Media Platforms Design Team Before you invite the neighbors over for burgers and beer, you’ll want to make sure your yard is in top shape to host a relaxing summer cookout. Here are seven quick chores to ensure things go smoothly next time you break out the beef patties or ribs. —Roy Berendsohn___ Scrub the grill (or rebuild it, if you have to)___ Scour the ice chest___ Provide comfortable seating:1. Fix wobbly benches2. Restrap patio chairswith vinyl webbing3. Pressure-wash plastic outdoor furnishings___ Provide shade or improve the shade you’ve got:1. Buy a sun umbrella2. Clean the vinyl sun umbrella that you already own with an automotive convertible vinyl-top cleaner3. Repair the crank mechanism___ Keep the bugs at bay:1. Buy bug spray repellent and repellent wipes2. Buy food tents to keep the bugs off the food___ Keep the garden hose and a spray nozzle handy for anything from hand washing to plate rinsing___ Hit the deck: Remove and replace loose planks or rusty, protruding fastenersRoy BerendsohnSenior Home EditorRoy Berendsohn has worked for more than 25 years at Popular Mechanics, where he has written on carpentry, masonry, painting, plumbing, electrical, woodworking, blacksmithing, welding, lawn care, chainsaw use, and outdoor power equipment. When he’s not working on his own house, he volunteers with Sovereign Grace Church doing home repair for families in rural, suburban and urban locations throughout central and southern New Jersey.
