DIY Deck Privacy Wall

DIY Deck Privacy Wall

Build this eye-catching privacy wall for your deck to enjoy peace and quiet. It can block unsightly views, reduce outdoor noise and add aesthetic appeal to your backyard. Incorporate this gorgeous patio furniture and a fire pit to complete the look of your outdoor oasis.

Made from hardy cedar, this privacy wall will stand the test of time. Follow our step-by-step instructions below for the full deck privacy wall project.

Before starting this project, check your local ordinances to see if you need a construction permit for this privacy wall.

Materials

• (5) 4 x 4 in. x 8 ft. #2 Ground Contact Pressure-Treated Posts
• (11) 2 x 4 in. x 12 ft. #2 Prime Ground Contact Pressure-Treated Lumber
• (78) 1 x 4 in. x 8 ft. Cedar Lumber 
• (5) Galvanized Adjustable Post Base
• (5) 50 lb. Fast-Setting Concrete Mix
• #10 x 3 in. Exterior Screw
• #8 x 1⅝ in. Exterior Screw
• Wood Glue
• ½ in. – 13 tpi x 5 in. Galvanized Bolt
• ½ in. Galvanized Cut Washer
• ½ in.-13 tpi Galvanized Hex Nut
• 2 in. x 16 Galvanized Steel Finish Nails

Tools

• Chop Saw
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Level
• Drill or rent a drill from The Home Depot
• Nail Gun or rent a nail gun from The Home Depot
• Post hole digger
• Shovel

Building the Privacy Wall

Step 1: Dig Post Holes

First, dig five holes for the posts 4 ft. apart in a straight line. Each hole should be 12 in. deep with a 10 in. diameter. The entire length should be 16 ft.

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Step 2: Pour the Concrete

Next, pour the concrete to the specified depth in each hole. The instructions on our fast-set concrete bag called for 1 gal. of water for each hole. Place the bracket on top of the wet concrete and let dry for 24 hours.

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Step 3: Attach the Posts

Attach the 4 x 4 in. posts to each brackets. This will create your 8 x 16 ft. stud wall.

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Step 4: Attach the Horizontal Studs

Cut the 2 x 4 in. x 12 ft. boards to (16) 2 x 4 in. x 4 ft pieces. Attach the 2 x 4 in. x 4 ft. boards at 2 ft. increments on your stud wall using the nail gun. This will add stability while also adding to the aesthetic appeal of the design.

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Step 5: Glue the Boards to the Stud Wall

Using exterior wood glue, attach the smooth ¾ x 4 in. x 8 ft. cedar boards where they meet the stud wall.

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Step 6: Nail the Boards to the Stud Wall

Next, reinforce each smooth cedar board with 1 x 4 in. galvanized finish nails. Completely cover the stud wall with the cedar boards.

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Step 7: Design the Focal Points

After completing the one dimensional wall, you can add three-dimensional elements to it, making your privacy wall stand out.

Make a diagram like the plan shown above. The shaded pieces in the plan are additional pieces of cedar cut at various lengths that are attached to the flat wall. This creates eye-catching texture. You can light the wall from below for dramatic shadows.

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Step 8: Cut the Additional Boards

Cut the cedar boards for your design.

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Step 9: Attach the Boards

Attach the various cut boards to the wall using the same nailing pattern and wood glue for strength.

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Step 10: Stain Your Wall

Stain the wall the color of your choice.

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 Completed Deck Privacy Wall

Read more of our deck and patio ideas on our blog. Follow our Backyard Ideas board on Pinterest for more outdoor projects and inspiration. Find all of your patio furniture at The Home Depot.

The post DIY Deck Privacy Wall appeared first on The Home Depot Blog.

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Unique DIY Hexagon Planter

DIY Hexagon Planter

Hexagon planter boxes are an attractive and unique way to grow plants on your deck or in your backyard. Build a few of these planters in different sizes and heights for an impressive alternative to rectangular raised garden beds.

