Outdoor Home Renovation, You Can Handle It Yourself

Now that the dryer comes and the warmer months of spring are finally here, it’s time to tackle some of those pesky outdoor renovations you may have been putting off. Here are seven common outdoor renovations you can do yourself with no experience.

We used to talk about home electricity projects and home plumbing projects that you can tackle on your own, but now it’s time to tackle outdoor renovations. The projects we are looking at here are mainly related to repairing things like cracks and potholes in the roadway, taps and hoses, rusty wrought iron, and so on. These are mostly beginner projects that are fairly easy to complete and can save you a lot of money if you take on them yourself.

First, know what you can handle and when to seek help.

Most of these projects are straightforward and do not require any prior knowledge other than basic knowledge of the tools. However, before starting work, make sure you understand and are familiar with the steps you will be taking during the renovation. If you need help, feel free to get it. We’ve picked some pretty good videos, but you can find more there that are more appropriate for your specific situation.

If you have questions about specific parts or supplies, the people at the hardware store will usually give you a good answer. Come with your project details and photos if you can. They will point you in the right direction. And, of course, if at any point you feel that you might be uncomfortable, stop before aggravating the situation and consider calling a professional.

Replace street light

Replacing a street light is a fairly simple task. Luminaires come in all shapes and sizes, but the wiring and the way they are mounted is fairly consistent, regardless of whether the luminaire is mounted to a wall or ceiling. Before starting, be sure to turn off the power to the fixture at the power switch. It is not enough to turn off the light switch.

As shown in thevideo above with the iScaper1 , you will first remove the old fixture, which is usuallyattached with two long screws to the mounting bracket. After you remove them, the device should detach easily. You will see how three wires connect, white (neutral), black (power), and green or bare (ground), attached to the wires coming from the electrical box with twisted connectors (commonly called wire nuts). Unscrew the nuts and the wires should come loose easily.

Installing a new fixture can be a little tricky because you’ll have to hold it in place while you plug those wires back in. If it’s too heavy or uncomfortable, place it on the stairs or have a friend hold it while you put things together. Just plug in the wires just like you did on the old fixture. The instructions for the new fixture will include a diagram if you need it. After you have connected the wires with a nut, you can also tape the wing nuts and wires for added security. This can help prevent the wires from coming loose when you plug them back into the electrical box and screw the new fixture into place.

Tools / Materials You Will Need:

• Screwdriver (Phillips or flathead)
• Pliers
• Wire nuts (plastic connectors for wires that usually come with a new fixture. You can also reuse already installed ones)
• Electrical tape (optional, helps secure the wires so the nuts don’t come off)
• New lamp

Landscape lighting repair

Landscape lighting is a great way to add accent to a dark courtyard. We’re really talking about wired lighting here, not solar lighting, but you may still find some of these tips help even if you have solar lighting. The simplest problem that can be solved is when the landscape light refuses to stand up straight, and the solution to this is usually simply buying a larger ground peg to attach to the light. Many fixtures have a standard thread size, making it easy to change rates, but you can take your old rate (or light) with you when you go shopping for new rates.

Another problem is when the landscape light does not turn on. There are several possible reasons for this:

• The light bulb is defective . If only one light is off, the easiest way to check is to see if the light bulb is burned out. Replacing a light bulb in landscape lighting is almost as easy as replacing a light bulb in your home. You just need to make sure that you buy replacement bulbs that are the same wattage, voltage, and size as the bulb you are replacing.
• Poor connection between electrical source wire and light . The only underground power cable runs from somewhere in your home. Each luminaire is connected to this cable with a pair of wires (power and neutral). This connection can use simple wire connectors inside the lantern housing, or the wires can be connected using nuts. After turning off the power, check if these connections are loose or if moisture seems to have gotteninside . As shown in thevideo above from ehowhome , both of these problems are easy to fix.
• The main cable or source is defective . If all the lights on a particular section of the road do not come on, there is a possibility that the main cable is damaged or something went wrong with the light switch. These issues can be a little more difficult to solve as they involve either digging and replacing the cable, or replacing the switch (or timer, or whatever mechanism that turns your light on).

Tools / Materials You Will Need:

• Shovel (if necessary for digging up the stake)
• Screwdriver (Phillips or flat head, depending on lighting)
• Pliers (if wire connection problem)
• Wire nuts (if wire connection problem)
• Replacing bulbs (if the bulb is bad)

Repair of a leaking outdoor tap

Repairing a leaking outdoor faucet is usually a fairly straightforward solution. Leaks occur in one of two places: in the handle or in the spout. If the leak is coming from the handle, the first thing to try is to use a wrench to tighten the packing nut, that is, the nut located just behind the handle itself. If that doesn’t fix the leak or is leaking from the faucet, you will need to disassemble the handle. Before doing this, make sure you turn off the water at the source. And if you’re not sure how to do it, check out the Turn Off Water Supply section in our article on home plumbing projects .

