When people think about backyard upgrades, they often think of expensive ‘backyard blitz’ type projects. For many, the task just seems too big! Upgrading your backyard needn’t be expensive or arduous. It could be as simple as new turf, a splash of colour or a new backyard feature. You needn’t call the bank, an earthmover and a landscape architect to give your backyard an upgrade. It can be easy.

Simple Backyard Upgrades

Check out these five simple tips for upgrading your backyard:

Turf

Check out your lawn. Does it never look quite right? Can’t seem to get rid of those weeds? It might be high time that you consider re-turfing your backyard. So many backyards are a mish-mash of grass varieties (and a generous mix of weeds!) that really drag down the appearance and functionality of a yard. It’s always worth chatting to a turf expert such as Hanceys Turf to see how much of a difference laying new turf could make to your backyard area.

Re-mulch

Mulch does a world of good for your gardens. It keeps in moisture, helps prevent weed growth and protects a newly established garden. Think about gardens you see in magazines or display homes – they are all mulched. A fresh layer of mulch on an existing or established garden can improve your garden instantly.

Fresh Colour

Is your potted colour more pot than colour? Your decorative bushes turned an eyesore? Perhaps it’s high time you invest in some fresh colour for your garden. Think about the existing colours of your yard – what will suit in with your existing scheme? Is there a new colour or theme you want to experiment with? In-season flowers or annuals can really upgrade a tired looking yard.

A Backyard Feature

You’ve probably got an interesting feature for inside your house – a nice painting, an eye-catching vase or an exotic piece of art. Why not have an interesting feature for outdoors? It needn’t be expensive or garish – something like a bird-bath, simple water feature or potted centre-piece can really upgrade an otherwise mediocre backyard

Something To Sit On

So you’ve invested in a great lawn, coloured up your garden and have something beautiful to look at. Now what? Something to sit on! When you’ve got a beautiful backyard, you want to be able to sit and enjoy it. Something to watch the kids or grandkids from. Somewhere to lounge on a lazy Sunday afternoon. A place to enjoy the warm sunshine and coffee in the morning. A comfy, functional outdoor chair is worth its weight in gold!

Upgrading your backyard can be easy and inexpensive. New turf, a fresh layer of mulch and colour, something to look at and something new to sit on can do wonders for your yard! Have you found these tips helpful?

Have you recently upgraded or improved your backyard? What worked, or didn’t work for you? Have you got any nuggets of gold you can share?

Drop your ideas and thoughts in the comments below.

This is an S2 POST.

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Renovating your family home can be a great summer project, and it also adds value to your property. Here are some do it yourself projects that any dedicated household can manage.

Replace Your Tired Entrance with a Feature Door

The front doorway is the first thing you see when you enter any building. If your old door is scuffed or splintering, replace it with a new feature door. This is possibly the easiest home renovation project there is – choosing the door will probably take more effort than installing it. Make sure you measure your old door, to ensure your new selection will fit. Remove your old door, but make sure the sill is still intact. Attach the new door, and use some caulk to seal the door in the opening. Insulate around the door with caulk, and if nothing goes wrong, it should be operational just as soon as the caulk is dry.

Retile the Bathroom

If your bathroom is not renovated and still houses its original tiles, then it is definitely time for an upgrade. Before you start, make sure you cover anything you don’t want to get damaged in plastic sheeting, including the bathtub, the toilet, or the mirror. Use a utility knife, and a chisel and hammer to pop off the old tiles, then scrape the floor to remove any old thinset. If there are any uneven areas, you may need to smooth them out with drywall compound. Spread thinset on your tiles, until it is the same thickness as your tiles, and then place them evenly along the floor with spacer in between each one. Don’t forget to grout your tiles to avoid future water damage.

Repaint the House

Painting the house is another easy DIY renovation option, and it’s one you can even do with the kids. Make sure the room is dust free before you start – if dust gets into your wet paint, it can make a nasty bump. Clean the surfaces before you paint them to avoid roughness or grease. Apply masking tape to the edges of areas that won’t be painted to avoid the whole room ending up with a Jackson Pollockesque appearance. Then prime, and paint, and remove the masking tape when you’re done.

Make a Skylight

With the current craze for natural light, skylights are a valuable addition to any house. Make sure you find a spot in the roof free of electric wires or pipes, where the sun will actually shine in. Try drilling a locating nail into the roof to keep you oriented. You’ll need to cut two holes, one in the roof and one in the ceiling – and preferably they should match up! Install a room dome through the roof hole, and down into the ceiling hole to channel the light into your house. Fasten the dome at the other end, sand and seal.

Build a Deck

If none of the options above sounded impressive enough to you, you might want to build your own deck. Mark out the deck site with posts so you have an overview of what you are going to build.

Next, you will need to excavate the deck area to make sure it is level –mini excavators make this work quick and easy. Build the frame on a flat surface nearby, then position the frame and secure it to the posts. Concrete the posts, then level the frame. Next secure the decking boards with screws, making sure you position them correctly by using a ruler. Once all the boards are in place, your deck is done. Easy right?

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