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You are so talented April. Wish I had the strength and know how like you have. I like the way you explain everything. Everything you build looks amazing!
When you got money to burn, it's perfect, simple, and easy...lol. But really, you did a great job, I absolutely love out of the box and no rules thinking as it pulls more on one's resourceful creativity and the challenge to bring it all together nicely as you have done here. With solar lamp lighting all the way down its path for night use, I imagine it would be gorgeous and maybe even romantic. I wonder if you are an Aries like me when waiting for something will just not do...lol.
Recently in a wheelchair at a young'ish age, and have been looking for ideas to get to future garden areas in my huge backyard. This style is perfect! I can add on rails where appropriate. Instant Subscription!!!
Man ! You put me to shame !! I better step it up huh !!! But good for you ! A lot of people can’t do anything now and just look at you ! Got me moving !! Thanks ! 👍💯🙏❤️
Another way, rather than handrails might be a footboard along the side of the walkway. If it’s tall enough, maybe 6”, it would keep the wheels on track and save you all those stiles and handrails.
I love this rule breaking thing! I was searching for how to make a temperature narrow boardwalk for my back yard from a small pool out of scrap decking I have laying around the back yard. I hate having the grand babies walking back and forth barefoot thru the mulch and stones. This is going to be right up my alley!! Thank you so much!!
Honestly, wow. I just want to point out how well you have used your words while narrating your work. I feel like I’ve learnt so much. Thank you for being so bad ass at what you do! Cheers pal
Traditional methods are your foundation to know what you can and can’t do outside of those perimeters. It gives you boundaries and reasons for them, which then allows you to understand how you can push those boundaries for your own particular reasons and still be successful. I don’t know if I’m explaining that right. But I’ve done loads of projects for indoor renovations and have had to tweak to suit my situation. Without an understanding of the rules and standards I wouldn’t have known how to safely make the changes I needed to for my own individual purposes. Also I LOVE how this turned out! Really really beautiful!
Hey April, first-time viewer here. With so many women feeling the need to put themselves half-naked in the thumbnail to attract viewers it is very refreshing to see one of your videos. None of that nonsense, just a great video, great craft, good narrative.... respect, well done.
First time here. You are AWESOME, April. At 74, I spent a lifetime watching female 'know how' evolve. Watching you supports ALL women - gives our female youth a place to mentor...and realize that - I CAN DO ANYTHING I SET MY MIND TO. Kudos for your example and life-force. All that said - great project; you go girl!!! Thank you for sharing.
I have been watching you for quite a while and just now noticed I hadn't subscribed, so now I am. You are a wonderful example to women who have always wanted to create with wood(me). I'm 73 years old, and love woodworking, so no matter your age,gender, create to your hearts content.
Not aware Picasso said that, but have always believed so. The balance between a master-technician and what I call “higher octave creative” or creator can only be found with a great technician or master of his or her art who can let go of the mind chatter of training on what an artist SHOULD and shouldn’t DO. Perfection being the absolute balance of the technical and creative; like the exact center point, but “poetic.” Pool sharks call it “the shit,” and basketball players call it “the zone,” I was told. Add it’s when a brain scan records an entire brain lighting up, like homeostasis, but not, and like “operating on all cylinders.” 😂 Not everyone knows to hold out for it and not everyone recognizes it when it happens. Such a loss to the world. Sometimes exploring what makes the best art is an art in itself? 😂 Anyway, April W gets it.
Loved this project. I've got 78 acres, most of which are set up for wildlife. I've dedicated a few acres for gardens that I'm putting in now with bright sun, full shade and in between. Your project looks perfect for winding pathways which will make for much better footing. I think I'll add some extra boxes along the path for 2 chairs and a table for sitting and looking at the plantings. Thank you so much for this inspiration.
Omg… you are a hero. Seriously, that’s amazing how you created a beautiful pathway with low expense… wow! Very helpful and beneficial to everyone who can’t pay contractors. You made it look doable for those of us who have minimal construction skills.
When I was a kid, I would spend weekends and my grandparents farm. It was just a little house, and they had a wooden sidewalk from the house to the driveway. Ofcourse it was in the 1970's and I don't even know if their was such thing as treated wood or galvanized nails at the time, just old barnwood, and whatever nails he had, but I always loved the look🤗 Thankyou for bringing back some happy memories of my Grandparents ❤
Cinder blocks vs treated woods will give me a long lasting assurance for longevity. Added elevation for a floating deck height while giving extra protection to the woods.
Love it. It looks perfect and you did a great job. It's what I've been needing to do at my cabin in the woods. Another huge advantage of this is if you want to run electric line from cabin to kitchen.
Lady, you are my new hero. I'm dying at that shot where you just bust up that rock! I am the same way, only not as cool. Thanks for posting this. I now have hope for birthday my project that was becoming overwhelming. Love all the creative solutions.
