspires you to tackle ones of your own!

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Table of Contents

• Preparations for Painting
• Priming and Painting Exterior Siding
• The Results!

Preparations for Painting

Before I began painting, I started by taking down the shutters, which was very simple just removing a few screws. I thought the railings were visually heavy on the front of the house so I got rid of those too. The railing had ripped off part of the siding, so I tried blending it with a wire bristle brush. For the leftover holes, I filled them with wood filler, and caulked several areas of the siding. To finalize preparations, I used my random orbital sander to give it a light scuff and pressure-washed the siding.

The more preparation you do beforehand, the better your paint job will turn out! Filling blemishes, sanding so the paint adheres better, and washing the siding to get it clean are all super important steps. Before the next steps, I let the wood dry completely for a couple warm days.

Priming and Painting Exterior Siding

After prepping the siding, I started by priming the areas that were totally raw wood. For this, I used the Multi-Surface Primer from Behr which I really trust. It can also go on metal or masonry and so I used this for the foundation as well.

The painting could finally begin after the primer was fully dried. I used a sprayer for the first time ever! This was a faster and more efficient application method for me. The paint I used was Behr’s Marquee Exterior Satin Enamel in the color Smoky Trout. It reads gray-brown, but also has an undertone of green. This advanced stain-blocking paint is specifically made to resist dirt and fading, perfect for siding! I’m obsessed with this product because only one coat is needed; I was able to cover the bright yellow with less product and taking less time. This paint also comes with a lifetime limited warranty!

Spraying paint turned out to be fun AND easier than I thought. I can’t believe how fast I could work, I got half the house done in only one day! I used painter’s plastic and masking tape to cover each obstacle like windows and doors as I went. I also came with a brush every five to ten minutes after spraying to check for drips. I found that by using a sprayer, it was ten to maybe twenty times faster than if I had brushed and rolled the siding. For the trim, I used the same Behr Marquee Exterior Satin paint but in the color Peppery, which is like a dark gray-brown.

The After Result!

I love the new siding and trim colors together. It is definitely a lot darker, but it’s also much more modern. Both applied beautifully in only one coat. This house was so yellow it was the talk of the neighborhood. Now that we’ve updated it, our neighbors can’t stop gushing! As you can see, the front entrance still needs a lot of love. I’m going to add some new accent lights, a new front door, and replace decking on the front step to bring this house more alive! I couldn’t have transformed this house without Behr paint and I’m so thankful to them for sponsoring this post! If you want to check out more of my outdoor projects, Building a Retaining Wall in One Day is a great place to start!

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