# Outdoor Fix-It Options

Part of the Home Repairs Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/home-repairs/guide/index.md)

*2. Outdoor Repairs*

> **2.** Under the supervision of your parent, guardian, or counselor, do THREE of the following:

This requirement gives you six outdoor and exterior repair choices, and you must complete exactly **three** of them. All six teach a similar lesson: weather, dirt, water, and everyday wear slowly damage tools and surfaces, but careful maintenance can stop small problems from spreading.

## Your Options

- **[Req 2a — Yard Tool Tune-Up](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/home-repairs/guide/req2a/)**: Clean, sharpen, and store a yard tool so it works better and lasts longer. You will learn tool care and safe storage.
- **[Req 2b — Weatherstripping a Door or Window](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/home-repairs/guide/req2b/)**: Seal an air leak around a door or window. You will learn how comfort and energy efficiency depend on small details.
- **[Req 2c — Exterior Caulking](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/home-repairs/guide/req2c/)**: Fill cracks or joints exposed to weather. You will practice clean surface prep and precise bead control.
- **[Req 2d — Patching Concrete or Asphalt](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/home-repairs/guide/req2d/)**: Repair a crack or break in a hard surface before water and freeze-thaw cycles make it worse. You will learn why timing matters in outdoor repairs.
- **[Req 2e — Screen Repair](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/home-repairs/guide/req2e/)**: Repair or replace a damaged window or door screen. You will practice measuring, tensioning, and neat finishing.
- **[Req 2f — Replacing a Window Pane](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/home-repairs/guide/req2f/)**: Replace broken glass in a window. You will learn careful removal, safe handling, and why sharp materials demand patience.

## How to Choose Your Three

**Choosing Your Outdoor Repair Options** — Compare the time, tools, and lessons in each job

- [ ] **Best beginner project:** Req 2a or Req 2e. Both teach careful hand skills without opening up a major house system.
- [ ] **Best energy-saving project:** Req 2b or Req 2c. These options help stop drafts and water intrusion.
- [ ] **Best heavy-duty surface repair:** Req 2d. Choose this if you want to work with patching compounds and outdoor surfaces.
- [ ] **Most delicate project:** Req 2f. Replacing glass requires extra caution, precise cleanup, and close adult supervision.
- [ ] **Fastest visible improvement:** Req 2b, 2c, or 2e. A sealed door, fresh caulk line, or repaired screen makes a difference right away.
- [ ] **What you will gain:** Tool maintenance builds self-reliance, sealing projects teach prevention, and repair jobs teach you how to restore a damaged item instead of throwing it away.

A good mix for many Scouts is one **tool-care** project, one **weatherproofing** project, and one **repair** project. That gives you a wider range of skills and a better feel for the different kinds of work a home repairer handles.

> **Tip**
>
> Look around your home with your supervising adult before you choose. The best option is usually a real repair your household already needs, not a made-up practice job.

If you enjoyed the safety planning in [Req 1 — Safety Basics](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/home-repairs/guide/req1/), use that same habit here. Before you pick an option, ask what could cut, fall, leak, or require cleanup.

You are ready to start the first option page. Even if you do not choose yard tool maintenance as one of your three, it is a great model for how careful cleaning, inspection, and storage prevent future problems.

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- Previous: [Safety Basics](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/home-repairs/guide/req1/index.md)
- Next: [Yard Tool Tune-Up](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/home-repairs/guide/req2a/index.md)