Now that fall is officially here and summer activities have subsided, it’s a good time for a home exterior refresh. Even the smallest addition can optimize an outdoor space and make it feel more inviting.
When considering outdoor projects, building a backyard deck or fence is one of the first ideas that come to mind. However, there’s no shortage of ways to spruce up the front yard with a customized landscaping project.
Not sure where to start? Here are a few ideas to spark inspiration.
Retaining Walls
Build a retaining wall to spotlight your plants and flowers. It’s a relatively simple way to get started with landscaping, no matter the size of the front yard.
It maximizes a smaller area and creates dimension when installing landscape timbers on a slope with more square footage.
Reinforcing Walkways
With El Niño in the Southern California forecast in the upcoming season, now’s a good opportunity to preserve your home’s gravel paths for the rainy months ahead.
Alaskan yellow cedar is an excellent choice for reinforcing walkways, due to the wood’s high durability and natural resistance to decay.
Picket Fences
Western red cedar is an appearance-grade lumber that looks beautiful to frame a front yard.
Prime and paint it or use an oil-based stain to preserve the boards. Then, add complementary features, such as outdoor lighting, a garden gate, or decorative signage to create a warm and welcoming exterior that suits your desired look.
Picking the Right Type of Lumber for Your Landscaping Project
Consider the size, budget, and style of your project. In general, popular options include redwood, Douglas fir, and Alaskan yellow cedar.
- Redwood – Known for its natural warmth, beauty, and sustainability, redwood is one of the most popular softwoods to use for home exterior projects. It’s available in several grades and textures and can be used for any type of landscaping or other outdoor project you can imagine.
- Douglas fir – A pressure-treated Douglas fir is highly resistant to decay and bugs, making it a solid choice for a retaining wall. It’s available in landscape or construction grade, depending on the size of your project. It’s stocked and available at J&W Lumber in lengths up to 20 feet and can be specially ordered for project sizes requiring 30 feet and beyond.
- Alaskan yellow cedar – Durable and stronger than most commercial softwoods, Alaskan yellow cedar is ideal for functional builds like decks, patio covers, and walkway reinforcements, and can be stained or painted, but many homeowners appreciate its uniform light yellow color.
Get Both Beauty and Functionality for Your Outdoor Space
A landscaping project adds beauty to the front yard, expanding the appeal of your outdoor space.
It also serves a functional purpose, serving as a physical barrier to increase privacy and decrease street noise, prevent erosion, and/or manage the effects of heavy rains during the wetter and/or high-storm season months.
If you want to spruce up your outdoor space, now’s the perfect season to get started.
Stop by your local J&W Lumber store to get inspiration from our in-store displays and stock up on all the lumber and accompanying outdoor building materials you’ll need.