Five Fun Fine-Weather Projects
Birds are chirping.
The sun is shining.
Grass is growing.
It’s warming up.
Spring is finally here! We’ve likely spent all winter making our house look its best but now we get to move outside and hope the winter wind wasn’t too harsh. The routine is pretty much the same during those first weeks of warm weather – fire up the lawnmower, rake up any leftover leaves, give the house a good once over and just do the general maintenance we always do. April and May are the perfect months to try your hand at a few fun outdoor projects.
At The Strait & Lamp Group, we can help! We have a wide variety of lumber and building materials for all your DIY projects and needs. For outdoor projects, cedar is your best bet. It’s aroma, color, and ability to repel insects make it ideal for outdoor projects. Cedar is stable, resilient to warping, cracking, and rotting. It doesn’t swell or shrink with humidity and is naturally weather resistant. In other words, it’s perfect for …
Bird Houses – Bird houses give a yard or outdoor area a certain charm that can only be described as quaint. Watching the little creatures flutter in and out or cooing as mama bird tends to her babies is a lovely way to pass the time. Birds also serve a far more useful purpose if you like to spend time on your back porch or deck. Certain birds, specifically sparrows, barn swallows and warblers, find mosquitos a tantalizing little delicacy on which to feast. A few bird houses in the backyard could do a lot to tame even the most annoying mosquito problem.
Squirrel Picnic Table – Squirrels … at a picnic table … huh? Yes! This odd little trend has taken the internet by storm. The basic idea is this – you build a miniature picnic table, affix it to something that keeps it off the ground and then toss on a few nuts. Soon enough, you’ll be sipping a cup of coffee and oohing and ahhing as the squirrels stuff themselves with the bounty they’ve found at your table.
Window Boxes – A window’s exterior is, generally, pretty unremarkable. If you want to liven it up, there are few items that freshen the look quite like a planter box. A planter box can be constructed with as little as five pieces of wood, some soil and the flowers you like best. It’s important to know how much sun the box is going to get before you plant. If it’s in full morning or afternoon sun, you’ll need something that can handle the heat like petunias or geraniums. If it’s a more shaded area, think about pansies or something similar.
Planter Boxes – Planter boxes are another outdoor feature that you never knew you needed until you have a few. Plastic pots are fine, but in most cases, they aren’t refined and they rarely add much in terms of style. However, if you take that mundane plastic pot and place it gently in the cedar planting box you made, you add an instant pop of rough-hewn elegance to your patio or deck. If you have nicer terra-cotta or kiln-fired pots you want to show off, all you have to do is flip the box upside down and place the pot atop it to create a sense of depth for your outdoor space. A great flower for this would be a dwarf dahlia or snapdragons – anything with a large, showy bloom.
Garden Arbor – If you want to transform your walkway into something truly eye catching, a garden arbor is the way to go. While it might be a bit of a project depending on how well equipped your toolbox is or your level of expertise, a garden arbor is well worth the effort. They give your entryway a sense of drama and grandeur that will turn every head in the neighborhood.
At The Strait & Lamp Group, we know you work hard to make your home’s exterior look its best and we want to help! For nearly 100 years, we have had the honor to work with homeowners like you throughout Columbus and Central Ohio. It doesn’t matter if you are a DIY novice or a home improvement pro, The Strait & Lamp Group can help. Contact us today to learn more!