Square is mostly necessary, yet not always necessary. It just depends on the project. In this particular case, the only thing that needed to be square if you will, was the vertical which you achieved by leveling the frames left and right. Great project April.
@April Wilkerson I think it is nice you mention the divergence from proper method. Putting importance on doing things properly. Botanicare that people took to develop methods that would keep everything safe, remain cherished.
Beautiful work!! The one thing that stuck out for me at the end, however, is that I don't think you mentioned applying sealant to the pressure treated wood after cutting it. Once cut, pressure treated wood is (usually) as susceptible to the elements as other non-treated woods. One should always be sure to seal it after cutting it. Thanks for posting this, though, as it's given me lots of ideas to work from for my back green.
Great video! I love your thought process and easy, time saving objectives without sacrificing quality and aesthetic beauty! As a woman, I sometimes think men over-engineer things, women tend to have a "work smarter, not harder" approach.
April, I can't remember how long ago I first subscribed to you, but I have always enjoyed your unconventional method of building and a lot of your projects have been replicated in home. Thanks for what you do and keep doing you.
Extremely cool! I have a wooden walkway that is going to be demolished and I've been researching different ways to replace it. This looks so much easier than digging out, leveling and setting pier blocks. I had thought about using boxes like you did and now I definitely will. Mine ill be easier as it is a straight shot of about 60 feet. Yours looks great! Thanks for posting.
It looks easier like you said but in my opinion it is the big flaw here. 4 or 5 storms later her walkway will be floating in the air, causing cracking noise and eventually damaging the structure just by people walking on it. You have to at least partially bury in the ground the leveling blocks unless it never rains where you're from.
id drive a metal stake into the ground and attach it to one of the crossmembers to keep the whole thing from shifting off of the pads when it expands and contracts in wet and dry weatherr. you could still add them iff needed, just pop off a tread board where a crossmember is, drive in a stake, attach it to the crossmember and reinstall the tread.
I love your pathway! I have an area where I have been wanting a boardwalk. I'm a renter; and, I can see me picking up sections of walkway and putting them into the moving van. Thanks!
Thank you for this video!!! I’ve been tearing my hair out trying to figure out how to make my back yard look decent for years. I have a small yard with 2 big oak trees that have cracked and lifted a path & left large exposed roots in the rock hard soil. I think your idea may be the fix to my problems. I thought a level ground was a must. So excited, thank you! And I love this is done by a woman. I love my diy too :)
I need to build an over the landscape walkway which needs to be bare feet friendly. Thank you for showing your walkway build. The one you built looks exactly like what I need to build. I’m so glad you demonstrated your build. Thank you and happy 4th of July!
Just beware of Trex in the sun because it can get VERY hot. Our previous deck was definitely not bare foot friendly with a similar color Trex as in this video. Either another material is needed, possibly the lightest color of Trex (our new deck seems good so far), or you have to make sure it’s shaded.
Love it. I will add that since the boards are only treated against pests, they won’t be water rot resistant. Painting them with bitumen will hide them more and make them waterproof for very little cost. Every post or wood I put in or near the ground gets bitumen painted…it just can’t be glued to.
My favourite tip for cutting curved pavers and decking: use a thin conduit or pvc pipe. You can tape it down wherever you want and its inexpensive. The boardwalk looks great!
This looks amazing.. and when you smashed that rock up with the sledge, I was thinking a combination of "WOW, don't mess with this girl!" and "I wish I was that strong" lol Well done. You just blew that thing apart no problem.
This looks wonderful and thank you for the fresh reminder that things don't always need to be done a certain way. Out of the box thinking and this really paid off.
This is absolutely beautiful work. I’d love to do something similar on our lakefront property, but I live in Northeast. With the ground freeze/thaw, I think we need deep footings to keep the path in place.
EXACTLY what I was looking for! I need to place an elevated path through some cypress trees, avoiding the knees and my twisted ankles. I can't wait to build it and looking for more of your videos for inspiration!
This is a really clever concept. My only concern is that, although treated, the structural lumber will not last as long as the composite treads. I've built planters out of pressure treated lumber and seen them rot within 2-3 years. I'd avoid actual ground contact with any of that wood.
I like that you allowed a decent gap between boards. Not that it matters for composite, but my cedar deck boards were installed a tad closer, allowing pine needles and stuff to jam in the cracks cause moisture buildup and eventually rot.
I bought some pressure treated lumber last spring and was extremely lucky to get it both as there was a shortage and within a week after my purchase the prices tripled. With facilities opening back up, I'm wondering if supply has caught back up with demand yet.