After completing your new hexagon planter, add a trellis to your hexagon planter to support climbing plants like honeysuckle, tomatoes or ivy. Just follow our step-by-step tutorial to build your own hexagon planter.

Materials

• (8) 2 x 12 in. x 8 ft. Pressure Treated Boards
• (2) 1 x 3 in. x 8 ft. S4S Poplar Board
• Minwax 1 qt. Wood Finish English Chestnut Oil-Based Interior Stain
• #10 x 3 in. Exterior Wood Screws
• #8 x 2 in. Phillips Bugle-Head Exterior Wood Screws
• #13 x 2 in. Steel Finish Nails
• Exterior Wood Glue

Tools

• 12 in. Sliding Compound Miter Saw or rent a miter saw from The Home Depot
• Tape Measure
• Pencil
• Drill or rent a drill from The Home Depot
• Hammer
• Stain Brush
• Painters Rags

Cuts

2 x 12 in. x 8 ft. Pressure Treated Boards

• (12) 30 in. cuts with an inside angle of 30 degrees (exterior boards)
• (12) 28½ in. cuts with an inside angle of 30 degrees (interior boards)

1 x 3 in. x 8 ft. Poplar Boards

• (6) 30½ in. with an inside angle of 30 degrees (exterior trim)
• (6) 28 in. cuts with an inside angle of 30 degrees (interior trim)
• (6) 6 in. cuts

Our planter has a 60 in. diameter with 30 in. sides. The height of our planter is 24 in.

If you would like to make a different sized hexagon planter, the radius is equal to the length of the six planter sides. Example: a 48 in. diameter planter would have 24 in. sides. Adjust accordingly to fit your needs.

Step 1: Measure and Mark Your Cuts

Mark the boards with a pencil.

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Step 2: Make the Cuts

Using your 12 in. sliding compound miter saw, cut all the pieces you marked.

You can also have all of your lumber cut in store. Ask a Home Depot associate to help you when you pick up your materials.

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Step 3: Stain the Wood

Stain the wood the color of your choice. We used Minwax English Chestnut Stain.

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Step 4: Assemble the Hexagon Planter

Glue the exterior bottom pieces together to create the hexagon. After the glue has dried, drill the 3 in. exterior wood screws to reinforce each side.

Repeat this step to create the exterior top hexagon.

Tip: Pre-drill the holes to ensure your wood does not crack. 

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Step 5: Build the Inside Planter

Now, assemble the interior bottom of the hexagon. Measure and mark 12 in. from the edge of an interior 28½ in. board. Then, glue a second interior board on the mark you just made to the first board. Repeat this five more times until you have completed the interior of the hexagon planter.

After the glue has dried, screw the 3 in. exterior screws into the interior and exterior boards to reinforce the structure. Then, place the interior boards inside the hexagon frame and attach using the 3 in. exterior screws.

Repeat this step to assemble the interior top of the hexagon. Do not attach the interior top structure until after completing the next step.

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Step 6: Attach the Outer Panels

Stack the second hexagon on top of the first one. This will make a 60 x 24 in. planter. If you prefer a shorter planter, simply make one hexagon instead.

Join the top and bottom planters together with 6 in. poplar boards or scrap lumber. Drill 2 in. exterior wood screws into each panel. You can also use metal straps for this step.

Now, stack the top interior boards on top of the bottom interior boards, and attach them to the exterior hexagon frame.

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Step 7: Attach the Trim

Glue the 30 in. popular pieces to the outside trim of the planter so there is an overhang of ½ in. on the inside and outside edge of the planter. Use the 28 in. pieces as trim for the inner panels.

Then, hammer in the finishing nails to reinforce the trim. This gives a nice finished look to the trim.

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Step 9: Pour the Soil

Position your planter before pouring your soil.

Make sure your planter is set on a level surface. For better drainage, add 1 to 2 in. of gravel to the bottom of your planter prior to adding soil.

