Outdoor & Recreational Areas in The Books Store

With masonry--bricks, blocks, concrete, stone, gravel, and sand--you can put together dozens of features and accessories that will complement your home's design, cater to your outdoor needs, and reflect your lifestyle. Add pools and ponds; planters; furniture and barbecues; steps, pillars and arches; patios; paths and drives; and walls. * Get off on the right foot with basic rules of construction, from planning to blueprints to materials. Estimate costs, measure accurately, and mix cement and concrete properly. Figure out sizing and the best siting. * Lay foundations; reinforce pillars, give your paths a safe, non-skid surface; and build walls to aid drainage, create a boundary, or just add that decorative touch. * Want dramatic effects? Try a lighted pool or fountain or build steps over an arch. * Extend your living space with a paved patio, brick seat and table, and barbecue. Over twenty easy-to-make projects that even beginners can build and design successfully! 96 pages (all in color), 8 1/2 x 11.

The secrets of buying and building with natural stone

 

Urban, suburban and exurban alike, homeowners everywhere have rediscovered the classic beauty of natural stone—the original low-maintenance building material. But along with such backyard standards as bluestone and slate, engineered products that replicate the look and feel of real stone have made considerable inroads into the stonescaping marketplace. Lightweight and easy to install, they are a great choice for do-it-yourselfers who want their home to stand out from the crowd. Whether the project is cobbled together from quarried granite or snapped in place with faux veneer stones, John Deere’s Stonescaping Made Simple shows you exactly what you need to know to do the job right yourself – and without breaking the bank (or your back) in the process.

 

Stonescaping Made Simple features information on basic tools and techniques, designing with stone, several complete projects shown with step-by-step photos, and a gallery of gorgeous, idea-generating project photos that are sure to inspire.

Help your house show its best face to the outside world. From decorative details to structural repairs, more than 500 illustrations, diagrams, and color photos will show you how to spruce everything up. Plan a garden; resurface a driveway; build a patio or deck; replace fences or gates; choose, buy, clean, lay, and paint stone or brick; pour concrete slabs; design a pond; install outdoor wiring; and lots more!