My Goodness! I’ve just bought a little island that is like a forrest on rocks, and I wanted to find a way to build a something like this to be able to go all around without stepping on plants, and avoiding any possible ticks (and Lyme disease), but I just couldn’t find a way, and you just showed me, even better you being also a woman! The only problem for me is going to be getting the material on to the island, as we only use very small boats, but I will find the way! I appreciate you sharing with us your knowledge and skills from the bottom of my heart!
Im in a wheelchair and its really hard for me to go to out door events because most places door keep in mind not everyone walks we have a area like the one you recently built could you show or do a simple safe steardy wheelchair ramp onto your out door grill area if anything to show how simple it could be know its not needed but i think it could be handy to do and see
To make the area assessable to wheelchairs, I would attach the box to the deck so the walking surface will be flush, keep adjusting the height to slowly lower the height close to ground level and then make a transition from the ground to the walkway surface to be able to get a wheelchair across it. You can't use washed gravel or sand for wheelchair paths because the wheels will sink into the stuff; use 3/8 to dust crusher run smoothed and tamped into place and it will set up just fine.
The thing with traditional methods is learning and understanding WHY they became traditional methods in the first place. Once you understand the WHY, you'll be able to discern when it's best to stick close to the traditional and when doing so will be less important.
traditional is all about control. Someone came up with"traditional" in order to control everyone else. This kind of control is occurring right now with the democrats.
April inspires me to not feel negatively stereotyped when I get creative working with wood and my power tools! These projects are not just for men anymore! I am constantly "engineering" projects in my mind's eye when I am in my yard. I use my Sun Oven daily in the summer and plan to build an outdoor kitchen area. Just cuz a single woman buys construction materials doesn't mean that she doesn't want a boyfriend! April helps smash the stereotype around females who do construction projects :) Kudos to this modern day trail blazer!
Remember, composite and glass railings should never be in direct sunlight. They get way too hot in the sun. Not to mention the static electricity that accumulates on the composite. I have experienced this on a two million dollar house that was wrapped in back with an uncovered glass railing on composite decking. What an absolute nightmare. It was pretty. Pretty useless unless the day was overcast. Not to mention the composite reflects sunlight as well as it absorbs it, so the entire deck was absolutely blinding and scorching.
@@skysoldier31 That's good input indeed. I have seen how hot they get as well. I did my deck but not before I figured out a good shade sail to keep the sun from getting to it.
Really nice. Only thing I’d do differently would be a ramp other than steps. That whole kitchen looks great. Can’t wait fot the rest of the treehouse though. 😉
@@danagovang2520 that wasn’t even the first thing I thought but it is a very good point. Just the fact that someone will have to carry stuff there a ramp would make everything a lot easier.
I'm glad you used the ingeneered boards even thought they are expensive yet it will never stain or need painting within a couple of years. I just love how you Google the in and outs of your projects and get the bull by it's horns and tackle away those massive projects and at the end come out perfect april. Congrats on everything you set your mind to because they come out beautifull.
Wow! I am impressed. I was going to put pea gravel under my deck to even out the walk under, but now I'll do this. There are no curves, but your walkway looks neat and clean.
Love the natural ebb and flow of the walkway is very organic and looks like it was very intentional to not to disturb the nature around it. Am learning while building projects around my home and am looking forward to learning more from you.
Gorgeous! Looks so natural to the environment. You also did a wonderful job with narration and love that you used your innovation rather than sticking with the "rules".
Girl, you f***in’ got down with the this! Exquisitely, wonderfully, & beautifully done like a true artist! You have certainly inspired me and I THANK you. Many blessings to, April🙏🏽
You're awesome, this project broke all the rules but came out perfect for what you wanted. Your are a beauty and a beast, the way you split the pavers and busted up the rock with the sledge hammer, you are an inspiration to follow.
This is exactly what my wife wanted me to do. I am laying down gravel from my house foundation out about 14 feet ending with brown presure treated 2x4's partially in the ground. It looks good with 3/4 Shasta grant ending at a dark brown edging. But she tossing in a walk way that meanders through several cedar pine trees, we live in the mountains, while I was working on the rock I was trying to figure out how to build what she wanted. I was thinking in standard ways of making a deck, she wanted nothing like it. My wife wanted what you made, but I hadn't seen your video yet. Thank god I found you! Ha ha. My nieghbor gave me a large amount of old painted redwood deck boards, what a treasure, once I removed the paint and ran the boards through a planer I got gorgeous boards. This will be the deck boards. Any way thanks for your unconventional building deck it's exactly what the wife ordered.
Awesome! Great work! I was going to pay someone to pour a concrete walkway (partially disabled after a stroke). But after seeing your video I am going to see if my wife wants to tackle a similar project. Thanks and kudos to you!
