Quick and Rewarding Summer Projects
Last Updated: Apr 11, 2025Summer is right around the corner, and what better time to make some home improvements? Warm weather and long days are perfect for building a new patio, gardening, and grilling up a tasty dinner. If you have a little extra time on your hands, why not use it to make your summer even more enjoyable? Done well, you might even be able to increase the resale value of your home!
Table of Contents
- Outdoor Lounging: Patios & Decks
- Hot New Additions: Fire Pits & Outdoor Kitchens
- Outdoor Oasis: Water Features
- Glorious Gardens
- Waste Not, Want Not: Compost Bins
- What Will You Do With Your Summer?
Outdoor Lounging: Patios & Decks
Adding a new patio or deck is an excellent way to increase your outside time and decrease your energy consumption. You might design a special space for a hobby, like painting, or create a multifunctional patio that can be used for porch-sitting, exercise, and birthday parties. Spending more time outside this summer can do wonders for both your physical and mental health and will cut down on your indoor cooling and lighting costs.
Classic & Creative Concrete Patios
Concrete is inexpensive to install and can last up to 30 years. You might put down a simple slab and call it a day or add a concrete finish for a unique look. Concrete coatings can also be slip-resistant for patios near pools and ponds. You could add personal touches to your new concrete patio by incorporating colorful broken glass, seashells, marbles, or your family's handprints.
If you live in a particularly wet area or stormwater runoff is a problem, consider a patio made of permeable pavers or pervious concrete that allows the water to drain through the surface. Other, more sustainable concrete options include Hempcrete and Dialysis Plastic Scrap Concrete.
Radiant & Rustic Decks
If you prefer the look of wood over concrete, you may be more interested in installing a deck. Hardwoods, including cedar, redwood, and bamboo are the most resistant to rot and warping and can often be found at construction reuse stores. Composite decking is a good alternative that looks just like wood but doesn't require the staining and maintenance that solid wood does. High-Density Polyethylene Resin (HDPE) is another environmentally friendly wood-look-alike.
Once you build your deck, you can add comfortable outdoor furniture, potted flowers, a pergola, screens, or even an outdoor heater.
Hot New Additions: Fire Pits & Outdoor Kitchens
Sunsets and summer evenings are simply too nice to cut short. So don't. Stay outside, grab another cool drink, and make your dinner alfresco.
Built-in BBQs
Anyone can buy an inexpensive BBQ, but how many people do you know with a stylish, built-in grill? Building a permanent grilling space is much easier than you think. You might frame a space for your current grill to slide into and flank it with counters or upgrade to a professional BBQ specially made for built-in use. If you plan to buy a new BBQ, pellet grills are the most environmentally friendly option. They cook extremely efficiently and are fueled by a renewable sawdust material. Solar grills are also great if you don't mind a longer cook time.
Pizza Ovens
Who doesn't love pizza? Wood-fired pizza ovens are a super fun way to make a delicious meal. Impress your friends with a gourmet flatbread or set out the fixings for everyone to make their own. Pizza ovens are also great for cooking an ooey-gooey sandwich, a flakey filet of fish, or a tray of brownies. You'll save on indoor cooling costs by running the hot oven outdoors and will create a fun new family activity at the same time. If you have little ones, invite them to build their own meal and watch as the crust rises, and the cheese bubbles up.
Gardening & Outdoor
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Laura Bourland
Laura grew up in the California suburbs, far removed from environmentalism, but nature always has a way. She uprooted her life in 2015, moving to the countryside of Washington to live a more sustainable and simple life on 12 acres. She and her fiancee are learning on the job as they attempt everything from gardening and natural pest control to eco-friendly building and home improvement.