As the weather begins to warm, the outside world is on our minds more than ever. A backyard patio space is a cherished bonus to any home, but sometimes these areas don’t always reflect the love we have for them. Even with the often eye-watering prices of outdoor furniture, it can feel like we’re fresh out of options. DIY backyard patio ideas are here to save the day.
These ideas and hacks are cheap and usually doable in an afternoon or two. The supplies needed are minimal, as is your prior knowledge of carpentry and DIY finesse. Let’s begin!
DIY Concrete Fire Column
Fire columns accomplish two goals: light and decoration. They’re made up of a column of concrete supporting a glass cover and candle. The columns are simple to make. You’ll just need a bag of mixable concrete, a couple of Quik-Tubes, and the glass hurricanes plus their inner candles.
Apart from the concrete mix and tubes, everything else can be bought at a craft store or somewhere like Walmart. The concrete column also offers a range of customization. When it’s all dry, you can spray paint the outside to match the style of your patio space or tack on decorative stickers and glitters. The options are very nearly limitless when you opt for this option compared to the other DIY backyard patio ideas we’ve got below.
DIY Concrete Painted Patio Chairs
The idea of making a chair out of concrete may sound intimidating at first. Rest assured, it isn’t. You’ll actually have a couple of options for how you design and structure your concrete chairs, with some more beginner-friendly options available. If you want something lightweight and easy to re-paint get a set of plastic recycled furniture instead. If you’re up for the challenge, however, get some concrete blocks and pick your spot.
Concrete blocks are easy to stack, they’re durable, and they’re cheap-perfect chair material. For this option, you’ll simply stack the blocks to make a chair. You may want to use mortar or an adhesive between blocks to add more safety and durability.
A plush cushion creates comfort, but it’s not a requirement.
Other designs of concrete chairs require a mould of some sort, which you’ll then fill with a concrete mix. For all concrete options, you can adjust the final look. Colour may be added to the concrete mix or you can spray paint the finished piece for a unique, stylish look.
Wanna make a bench instead? Watch this video:
DIY Pallet Patio Furniture
Wood pallets visit the dreams of every DIYer. For your patio, make good use of any extra wood pallets you or your friends have lying around and turn them into chairs, coffee tables, bar areas, and benches.
You could even make a full-sized couch or a sectional couch.
For this project, you’ll need your pallets and a few nails. You may also want a saw on hand for any size adjustments. As with the concrete creations, you can customize the final look of your wood pallet creations with paint and stains. Some outdoor fabric and a foam pad make cushions in a snap.
DIY Patio Umbrella Stand
Large patio umbrellas don’t typically fare well on windy days. You can mitigate that issue with a cheap and simple umbrella stand, all in a single afternoon. Of all the DIY backyard patio ideas, this could be the easiest one to get done.
You’ll need a concrete planter, concrete mix, a section of PVC pipe, and something decorative to top the concrete.
As you go to pick out some PVC, ensure that the size of your pipe closely matches the size of your umbrella pole. Then sink that into your mixed concrete and let it all dry within the concrete planter.
To add additional weight, you may want to top the concrete with river stones or other aesthetic rocks. Then slide your umbrella into the pipe and you’re all set.
DIY Outdoor Concrete Fire Pit
You can make your own concrete fire pit with a homemade frame and some concrete mix. You fill your concrete mould with concrete adding in any designs or adding a bowl for the curved walls you’re aiming for.
Once everything is set, you can finish off the final design as your creativity sees fit. To burn wood you’ll want to pop in a metal grate to allow airflow.
This firepit in the video below was made to burn fuel logs.
DIY BBQ Grill Countertop
Counter space is sorely lacking in outdoor spaces. A grill countertop fits around your grill to offer you some precious counter space for food preparation and serving. You can craft one of these counters out of wood and some wood screws. The final look is customizable, as you can stain or paint the wood however you’d like.
DIY Porch Swing
Porch swings are a coveted outdoor seating spot. You can make one yourself with wood, chains, and some saw work. If you don’t have the porch space to support this, try crafting a smaller version and hanging it from a sturdy tree branch instead. Switch up the look with cute paint colours and pillows.
DIY Painted Patio Umbrella
A few bottles of latex paint and a white patio umbrella are all you need to create a truly unique patio focal point. The latex paint helps your design resist rain and weather while still looking bright and cheerful. Use a stencil to create a precise pattern or forge your own creative path across the canvas. Or just order a fresh new cantilever patio umbrella or market patio umbrella and sit back and relax instead!
DIY Outdoor Sectional
To make an outdoor sectional yourself, you’ll need some sturdy materials and a bit of patience. For the base of your sectional, you could use wood planks, wood pallets, concrete, or even metal piping.
Flat slabs of concrete or wood serve as the true sitting area and backrest. You can continue the DIY theme and make your own cushions with fabric and foam, or buy them pre-made from an outdoor furniture store.
DIY Concrete Block Bar
You can craft your very own outdoor bar area with a few concrete blocks and a piece of wood or stone. To construct this, stack two pillars of blocks to your desired height and top with a flat piece of wood, slate, or concrete.
To add some pizzaz make the pillars slightly asymmetrical, with some blocks sticking out enough to tuck a potted plant into one of the holes in the block. As always, you can swath some paint over top and make it even more special.
Plant Perennials
An easy and cheap way to give your patio some lasting colour is to plant perennials. Since these plants return year after year, you can plant ’em and forget ’em. Flowers always add a touch of colour and cheerfulness to any outdoor space, and by choosing perennials, you’ll maximize their potential to its fullest.