Tip: If you place your planter on your patio, you can put a piece of ¾ in. plywood between the two outside boards. If you do this, you will not need to make the inner bottom panels. Stain and waterproof the plywood, then drill drainage holes into the plywood so that water can drain from the soil. 

Now your planter is ready for herbs or flowers!

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Completed Hexagon Planter

For more gardening inspiration, check out our Garden Club board on Pinterest. Watch our Gardening Tips and Projects on YouTube for helpful planting tips for your hexagon garden. Read more garden ideas on our blog. For all of your gardening needs, visit our Garden Center.

The post Unique DIY Hexagon Planter appeared first on The Home Depot Blog.

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Replacing a Front Door (Two Front Doors, Actually)

Replacing a front door isn’t a difficult DIY project, but it can pay off with better curb appeal, security and energy efficiency.

Jamison Rantz, of Rogue Engineer, replaced not one, but two front doors in his house, and shows us exactly how he did it.

Replacing a Front Door

My wife and I have recently taken on a total home renovation and one of the projects we wanted to tackle was one of the first things you see when you walk into the house; the front door. The house we purchased had an addition on the front which included an unheated entryway.

Unfortunately, the original, hunter green and brass, solid front door lead into the house, making the living room feel darker than it already was. We wanted something with more glass that would let in light and help the space feel more warm, but insulated to create an airlock entryway to thwart off the cold Michigan winters. For the front door, that opened into the entryway, we wanted a solid wooden door that would let some light in but also maintain a little privacy.

After a lot of searching we settled on the Craftsman 9 Lite Stained Mahogany Wood Prehung Front Door and the 15 Lite Primed White Majestic Steel Prehung Front Door. Now it was time to get started on the installation.

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Removing the existing door

We started by removing the existing door trim with a pry bar and hammer.

Then we pulled the door off the hinges by first removing the hinge pins. It’s nice to have a second hand here.

After that was done it was time to remove the hardware to prepare for the frame to be pulled. Most of the screws don’t protrude into the studs but there is a long security screw or two in the hinges and there should be two in the deadbolt.

To remove our door frame there was just a few screws in the brick molding but some doors may require that you cut through the nails in the jamb.

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Installing the Pre-Hung Door

Before installing the door, lay down a thick bead of window, door and siding sealant to weatherproof the sill. I didn’t have to do this for the interior door but I figured I still would for good measure.

Then, we set the door in place and shimmed it temporarily, check for plumb and square, and re-shimmed as required until we got it were we were happy with it.

After confirming that door swung smoothly, we nailed through the jamb and shims and into the studs using 16d nails. Then I removed one of the hinge screws and replaced it with a longer security screw.

Finally, we added insulation back around the door frame to assure we were maintaining the energy efficiency of the house.

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Removing and Installing Door Number Two

Before finishing up the installation we had another door to install. The real front door! This was the one we were most excited about. A Craftsman 9 Lite Stained Mahogany Wood Prehung Front Door, and boy is it a stunning door.

We had to repeat all the steps that we did with the previous door, first, removing the old door and frame.

After that was out we were able to unbox the new door and install it as we did before.

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Trim and Finishing

Now with the doors installed and properly insulated it was time to trim the doors out again. You could use standard casing on the inside and caulk the brick molding on the outside to assure a watertight seal but this house deserved more. For the interior door we trimmed both sides with interior trim to match the house, painted the door to match the trim, and installed aged bronze Schlage locks with their Camelot trim and Birmingham levers.

For the real front door, there was no finishing required but the inside did get trim and the exterior got caulked and sealed for a waterproof finish. As well, the front door got aged bronze Schlage Sense smart locks which are amazing! I feel like ever door should have these. Not only can you use the keypad to gain entry but the lock is HomeKit enabled so you can totally get Siri to unlock your doors for you.

Anyways, as you can see this was a total room transformation from what we started with. To see more projects like this and the tons of other DIY projects, make sure to check out my blog Rogue Engineer.

Browse all our exterior doors and Schlage locks at The Home Depot.

And take a look at more DIY projects here on The Home Depot Blog.

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