Can’t say enough “att-a-girl” while watching this. It’s admirable to see someone break the rules to make something fit their style and needs. ( would have left the boards uncurved at the end)
WOW!!! That is probably one of the most brilliant ideas I've ever seen!!! I have the exact same problem with uneven, rocky terrain at my ranch. I will certainly be taking your idea to heart when building my outdoor kitchen. Thank you so much for the great idea!!!
I was looking for a relatively inexpensive way to build a path to and through my planned gazebo/butterfly garden project. You've given me some great ideas, thanks!
I thought of doing something similar in the past, but was worried about creating habitat for rodents. Is your location close enough to healthy predator populations so that rodents won't be a problem?
@@songrada1 then i'd have to get a dog to take care of my cat problem and a chimpanzee to take care of my dog problem, and an elephant to take care of my chimpanzee problem, and a rat to take care of my elephant problem
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You are so talented April. Wish I had the strength and know how like you have. I like the way you explain everything. Everything you build looks amazing!
Just in time for the 4th
Well I made for you a shoe box!
Im going to find you.
When you got money to burn, it's perfect, simple, and easy...lol. But really, you did a great job, I absolutely love out of the box and no rules thinking as it pulls more on one's resourceful creativity and the challenge to bring it all together nicely as you have done here. With solar lamp lighting all the way down its path for night use, I imagine it would be gorgeous and maybe even romantic. I wonder if you are an Aries like me when waiting for something will just not do...lol.
For my eyes this walkway fits in the nature much better with the curves, than a really square/level concrete solution. Great job!
I agree, such a beautiful rocky spot. Totally fits in as best as you could want…
Agreed
Recently in a wheelchair at a young'ish age, and have been looking for ideas to get to future garden areas in my huge backyard. This style is perfect! I can add on rails where appropriate.
Instant Subscription!!!
Best wishes to you!
Man ! You put me to shame !! I better step it up huh !!! But good for you ! A lot of people can’t do anything now and just look at you ! Got me moving !! Thanks ! 👍💯🙏❤️
Another way, rather than handrails might be a footboard along the side of the walkway. If it’s tall enough, maybe 6”, it would keep the wheels on track and save you all those stiles and handrails.
I like the irregular shape, it gives the path character and fits in with the surrounding landscape.
You’d love my house then, lots of irregular “character.”
I love this rule breaking thing! I was searching for how to make a temperature narrow boardwalk for my back yard from a small pool out of scrap decking I have laying around the back yard. I hate having the grand babies walking back and forth barefoot thru the mulch and stones. This is going to be right up my alley!! Thank you so much!!
Honestly, wow. I just want to point out how well you have used your words while narrating your work. I feel like I’ve learnt so much. Thank you for being so bad ass at what you do! Cheers pal
April you work so much harder on your channel than almost everyone else. Thank you it's appreciated. You make this all look easy.
Building, especially something this large, is a lot of hard work but is so satisfying when finished. Thanks for watching.
I love it April! It fits the environment perfectly and looks like it creates a great experience walking up to your outdoor kitchen!
No digging, no levelling compounds. Smart. Save a ton of work. Great results 😊👍🏻
As the saying goes: "Improvise. Adapt. Overcome." It has served me well in my 55 years. Looks like you put it into practice with fantastic results! :)
Love how you shamed and framed up everything. Great job as always.
Glad you enjoyed it!
As long as it doesn't bother you, it shouldn't bother anyone else. Great content, April. Keep up the good work!
Traditional methods are your foundation to know what you can and can’t do outside of those perimeters. It gives you boundaries and reasons for them, which then allows you to understand how you can push those boundaries for your own particular reasons and still be successful. I don’t know if I’m explaining that right. But I’ve done loads of projects for indoor renovations and have had to tweak to suit my situation. Without an understanding of the rules and standards I wouldn’t have known how to safely make the changes I needed to for my own individual purposes.
Also I LOVE how this turned out! Really really beautiful!
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.
LOL. Pirate April, "They're more like guidelines than actual rules."
Everything on this outdoor kitchen project looks beautiful.
Hey April, first-time viewer here. With so many women feeling the need to put themselves half-naked in the thumbnail to attract viewers it is very refreshing to see one of your videos. None of that nonsense, just a great video, great craft, good narrative.... respect, well done.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.
LOVE how everything turned out!!! The sweeping curves make it much more beautiful than a straight walkway. Another great job April!
First time here. You are AWESOME, April. At 74, I spent a lifetime watching female 'know how' evolve. Watching you supports ALL women - gives our female youth a place to mentor...and realize that - I CAN DO ANYTHING I SET MY MIND TO. Kudos for your example and life-force. All that said - great project; you go girl!!! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for your kind words. Thanks for watching.
I can’t believe you laid out all those boxes in 5 hours! You’ve got skillz April!
