DIY Backyard Design
Creating a backyard design means you have to pay attention to everyone needs who use the backyard and implement the design to suit the people who would use it. Therefore, you should create a DIY backyard design for different activities. Do this by using patterns similar to what you use in the home.
Materials
- Measuring tape
- Grid paper
- Ruler
- Make a plan for the area you want to work on. List things that you want in the backyard such as storage shed, seating area, barbecue area, vegetable plot and swing set.
- Create a plan for the seating area based on the number of people who would use the backyard, but add additional seating to accommodate one or two neighbors who you think might drop by sometimes. Your seating area should include tables, chairs and also folding chairs if you should have other folks over to the backyard.
- Sketch the permanent fixtures you need on pieces of paper such as propane tanks, trees, shrubs, raised flower beds, patio or any large surface you want to add.
- Take the measuring tape and measure the length and width of the backyard. Request assistance from a friend or neighbor, if you need help measuring the area. Do the measurement twice and notate the measurements using the sketch pad, also measure the layout of items in the yard such as trees and water features and notate the measurements on the sketchpad as well.
- Measure open areas such as the sidewalk. Make sure you notate the dimensions of the open area as this helps you when it comes to adding things like a swing sets, tables, chairs or whatever you want to put in the backyard.
- Use grid paper and draw the area to scale. Draw all items and features that are immovable on the sketchpad.
- Plan your backyard locations to facilitate certain activities on your list and when you do this consider the home features as well as the backyard. For example, if you have children at home build the children play area where it’s visible for you from your kitchen windows and close to the living room. Seating arrangements should be located under a tree to provide shade during the summer months. If you plan on having a vegetable garden, place it close to the shed and the water faucet, so you can easily water the plant place your garden tools back into the shed when you finish.