10 Tips on Building Shade Structures in Your Yard
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Creating shade in your yard is essential, but it doesn’t have to be dull. Take advantage of these tips and create an outdoor space that will not only be functional for you and your family but fun as well.
It might sound hard, but with these simple steps, you can make any backyard into a family-friendly place where everyone can gather together to relax or play.
Here are 10 steps on how to build shade structures in your yard:
1. Plan Out Where You Want Your Structure To Be
Make sure it’s close enough to an electrical outlet so that you can install lighting if desired.
You may also want to place it near a water source, such as a hose or outdoor faucet so that you can water plants or fill up buckets for cleaning.
2. Start Building!
Measure out where you want your structure to be and mark it with stakes or string. Then, dig holes for each post, making sure they’re deep enough so that they won’t fall over in bad weather.
Once you have all of your posts set up, start connecting them with wood planks or beams. If you don’t have any wood lying around, try using recycled materials such as pallets or cardboard boxes.
You can also use metal pipes if you don’t mind rustic-looking structures.
3. Add Some Color!
Now that your structure is built, give it some color by painting it with eco-friendly paint made from natural ingredients like cornstarch and natural dyes. For example, turmeric gives off a bright yellow hue while walnut shells create browns and greens when mixed together.
You can also use spray paint or acrylic paints if you want something more permanent. If you don’t want to bother with painting, try using brightly colored fabric instead.
You can sew pieces of cloth together or simply hang sheets over your structure for an instant update.
4. Install Lighting!
Once your structure is complete, add some lighting so that you can enjoy it at night as well as during the day.
You can either purchase solar-powered lights or set up a power source nearby so that you don’t have to worry about replacing batteries often.
5. Plant Things!
Plants are essential in any backyard design, but they’re especially important in structures where you want to maximize shade.
Try planting deciduous trees on one side of your structure and evergreen trees on another side.
You can even mix both types of trees in one area if you want different levels of shade throughout your yard.
6. Get Comfortable!
Make sure there are plenty of places for people to sit down inside or outside your structure so that everyone has a place to relax after playing or working all day long.
7. Build a Firepit!
Fire pits are perfect for chilly nights and are great additions to any outdoor space.
They’re also fun because you can build them out of anything, including wood pallets or metal pipes.
8. Build a Sandbox!
Sandboxes are great additions to backyards because kids love digging around in the sand, which is actually good for their bodies since it helps develop their muscles and coordination skills.
9. Create Storage Space!
If you need extra storage space, consider building an extra room onto your structure or adding shelving to make room for tools and other gardening supplies.
10. Have Fun!
The most important step in designing a family-friendly backyard is having fun doing it.