I have been watching you for quite a while and just now noticed I hadn't subscribed, so now I am. You are a wonderful example to women who have always wanted to create with wood(me). I'm 73 years old, and love woodworking, so no matter your age,gender, create to your hearts content.
Thank you for your kind words. I'm glad you enjoy my Channel. Thanks for watching.
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist” attributed to Pablo Picasso, and exemplified by April Wilkerson
That why I like her!
Never heard that he said this. Wonderful!
Not aware Picasso said that, but have always believed so.
The balance between a master-technician and what I call “higher octave creative” or creator can only be found with a great technician or master of his or her art who can let go of the mind chatter of training on what an artist SHOULD and shouldn’t DO.
Perfection being the absolute balance of the technical and creative; like the exact center point, but “poetic.”
Pool sharks call it “the shit,” and basketball players call it “the zone,” I was told.
Add it’s when a brain scan records an entire brain lighting up, like homeostasis, but not, and like “operating on all cylinders.”
😂 Not everyone knows to hold out for it and not everyone recognizes it when it happens. Such a loss to the world.
Sometimes exploring what makes the best art is an art in itself? 😂
Anyway, April W gets it.
Well said, @R. Craig Collins!! Rules are rules, but humans are not supposed to act like robots!! Great job April!! 👏👏😃
AMEN!!!! I found my long lost twin hahahahaha where have you been all my life ! Rock on 🤘 you are awesome 👏
Loved this project. I've got 78 acres, most of which are set up for wildlife. I've dedicated a few acres for gardens that I'm putting in now with bright sun, full shade and in between. Your project looks perfect for winding pathways which will make for much better footing. I think I'll add some extra boxes along the path for 2 chairs and a table for sitting and looking at the plantings. Thank you so much for this inspiration.
Awesome! That sounds great. Thanks for Sharing and for watching.
Love the end result! When you're working with such uneven ground you have to adapt and you did a great job! I hope we get to see the landscaping!
Omg… you are a hero. Seriously, that’s amazing how you created a beautiful pathway with low expense… wow! Very helpful and beneficial to everyone who can’t pay contractors. You made it look doable for those of us who have minimal construction skills.
Thanks! Glad it was helpful!
Love your "Rebel Pathway". It looks great, awesome job!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.
When I was a kid, I would spend weekends and my grandparents farm. It was just a little house, and they had a wooden sidewalk from the house to the driveway. Ofcourse it was in the 1970's and I don't even know if their was such thing as treated wood or galvanized nails at the time, just old barnwood, and whatever nails he had, but I always loved the look🤗 Thankyou for bringing back some happy memories of my Grandparents ❤
Thanks for watching and for sharing your memories with us.
Lovely pathway … makes the property so much more useable when you’re not trekking over uneven ground.
Love it
Cinder blocks vs treated woods will give me a long lasting assurance for longevity. Added elevation for a floating deck height while giving extra protection to the woods.
Love it. It looks perfect and you did a great job. It's what I've been needing to do at my cabin in the woods. Another huge advantage of this is if you want to run electric line from cabin to kitchen.
Lady, you are my new hero. I'm dying at that shot where you just bust up that rock! I am the same way, only not as cool. Thanks for posting this. I now have hope for birthday my project that was becoming overwhelming. Love all the creative solutions.
Square is mostly necessary, yet not always necessary.
It just depends on the project. In this particular case, the only thing that needed to be square if you will, was the vertical which you achieved by leveling the frames left and right.
Great project April.
@April Wilkerson I think it is nice you mention the divergence from proper method. Putting importance on doing things properly.
Botanicare that people took to develop methods that would keep everything safe, remain cherished.
Another great project April. All I'd consider would be running an 1/8" round over bit down the edges to spare miss-stepped ankles. Good job.
Great idea!!!!
Did this years ago. A common practice in the Northwest.
Building tip, use clamps to get the framing flush before bolting/screwing together.
Beautiful work!! The one thing that stuck out for me at the end, however, is that I don't think you mentioned applying sealant to the pressure treated wood after cutting it. Once cut, pressure treated wood is (usually) as susceptible to the elements as other non-treated woods. One should always be sure to seal it after cutting it. Thanks for posting this, though, as it's given me lots of ideas to work from for my back green.
Thanks for the reminder
I was wondering how long treated wood will last when used in this capacity. Would staining it extend the life?
I love it, its nice when something fits with the landscape, instead of harshly goes against the natural forms.
Amazing look. This is exactly what I was looking for to do a similar project in my back yard without the $$$ price tag. Thanks for the instruction.
Great video! I love your thought process and easy, time saving objectives without sacrificing quality and aesthetic beauty! As a woman, I sometimes think men over-engineer things, women tend to have a "work smarter, not harder" approach.
