Tired of having a yard that looks just like the neighbors? Theyve got the same patio furniture, outdoor lighting and barbecue grill. Ugh! Kind of makes you feel like youre trapped in an outdated sequel to the The Stepford Wives, right? And every time you try to change it up a bit, they follow suit. Lousy copycats!
Well never fear. Weve got something that will leave them stunned and unable to continue with their monkey see, monkey do ways. But first, youll need some step or paving stones, paint, brushes, polyurethane and plenty of canopies. Hang several canopies up to temporarily block their view. Use the others as drop clothes and to protect your painting supplies from the elements.
Once youve got the canopies hung and stretched across your work areas floor, grab a stepping stone or paver. Now here comes the fun part, decorating the stone! Spray or roll a background color on to the top and sides of the stone. You can leave the bottom of the stone blank because no one will see it after the installation. After the background color has fully cured, take out those fine-tipped paint brushes and get to work on creating unique designs for each stone.
And paint doesnt have to be your only resource. Consider attaching stained glass, pottery shards, seashells, sand and other materials to the stones with E6000 or another form of outdoor-safe, super strong glue. Let it cure for at least 72 hours before moving the finished stones. Just cover them with the canopies as we suggested earlier.
After all of the original stones are cured, decide where you want to place them. Excavate shallow depressions in those areas and partially fill the holes with play sand. Then add the stones and fill in the remaining gaps with more sand. In hours, youll have a unique walkway that will stand out for all of the right reasons. Take that copycat neighbors!

To learn more about using canopies to beat the neighbors at their own game, please contact us.