12 Outdoor DIY Hacks That Actually Make Your Yard Look Worse

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You might have seen Pinterest or DIY videos that promise to turn your yard into a paradise with just a few “easy” steps. Unfortunately, some of those DIY hacks can turn your outdoor space into an eyesore and you find yourself asking what happened?

Have you ever walked away from a DIY project and said, “Ugh, that didn’t look exactly like I expected”? You’re not alone. The idea of quick fixes is easy to get swept up in, but sometimes, those shortcuts can hurt more than they help. Here are some outdoor DIY hacks that can go wrong and turn your yard into a bit of a disaster zone.

Overusing Gravel

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In moderation, gravel can be a great addition, but covering large sections of your yard with it will make the space seem barren and uninviting. Too much gravel, however, creates a desert like vibe that feels too cold and not modern or sleek. Also, it’s not exactly fun to walk barefoot!

Painted Lawn Ornaments

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Lawn ornaments can be a fun way to add personality to your yard, but if you go too far, your yard could quickly go from fun to garish. Painted gnomes, flamingos or garden statues are great fun, but too many can make your yard look cluttered and busy, not in a good way.

DIY Pallet Furniture

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While pallet furniture is great, if it’s poorly made or beaten up from years of being out in the weather, it can ruin the look of your yard, making it look more like a scrap heap than a cozy retreat. Pallets are cheap and easy to come by, but they don’t tend to hold up well to the elements unless treated, which can leave your furniture looking like a mess.

Cheap Solar Lights

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Many of the inexpensive solar lights you find online or at discount stores barely cast any light at all, which makes them seem like a great, energy efficient way to light your yard. They often quit working after a few months, and worse, leaving your pathways lined with sad, non functioning lights. Instead of a magical twinkling effect you end up with a dimly lit mess.

Artificial Turf

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It may sound nice to have a maintenance free green lawn, but artificial turf almost never looks as good in real life as it does in the advertisements. Used over large areas, it can look flat and unnatural. The plus is that it heats up like crazy in the summer, but also makes it uncomfortable to walk or sit on.

Overgrown Raised Garden Beds

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DIY raised garden beds are a popular project for your yard but they do need regular maintenance to continue looking good. If you don’t weed and prune, these once neat garden beds can become an overgrown jungle. The vegetables or flowers that once used to be there, have become a wild and wasted plot.

Spray Painting Pavers

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It seems like a quick way to freshen up your yard, but spray painting old pavers or concrete tiles is usually a bad idea because the paint will start to chip and fade within just a few weeks, especially in areas that have heavy foot traffic. The result? Now your once pristine pavers look patchy and worse than before.

DIY Water Features

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You may think that creating your own water feature would be a nice, relaxing thing to do for your yard, but poorly executed DIY fountains or ponds can become a maintenance nightmare. Water can leak in if it’s not sealed properly, and what should be calming trickles become puddles and mold. In theory, a good idea, but tricky to pull off without the right tools and know how.

Using Plastic Planters

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Although plastic planters may seem like a cheap way to add greenery to your yard, they fade, crack and degrade quickly when left in the sun. Eventually, the color fades and they look cheap and worn out, taking away from the curb appeal of your yard.

DIY Concrete Pathways

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Many see concrete pathways as a sturdy and DIY friendly way to create pathways in your yard. But if you don’t do it right – if you don’t mix and pour the concrete properly – you could find yourself with cracks, an uneven surface, or a pathway that just doesn’t look right. This is one of those projects that feels simple in theory, but can quickly go awry and leave you with a path that is more eyesore than feature.

Unfinished Wood Projects

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Using untreated or unfinished wood outdoors is a recipe for disaster; whether it’s a pergola, a bench or a birdhouse. If it is not properly sealed, wood will quickly weather and deteriorate, leaving your fine project looking shabby. Before you know it, your once beautiful wood structure is rotting and has to be replaced.

DIY Fire Pits

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After all, a DIY fire pit sounds like the perfect addition to those summer evenings spent outside, but if you don’t design it properly it can turn into a hazard, or worse, just look plain ugly. A fire pit that’s more of a smoldering mistake than a cozy centerpiece can result from inconsistent shapes, poor materials and a lack of planning.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.

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