Looks great April. Sometimes we just have to do things " outside of the box " to get a great result. Love you. Thank you for sharing XXX
April, I can't remember how long ago I first subscribed to you, but I have always enjoyed your unconventional method of building and a lot of your projects have been replicated in home. Thanks for what you do and keep doing you.
Awesome! Thank you for still being along for the ride and sharing. And thanks for watching.
Extremely cool! I have a wooden walkway that is going to be demolished and I've been researching different ways to replace it. This looks so much easier than digging out, leveling and setting pier blocks. I had thought about using boxes like you did and now I definitely will. Mine ill be easier as it is a straight shot of about 60 feet. Yours looks great! Thanks for posting.
Easier sure. But put in a wiggle or two for interest!
It looks easier like you said but in my opinion it is the big flaw here. 4 or 5 storms later her walkway will be floating in the air, causing cracking noise and eventually damaging the structure just by people walking on it. You have to at least partially bury in the ground the leveling blocks unless it never rains where you're from.
id drive a metal stake into the ground and attach it to one of the crossmembers to keep the whole thing from shifting off of the pads when it expands and contracts in wet and dry weatherr. you could still add them iff needed, just pop off a tread board where a crossmember is, drive in a stake, attach it to the crossmember and reinstall the tread.
Holy smokes, you have amazing skills. That looks like a pathway to paradise. Lol, sounds like a Stairway To Heaven.
I love your pathway! I have an area where I have been wanting a boardwalk. I'm a renter; and, I can see me picking up sections of walkway and putting them into the moving van.
Thanks!
The walkway looks great. The curved design makes it look organic and tied into the heart and soul of your property. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Such a pleasure to see woman do a work with electric tools and hands. Proud of her.
Beautiful and Stunning. Hmmm April has become a mastercraftwoman.
Thank you for this video!!! I’ve been tearing my hair out trying to figure out how to make my back yard look decent for years. I have a small yard with 2 big oak trees that have cracked and lifted a path & left large exposed roots in the rock hard soil. I think your idea may be the fix to my problems. I thought a level ground was a must. So excited, thank you! And I love this is done by a woman. I love my diy too :)
Glad it was helpful!
I need to build an over the landscape walkway which needs to be bare feet friendly. Thank you for showing your walkway build. The one you built looks exactly like what I need to build. I’m so glad you demonstrated your build. Thank you and happy 4th of July!
Just beware of Trex in the sun because it can get VERY hot. Our previous deck was definitely not bare foot friendly with a similar color Trex as in this video. Either another material is needed, possibly the lightest color of Trex (our new deck seems good so far), or you have to make sure it’s shaded.
@@lucasjw Thanks for the tip. I’ll try for closest to white I can find. Thanks again for the tip.
Love it. I will add that since the boards are only treated against pests, they won’t be water rot resistant. Painting them with bitumen will hide them more and make them waterproof for very little cost. Every post or wood I put in or near the ground gets bitumen painted…it just can’t be glued to.
Love the Curiosity deal! Thanks April
the way it all came together it fits nature nicely. awesome
Thanks! I love how it blended in.
My favourite tip for cutting curved pavers and decking: use a thin conduit or pvc pipe. You can tape it down wherever you want and its inexpensive. The boardwalk looks great!
Great idea
This looks amazing.. and when you smashed that rock up with the sledge, I was thinking a combination of "WOW, don't mess with this girl!" and "I wish I was that strong" lol Well done. You just blew that thing apart no problem.
This looks wonderful and thank you for the fresh reminder that things don't always need to be done a certain way. Out of the box thinking and this really paid off.
i'm glad you clarified the brad nail thing... i was thinkin' Yikes ! Great job.
This is absolutely beautiful work. I’d love to do something similar on our lakefront property, but I live in Northeast. With the ground freeze/thaw, I think we need deep footings to keep the path in place.
I wondered the same thing myself, I don't know if she is in a freeze zone. Footings would add quite a bit of labor to the project
Naw. Just shim up where needed after ground warms up.
EXACTLY what I was looking for! I need to place an elevated path through some cypress trees, avoiding the knees and my twisted ankles. I can't wait to build it and looking for more of your videos for inspiration!
Awesome! Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching.
This is a really clever concept. My only concern is that, although treated, the structural lumber will not last as long as the composite treads. I've built planters out of pressure treated lumber and seen them rot within 2-3 years. I'd avoid actual ground contact with any of that wood.
They rotted because they are in direct contact with moisture
My concern if I built it here in Australia is white ants, termites would eat it within a year. Nice job though.
I like that you allowed a decent gap between boards. Not that it matters for composite, but my cedar deck boards were installed a tad closer, allowing pine needles and stuff to jam in the cracks cause moisture buildup and eventually rot.
I bought some pressure treated lumber last spring and was extremely lucky to get it both as there was a shortage and within a week after my purchase the prices tripled. With facilities opening back up, I'm wondering if supply has caught back up with demand yet.
