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Low-Maintenance Landscape for Busy Parents

Custom-Made Planters, Easy Plants: A Fresh Look for This Front Yard

From "Desperate Landscapes"
episode DDSL-205

(Continued from page 1)

Figure A

Figure B

Project 1: Refinish a porch swing

Tom and Laura have a weather-worn porch swing that needs to be sanded and stained.

Here's how it's done:

Lightly sand the existing finish from the swing. You can use a palm sander or a sanding block (figure A).

Remove dust with tack cloth.

Next put on rubber gloves to avoid getting any stain on your hands.

Choose an exterior grade stain for the swing. Jason used an oil-based stain on this project.

Apply a light coat of stain with a staining pad or a paint brush (figure B).

Apply a quality urethane annually to protect the finish from the elements.

Figure C

Project 2: Build a planter

Jason built custom containers for the porch. Two will frame the door. They measure 24"x 24"x 20". A third container is 6 feet long by 20 inches tall and 12 inches wide.

Tips for building planters:

Cut 45-degree angles on each corner (figure C).

Use wood glue or construction adhesive to join each corner together.

Use a finishing nail gun to secure them.

For extra support, glue 1x2 cedar blocks in each corner.

Figure D

To dress up the planter box:

Cut 1x4 cedar into four-inch strips (figure D).

Cover seams with strips.

For more punch, add chair rail to the top of the strip (figure E). Do this to the seam and the top of the container (figure F).

Figure E

Figure F

Replace light fixtures

The light fixtures at Tom and Laura's house are too small for the home. Jason's plan calls for larger ones that are more in tune with the style of the home.

How to replace a light fixture:

Caution: Remember to turn off the power before you start working.

Remove the old light fixture (figures G and H).

Remove 1/2-inch of insulation from the new wires then twist together existing wires with new ones — black to black, white to white.

Cover with wire nuts.

Attach light cover (figure I).

We went eco-friendly, using fluorescent light bulb rather than incandescent. Fluorescent burns longer than a standard bulb (figure J).

Figure G

Figure H

Figure I

Figure J

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RELATED PROJECTS:
	Rustic Porch Swing: Finishing and Hanging
	Rustic Porch Swing: Weaving the Seat
	Rustic Porch Swing: Joining the Sides
	Rustic Porch Swing: Cutting and Assembling Back Spindles and Frame
	Rustic Porch Swing: Preparing the Timber
	Installing a Porch Swing
	Desperate Landscape: Cleanup on Carolina Avenue