5 Easy DIY Weekend Projects Under $300
Just another weekend? Not if you take advantage with one or more of these 5 great projects you can easily pull off for under $300.
Most of the cost of these DIY weekend projects is in the materials. The labor – that’s you – is free. All you need now are the hours. But, hey, you’ve got two full days – plenty of time to be a superhero weekend warrior and grab some R&R.
Project #1: Add a garden arbor entry.
The setup: Install an eye-catching portal to your garden (http://www.houselogic.com/outdoors/landscaping-gardening/gardens/) with a freestanding arbor. It’ll look great at the end of a garden path or framing a grassy area between planting beds.
Specs and cost: Garden arbors can be priced up to thousands of dollars, but you can find nice-looking kits in redwood, cedar, and vinyl at your local home improvement or garden center for $200-$300. Typical sizes are about 7 feet high and 3-4 feet wide. You’ll have to assemble the kit yourself.
Tools: Screwdriver; cordless drill/driver; hammer; tape measure. Kits come pre-cut and pre-drilled for easy assembly, and usually include screws. If fasteners aren’t included, check the materials list before you leave the store.
Time: 3-5 hours
Project #2: Install a window awning.
The setup: Summer is super, but too much sunlight from south- and west-facing windows can heat up your interiors and make your AC work overtime. Beat that heat and save energy (http://www.houselogic.com/green-living/saving-energy/) by using an awning to stop harsh sunlight before it enters your house.
Specs and cost: Residential awnings come in many sizes and colors. Some are plastic or aluminum, but most are made with weatherproof fabrics. They’re engineered for wind resistance, and some are retractable. A 4-foot-wide awning with a 2.5-foot projection is $150-$250.
Tools: Cordless drill/driver; adjustable wrench; tape measure; level. You can install an awning on any siding (http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/roofing-gutters-siding/siding-guide-options/) surface, but you’ll need a hammer drill to drill holes in brick. To prevent leaks, fill any drilled holes with silicone sealant before you install screws and bolts.
Time: 3-4 hours
Project # 3: Screen off your air conditioner from view.
The setup: Air conditioning (http://www.houselogic.com/blog/heating-cooling/air-conditioning-temperature/) is great, but air conditioner condensers are ugly. Up your curb appeal (http://www.houselogic.com/home-topics/curb-appeal/) quotient by hiding your AC condenser or heat pump unit with a simple screen.
Specs and costs: An AC screen is typically 3-sided, about 40 inches high, and freestanding – you’ll want to be able to move it easily when it comes time to service your HVAC. For about $100, you can make a screen yourself (http://www.canadiangardening.com/how-to/projects/easy-to-build-lattice-screen/a/1319) using weather-resistant cedar or pressure-treated wood to build 3 frames, and filling each frame with plastic or pressure-treated lattice.
Or, buy pre-made fencing panels. A 38-by-38-inch plastic fencing panel is about $50.
Tools: Hammer; saw; cordless drill/driver; measuring tape; galvanized wood screws.
Time: Build it yourself in 4-6 hours. Install pre-made fencing in 1-2 hours.
Project # 4: Add garage storage.
The setup: Shopping for garage storage solutions is definitely a kid-in-the-candy-store experience. There are so many cool shelves, hooks, and hangers available that you’ll need to prioritize your needs. Take stock of long-handled landscape tools (http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/landscaping-gardening/must-have-landscape-tools/), bikes, paint supplies, ladders, and odd ducks, such as that kayak. Measure your available space so you’ll have a rough idea of where everything goes.
Specs and cost: Set your under-$300 budget, grab a cart, and get shopping. Many storage systems are made to be hung on drywall, but hooks and heavy items should be fastened directly to studs. Use a stud finder ($20) to locate solid framing.
If your garage (http://www.houselogic.com/home-improvement/rooms/garages/) is unfinished, add strips of wood horizontally across studs so you’ll have something to fasten your storage goodies to. An 8-foot-long 2-by-4 is about $2.50.
Tools: Cordless drill/driver; hammer; level; measuring tape; screws and nails.
Time: This is a simple project, but not a fast one. Figure 6-10 hours to get everything where you want it, plus shopping. But, oh the fun in putting everything in its place!
Project #5: Edging your garden.
The setup: Edging is a great way to define your planting beds, corral garden mulch (http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/gardens/how-mulch/), and to separate your lawn (http://www.houselogic.com/outdoors/landscaping-gardening/lawns/) from your garden or patio (http://www.houselogic.com/outdoors/patios/).
Specs and cost: Wood and metal edging looks like tiny fencing (http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/fences/fencing-guide-options/); they’re 4-6 inches high. Some include spikes that hold the edging in position; other types must be partially buried. Cost is $1-$5 per foot.
Plastic edging can be molded and colored to mimic brick, wood, and stone. About $20 for 10 feet.
Concrete edging blocks are smooth, or textured to resemble stone. $15-$25 for 10 feet.
Real stone edging is installed flush with the surrounding grade in a shallow trench on a bed of sand, so digging is required. Stone is sold by the ton and prices vary by region. You’ll need about one-third of a ton of flagstone to make an 8-inch-wide edging 50 feet long, costing $150-$200.
Tools: Shovel; wheelbarrow; tin snips (for cutting plastic edging); work gloves.
Time: Pre-made edging will take 2-3 hours for 50 feet; stone will take 6-10 hours.
By John Riha, Published May 24, 2012. Reprinted from HouseLogic with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
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