Still probably a few months away. I think there's still a backup on the East & West Coast docks which will hopefully be dealt with soon.
@@BoomerKeith1 Got my fingers crossed.
@@maingun07 You and me both my friend! I need plywood sheets in the worst way but I'm not paying what they're asking right now.
My Goodness! I’ve just bought a little island that is like a forrest on rocks, and I wanted to find a way to build a something like this to be able to go all around without stepping on plants, and avoiding any possible ticks (and Lyme disease), but I just couldn’t find a way, and you just showed me, even better you being also a woman! The only problem for me is going to be getting the material on to the island, as we only use very small boats, but I will find the way! I appreciate you sharing with us your knowledge and skills from the bottom of my heart!
Wow! How cool is that? An island? Awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed the video and found it useful. Thanks for watching.
Im in a wheelchair and its really hard for me to go to out door events because most places door keep in mind not everyone walks we have a area like the one you recently built could you show or do a simple safe steardy wheelchair ramp onto your out door grill area if anything to show how simple it could be know its not needed but i think it could be handy to do and see
I second that request, many public event spaces do not put enough thought into accessibility issues, if any.
To make the area assessable to wheelchairs, I would attach the box to the deck so the walking surface will be flush, keep adjusting the height to slowly lower the height close to ground level and then make a transition from the ground to the walkway surface to be able to get a wheelchair across it. You can't use washed gravel or sand for wheelchair paths because the wheels will sink into the stuff; use 3/8 to dust crusher run smoothed and tamped into place and it will set up just fine.
You're my inspiration! I don't wanna have strangers comin over my house all the time for everything. I can build it myself!
Exactly! Plus the satisfaction at looking at something you created yourself, is priceless! Enjoy the journey.
You've got to learn the rules to break the rules. Awesome build!
Brilliant! The finished pathway looks great. Many excellent ideas to streamline the work…No. 1 being no concrete. Thank you for this video.
Or gravel or dirt.
The thing with traditional methods is learning and understanding WHY they became traditional methods in the first place. Once you understand the WHY, you'll be able to discern when it's best to stick close to the traditional and when doing so will be less important.
Id say this is closer to "traditional". I doubt they were pouring concrete and rebar in the 1800s
traditional is all about control. Someone came up with"traditional" in order to control everyone else. This kind of control is occurring right now with the democrats.
You are my new favorite heroine! I don’t have a rock problem, rather a mud problem, but this is giving me marvelous ideas! Thank you so much. :)
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
April inspires me to not feel negatively stereotyped when I get creative working with wood and my power tools! These projects are not just for men anymore! I am constantly "engineering" projects in my mind's eye when I am in my yard. I use my Sun Oven daily in the summer and plan to build an outdoor kitchen area. Just cuz a single woman buys construction materials doesn't mean that she doesn't want a boyfriend! April helps smash the stereotype around females who do construction projects :) Kudos to this modern day trail blazer!
Good job! It's a pathway that accents the nature of you place, if you don't like it in 3 years, easy enough to remove and restore.
Exactly! Or change the whimsical nature of it a different path if you choose. Thanks for watching.
I would love to make something like that... but I think in this climate even then best lumber or composite decking will get trashed fast.
Remember, composite and glass railings should never be in direct sunlight. They get way too hot in the sun. Not to mention the static electricity that accumulates on the composite.
I have experienced this on a two million dollar house that was wrapped in back with an uncovered glass railing on composite decking. What an absolute nightmare. It was pretty. Pretty useless unless the day was overcast. Not to mention the composite reflects sunlight as well as it absorbs it, so the entire deck was absolutely blinding and scorching.
@@skysoldier31 Live and learn, Eh!? Some educational costs even exceed the best college education...I should know!
@@skysoldier31 That's good input indeed. I have seen how hot they get as well. I did my deck but not before I figured out a good shade sail to keep the sun from getting to it.
I'm cheap. Lots of rocks here too. And they'd work great to provide footings for boardwalk. Great job.
Really nice. Only thing I’d do differently would be a ramp other than steps. That whole kitchen looks great. Can’t wait fot the rest of the treehouse though. 😉
Yes, that would have made it wheelchair accessible.
@@danagovang2520 that wasn’t even the first thing I thought but it is a very good point. Just the fact that someone will have to carry stuff there a ramp would make everything a lot easier.
I'm glad you used the ingeneered boards even thought they are expensive yet it will never stain or need painting within a couple of years. I just love how you Google the in and outs of your projects and get the bull by it's horns and tackle away those massive projects and at the end come out perfect april. Congrats on everything you set your mind to because they come out beautifull.
Thank you for your kind words and thanks for watching.
