Global Forest Productions

DIY Projects for the Garden

Garden like a professional and create that designer garden you have always dreamed about.

We all know what a lovely garden should look like and we know what is pleasing to the eye, but sometimes it is difficult to recreate that marvel in our own gardens. Really stunning gardens grab your attention, entice you in and delight the senses with colour, scent and textures.

Here are a few basic rules that the professionals swear by

Make a plan

•    All landscapers agree that the secret to an impressive garden is in careful planning.
•    Make a plan of your garden on paper before you begin. It is far simpler to change things on paper than having to redo something in the garden, and a lot cheaper, too.
•    Read all about plants, soil and climatic conditions so that you don’t pay for costly mistakes.
•    Concentrate on doing ONE thing well, especially if the entire garden needs revamping.
•    Concentrate on focal areas and points first such as the front entrance or entertaining section.
•    Planning is everything when designing even if it is just a few ideas scribbled down on a piece of paper, as this could make a huge impact on the end result and overall look.
•    Assess all your needs and all your wants prior to using up all the space available.
•    Choose a style and a theme and stick to that.
•    Pay attention to aspects such as if your garden is North facing or South-facing.
•    Does your garden slope or is your garden level?
•    What existing garden elements do you want to keep in your new design?
•    Always select plants that suit your climate.

Create the Framework
•    Assess your garden and decide what hard landscaping elements and focal points, such as a water features that you would like to include.
•    Before any planting is done, many of these would need to be reconstructed.
•    Retaining walls are perfect for dealing with slopes and for creating varying levels and sections to break up your garden into different spaces or “rooms”.
•    Clad walls with decking or natural stone, which adds a bit of interest to the garden by introducing different textures.
•    Leaving walls in their natural state is a good idea as painted walls tend to dominate the garden.

Garden like a pro and get the results you want.

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Making Over a Patio

Making over a Patio is Easy and Fun

•    Cover old cushions with bright new tea towels that match your colour scheme.
•    Give an old wall unit a fresh coat of paint and install a couple of glass shelves making it perfect for showcasing patio necessities for brilliant outdoor entertaining.
•    For wall décor paint a portion of a wall with blackboard paint and write an inspirational message or two to lift the spirits.
•    Otherwise make use of an old zinc cement mixing plate for that instant piece of art.
•    For a coffee table use two wooden palates, back to back. Fill the gaps of the top pallet with wooden planks which have been cut to size to create a solid surface. Add casters on it for mobility and leave a space in the inside for storing outdoor items like towels for swimming and pool toys.
•    For a lovely day bed create a comfortable day bed by using a single bed cleverly with non drip enamel paint in off-white or a colour of your choice.
•    Cover the bed with big, comfortable cushions and couple of lovely throws and guard the mattress with a water-proof protective cover.
•    Create a movable storage unit that can be wheeled underneath your day bed by attaching castors to an old toy box and removing the lid. This will quite easily become a practical solution for storage where you can keep outdoor essentials such as sun screen, pool noodles, swimming costumes, and extra towels for easy access.
  
With a little bit of imagination, you will be able to revive your patio making it into a little spot of paradise for you and your family.

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Treating Wood

There Are Different Types of Treatments and Applications for Wood

Hardwoods

•    These are broad-leafed trees and produce timber that is hard and otherwise known as hardwoods.
•    Hardwood trees have bark that has a closed grain.
•    Certain hardwoods are used for furniture.
•    Other woods are used for manufacturing.
•    Some examples of hardwoods are kiaat, maple, teak as well as hundreds of other varieties.
•    Hardwoods are known to be sturdy and weighty.
•    Special focus  is important when applying any  coating to hardwoods so that the coating sticks properly to the surface.

