8 “Weekend Projects” That You’ll Still Be Working on Next Week

Some projects sound like they’ll be wrapped up by Sunday evening, but by the time Monday rolls around, you’re sore, tired, and still nowhere near done. A lot of “weekend projects” take longer than expected because the prep takes more time, the materials run out, or you uncover issues you didn’t plan for.

Here are some of the biggest projects that tend to stretch into next week (or longer), even when your intentions were solid.

Building a Backyard Fence

It always seems like fencing is just digging holes, setting posts, and screwing in panels. But once you start measuring slopes, leveling posts, and dealing with roots or rocky soil, the hours start adding up.

Even a small fence can eat up an entire weekend before you’re halfway through. And if you’re staining or sealing it afterward, go ahead and plan for a second round of work next weekend.

Replacing Kitchen Cabinets

Swapping out cabinets feels doable in a couple of days—until you realize how many steps are involved. Taking down the old ones is time-consuming enough, but installing new ones, adjusting for level, and dealing with hardware or plumbing turns it into a full-on project.

You also need a completely cleared kitchen, extra hands to help lift, and enough wiggle room in your schedule to fix issues with fit or finish. This one’s almost never a quick win.

Leveling a Yard

Leveling out low spots in the yard sounds like a solid weekend plan—until you factor in how much dirt you actually need, how many trips it takes with a wheelbarrow, and how fast that physical labor wears you down.

Even with a rented tiller or lawn tractor, you’re usually looking at multiple weekends of work to get things even and prepped for grass seed. It’s worth doing right, but it rarely fits in one weekend.

Painting a Room

If you’re repainting a bedroom or living room, it might seem like an easy Saturday project. But between taping off trim, moving furniture, cutting in corners, and applying two or three coats, it’s more time-consuming than people think.

Dry time can drag things out, too—especially with humid weather or dark colors that need extra coats. And that’s not even counting cleanup or touch-ups you’ll notice after it dries.

Building a Raised Garden Bed

Throwing together a raised bed sounds like a quick job: grab some lumber, build a box, fill it with soil. But when you add up the time spent measuring, cutting, leveling the ground, hauling in soil, and figuring out drainage—it’s usually a two-day minimum.

And if you’re making multiple beds, the time adds up fast. By Sunday afternoon, most people are halfway through and already planning to finish “after work one evening.” You’ll need more time than you think.

Installing a New Light Fixture

Changing out a light sounds fast—until you realize the wires don’t match, the box isn’t compatible, or you’re working from the top of a wobbly ladder for longer than you’d like. Bonus delay if the new fixture is heavier, has poor instructions, or needs a support brace.

Electrical projects always seem to stretch because they require precision and caution. You can’t rush it, and you shouldn’t try to. If it involves ceiling work, go ahead and plan extra time.

Power Washing the House

Power washing looks easy when you watch someone else do it. But dragging out the machine, untangling hoses, and carefully spraying each surface without damaging siding or windows takes a lot longer than it seems.

And once you get started, you’ll probably notice a bunch of areas that need extra scrubbing—or spot some siding that needs replacing. It’s satisfying work, but rarely a half-day job like people expect.

Tiling a Backsplash

Tiling a backsplash is one of those projects that looks quick on YouTube but drags out in real life. Cutting around outlets, mixing mortar, setting tiles evenly, and waiting on the adhesive to cure all slow things down.

Then you’ve got to grout, clean haze off the tiles, and caulk the edges. Even small backsplash jobs can take two to three days if you want a clean, pro-looking result that actually holds up.

*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.