It looks great. One question? Why did u cut of so much? It looks like u cut off 5 inches. Could u have cut off less off the sides?
Wow! I am impressed. I was going to put pea gravel under my deck to even out the walk under, but now I'll do this. There are no curves, but your walkway looks neat and clean.
Yes, I love the look! Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.
The process hurt my OCD soul, but you can't argue with fabulous results.
Love the natural ebb and flow of the walkway is very organic and looks like it was very intentional to not to disturb the nature around it. Am learning while building projects around my home and am looking forward to learning more from you.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Love it! I’m willing to bet some random code inspector’s head is getting ready to explode right now though. haha
Gorgeous! Looks so natural to the environment. You also did a wonderful job with narration and love that you used your innovation rather than sticking with the "rules".
Thank you so much!
The way you swing that sledge hammer I'll bet you could ring the bell at the county fair and win yourself a kewpie doll on every try.
Man I loved this project, and your Brad nailer timber wedge jig. Very smart. You work very smart. Thanks for schooling me.
It would be interesting to see how it looks in five or ten years.
If I spent this much money on materials, I would do a much better job with footings and attaching stringers. Makes you wonder who pays for this stuff?
Girl, you f***in’ got down with the this! Exquisitely, wonderfully, & beautifully done like a true artist!
You have certainly inspired me and I THANK you.
Many blessings to, April🙏🏽
Glad you liked it!!
Ein tolles Video :)
You're awesome, this project broke all the rules but came out perfect for what you wanted. Your are a beauty and a beast, the way you split the pavers and busted up the rock with the sledge hammer, you are an inspiration to follow.
Glad you liked it!!
Still waiting to see what’s growing in that huge garden you built last year?
Great example of Work Smarter Not Harder!! 👏 👏
Perfect idea to cover my broken & uneven concrete patio.
Glad it was helpful!
Isn't the purpose of a boardwalk to not need to worry about the ground below? I don't think you broke a rule by not leveling the ground.
This is exactly what my wife wanted me to do. I am laying down gravel from my house foundation out about 14 feet ending with brown presure treated 2x4's partially in the ground. It looks good with 3/4 Shasta grant ending at a dark brown edging. But she tossing in a walk way that meanders through several cedar pine trees, we live in the mountains, while I was working on the rock I was trying to figure out how to build what she wanted. I was thinking in standard ways of making a deck, she wanted nothing like it. My wife wanted what you made, but I hadn't seen your video yet. Thank god I found you! Ha ha. My nieghbor gave me a large amount of old painted redwood deck boards, what a treasure, once I removed the paint and ran the boards through a planer I got gorgeous boards. This will be the deck boards. Any way thanks for your unconventional building deck it's exactly what the wife ordered.
That's awesome! Glad you found it useful and thank you for watching.
Can be fine in some dry lands, but in most places it'll decay in a few years, that makes it too expensive.
pressure treated lumber will not decay in a few years
@@zedwpd thats about top planks? the bottom will decay.
I didn't see any end cut preservative being used on the fresh cuts.
Awesome! Great work! I was going to pay someone to pour a concrete walkway (partially disabled after a stroke). But after seeing your video I am going to see if my wife wants to tackle a similar project. Thanks and kudos to you!
Can’t say enough “att-a-girl” while watching this. It’s admirable to see someone break the rules to make something fit their style and needs. ( would have left the boards uncurved at the end)
WOW!!! That is probably one of the most brilliant ideas I've ever seen!!! I have the exact same problem with uneven, rocky terrain at my ranch. I will certainly be taking your idea to heart when building my outdoor kitchen. Thank you so much for the great idea!!!
Thanks! Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching.
What was the total cost?
1,000,000$
I was looking for a relatively inexpensive way to build a path to and through my planned gazebo/butterfly garden project. You've given me some great ideas, thanks!
Awesome! Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.
PLZ for safety's sake: PUT YOUR HAIR UNDER A CAP when you SAW! Don't want to SCALP yourself by having your long hair get caught in the sawblade!
Agreed
Looks awesome! love the tip about moving material as little as possible by setting up stations in proper sequence. Very smart!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.
I thought of doing something similar in the past, but was worried about creating habitat for rodents. Is your location close enough to healthy predator populations so that rodents won't be a problem?
... 😶
buy a cat
@@songrada1 then i'd have to get a dog to take care of my cat problem and a chimpanzee to take care of my dog problem, and an elephant to take care of my chimpanzee problem, and a rat to take care of my elephant problem
@@kitsurubami did you think you've gone to the paradise?
I created this exact problem on a short walkway. My dog was digging like crazy under it. Finally I tipped it up and a family of rats scurried away.
Momma always said, where there is a will, there is a way! Thanks for sharing.
Keep that hair tied up, when you were using the saw it got a little close!! Looks good!