As shown in thevideo above from A4WE , disassembly is pretty straightforward. You will remove the handle, remove the packing nut, and slide out the valve stem assembly. You will most likely only need to replace the washers and not the entire assembly. You can tell if they are frayed or cracked. Even if you really need to replace the assembly, this is a fairly cheap solution. Just take your old one with you to the hardware store so you know you’re buying the right item.

Tools / Materials You Will Need:

• Screwdriver (Phillips)
• Crescent or other adjustable wrench
• Replacing Washers or Valve Stem Assembly

Garden hose repair

Troubleshooting a leaking garden hose almost always comes down to one of two things. If the hose is leaking where it connects to a sprayer or other hose, you will need to replace the washer that is inside that connection, as shown in thevideo above from Your Own Victory Garden . Remove the old one and take it with you to get a replacement. Or just buy a pack of replacement washers. They are not expensive at all.

If the hose is actually leaking because of a break or cut, you will need to fix the hose. If the breakage is small, it can only be patched with duct tape. If it is a larger break, you will need to cut the section of the hose with the break and then join the two clean hose ends together using a hose repair insert and two hose clamps. If the end of the hose is leaking or damaged, you can cut the end of the hose and clamp the new end onto the hose. All of these fixes are much less expensive than buying a new hose, and the parts are worth keeping in the workshop.

Tools / Materials You Will Need:

• Scissors or scissors for neat cutting of hose sections.
• Hose repair insert (for burst repair)
• Hose clamps (when repairing a break or end of a hose)
• Replacing washers

Repair a pothole on the asphalt road

Pits are a typical defect in asphalt pavement. They are caused by moisture in the underlying soil and wear and tear from the weight of the vehicles. First, you need to remove all debris from the pothole, pressurize the pit and surrounding area, and sweep away any standing water. You can buy asphalt mix either in dry form that you mix yourself or as a ready-to-use mix as shown in thevideo above from the FIX IT Home Improvement Channel .

Fill the hole with the compound, spread it out to get a flat surface, and tamp. In the video, it is even recommended to tamp it, pasting the patch with plywood and driving a car over it. After tamping, apply a little crack repair sealant around the edges of the repair. It should be dry enough to use in a day or two, although it may take a couple of weeks before it is completely dry and ready to park.

Tools / Materials You Will Need:

• High pressure washer
• Asphalt pothole repair compound
• Crack Repair Sealant
• Tamping device or plywood

Repair a crack in your concrete driveway

Fixing a crack in your concrete driveway is easier than you might think. As youcan see in the video above from Just Az.com Productions , you first need to use a trowel, chisel, or other small tool to remove debris from the crack. Then use an air compressor or vacuum cleaner to remove smaller debris that cannot be removed with a tool.

After removing debris, use a caulking gun to apply sealant to the crack. If you are repairing a crack in a horizontal section of the driveway, you can use a self-leveling sealant. If the crack is level, use a standard sealant. After applying the sealant to the crack, use a putty knife to spread the sealant evenly over the crack. You may need to apply more sealant and reuse the trowel to make sure everything is covered. Wait a few hours to dry and you will have a freshly renovated driveway.

Tools / Materials You Will Need:

• Sealant (self-leveling or not, depending on the class of the road being repaired)
• Assembly gun
• Gloves
• A trowel, chisel, or other small tool for removing debris from a crack.
• Air compressor or vacuum to remove fine debris from the crack
• Spatula for applying sealant

Prepare and repaint wrought iron fences, railings or furniture

Over time, wrought iron fences, railings and furniture can rust and flake off, leaving an unattractive appearance. Luckily, if the wrought iron hasn’t completely rusted, you can repaint the wrought iron yourself without much hassle.

First, you need to prepare the surface for painting, which is detailed in thevideo above from WeekendWorkbench . Use a wire brush drill or just a wire brush to remove rust from the wrought iron. You don’t need to remove every last drop of rust, but you do want to get rid of most of the rust and old paint so you can prime and repaint. After using the wire brush, wipe the iron again with sanding sponges and then wipe everything down with lint-free paper towels to remove as much dust and debris as possible.

When you’ve got everything set up, it’s time to prime the metal. You will do this using a brush or roller and a product called red metal primer, which is specially formulated for priming metals such as iron. After the primer is completely dry, you can paint your iron with good wrought iron paint that is designed for metal in the environment and your wrought iron will serve you for years to come.

Tools / Materials You Will Need:

• Gloves
• Breathing mask
• Garbage tarpaulin
• Sanding sponges
• Stiff bristled brush
• Optionally – an electric drill with a wire brush attachment.
• Lint-free paper towels
• Steel wool

The lead image is VoodooDot and Johannes Cornelius .

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