Softwoods

•    Softwoods come from evergreen trees.
•    Softwoods also come from coniferous trees.
Types of applications to use on hardwoods and softwoods
•    With varnish ,recoating will only be essential every couple of years if used for outside and external applications. You might need to strip the wood before varnishing can take place as you need to apply this to raw wood. Varnishing wood gives a nice finish without ruining the look of the item and also offers excellent protection making the timber long-lasting.
•    Oils , on the other hand, offer a completely natural look to your wood. These are thinned down with turps and then brushed onto the wooden article, finishing off with a soft wooden cloth wiped over your timber article.
•    Sealers often need to be redone every two years, but this depends on the wear and tear of your wooden item. The advantage of sealers is that the end result is natural-looking.

Wood Treat Wood Seal is a general all-purpose sealer which penetrates the timber and feeds it at the same time. The sealer improves the natural loveliness of the timber and increases the duration of the life of the wood. Painting over a problem is not a good idea. Treat your wood with care and it will last a lifetime.

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We often hear the saying “a bad workman blames his tools”, well in this instance it is more like a good workman has his tools to thank for a job well done.

If you are a professional person who needs tools to perfect a job in the manufacturing and production field, or you are one of nature’s few excellent D.I.Y superheroes, then there is a tool for every task.

Some of the fine brands that are on offer are

• Bosch
• Wap
• Enerpac
• Gedore
• Chicago Pneumatic, to mention only a few of the vast and excellent range of tools that are available.

Kiloton offers tools for a vast range of applications, which can be found under one roof, which is practical and makes good sense.

An excellent  example of outstanding tools is the  Enerpac range that supplies tools for all industrial applications and is synonymous with superior quality; these tools are available locally and offer superior after-sales service.

Somta are the market leaders in the supply of precision manufactured tools for cutting, drill bits and threading tools for a diverse range of applications across all industrial fields.

Gedore is the foremost dealer of hand tools to the private as well as the industrial sector. Gedore maintains these outstanding quality products by always using the most excellent resources in the manufacture of high quality hand tools.

Gedore has been making quality tools for over 85 years; these are tools that are selected and hand-picked by expert users, and carry the Gedore label.

If you require specific tools for manufacturing and production applications, or need a tool for a project to do at home, you need look no further.

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Here are Five Easy Steps To Build a Compost Box

Summer is here and your garden is thriving; going the natural route is the answer to having an awesome garden this year. Making your own compost is untidy, smelly and messy, so why not build your own compost box, make use of all your peels, eggshells and tea bags and watch your garden flourish. Greens are really expensive, so take this step in the right direction towards growing your own veggies this season. And remember that there are fabulous winter veggies that you can grow as well.

This compost box is very easy to make; even those with three thumbs will manage

You need
• Two timber planks 38mm x 6,6mm
• Two timber batons 38mm x 3m
• Square combination
• Circular saw
• Packet of chipboard screws; 4mm x 50mm
• Electric screwdriver and bits
• Linseed oil and a brush

Method
Step 1
• Using a pencil and ruler, measure the planks to 800mm lengths.
• Use the square combination to draw a right-angle line.
• Using the circular saw, cut the timber.
• You will require 12 pieces of equal length for the sides of the compost box.

Step 2
• Measure the timber batons to 900mm lengths.
• Use the square combination to draw a right-angle line.
• Use the circular saw to cut four pieces of equal length for the legs of the compost box.
Step 3

• Start at one end of a baton and screw 3 lengths of timber planks to it, leaving spaces of about 2cms between the planks, using the screws and electric screwdriver.
• Attach a baton to the other side of the planks as well.
• Repeat with 3 more planks and the other two batons.
• You will now have two sides with three planks across attached to 2 batons.

Step 4
• Attach 3 more planks on both sides to complete the box.
• The legs should stick out by at least 40cms.

Step 5
• Cut the bottom of the legs at an angle to make it simpler to push into the ground.

I

n our warm climate it takes in the region of 3 to 6 months for your compost to break down to use. To speed up the process of decomposition, ensure that as much oxygen as possible reaches the compost.

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