Yard Noise-Reduction
A stone wall along the property line is one way to lessen traffic noise. Here, a mason works to complete a 21/2-foot-tall one at TOH TV's Carlisle house. Even a low wall affects noise coming from tires on the road. Dry-laid fieldstone is ... [... more]
This Old House |
Iron Fences Recast
The "hoop and spear" is a common design motif in American ironwork Old wrought-iron fence sections like these are often covered with peeling paint and more than a hundred years' worth of rust Black Dog Salvage's resident lab, Sally, peers [... more]
This Old House |
Fencing Lessons
This white-painted fence features a repeating crisscross pattern that makes us think of a horse farm. It's also relatively easy to build. Not every picket fence is an endless parade of pointy 1x3s. The classic design of this formal picket is ... [... more]
This Old House |
Shrub Borders
Hand-pruning the tips of a fastigiate white pine will help rein in its overall size. Roger Cook uses a power trimmer to narrow the top of a V-shaped privet hedge. Prune hedges to be narrower at the top, and wider at the base. Leggy, woody, ... [... more]
This Old House |
Engineering a Retaining Wall
A retaining wall can hold back a hillside and turn steep slopes into living space—if you pay attention to the basics Timber walls are only moderately challenging to build by yourself up to 4 feet high A timber wall made of 8-foot-long 6x6-inch ... [... more]
This Old House |
New Alternative for Wood Outdoor Structures
Walpole Woodworkers, known for its finely crafted wood fences and garden gates, is now milling, routing, and mitering its designs on a cellular PVC material that looks like the real thing but is rated to last 25 years without maintenance, or ... [... more]
This Old House |
Lots of Groundwork Goes into the Best Rock Walls
There is just something about a stone wall. Looking at one, you think of its honesty, strength, and permanence. To achieve these characteristics my crew and I have to do a tremendous amount of work that is never seen. If we lay the right ... [... more]
This Old House |
A Private Matter
The open structure supports newly planted vines, while the peaked gate and matching stain complement the house Lattice fencing creates a private entry courtyard without blocking sunlight or cooling breezes No space is wasted in this small ... [... more]
This Old House |
How to Install a Picket Fence: Overview
There are few things as warm and welcoming as a white picket fence. A properly built and installed fence can beautify a home's landscape, define property lines and add a modicum of security. Building a fence from scratch, even a short fence, ... [... more]
This Old House |
